Overview
Black-Eyed Susan; or, All in the Downs is Jerrold's stirring naval melodrama, first performed in 1829. Fusing patriotism with social justice, it won thunderous applause from working-class audiences and catapulted Jerrold to fame.
Plot Summary
Returning from war, sailor William discovers his wife Susan harassed by a corrupt magistrate. In defending her honor, he strikes a superior and faces court-martial. But justice and love triumph.
Excerpt
WILLIAM: "I'll serve my king on the quarter-deck, but no tyrant shall strike me ashore. My hand is England's, but my heart is Susan's!"
Contemporary Reviews
The Times (1830): "A thunderous response from the gallery! Jerrold has given voice to the brave and the wronged alike."
Theatrical Journal: "T.P. Cooke as William electrifies. Never has a sailor's heart beat louder on the London stage."
Legacy
Running over 300 nights, this play became a defining work of 19th-century theatre, heralding a new age of popular drama. Its themes of honour, loyalty, and class injustice remain relevant today.