The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-01 00:00:00

Haymarket Theatre.

Last evening a new four-act comedy, by Mr. John 0°1::
ford, entitled " A Dangerous Friend," was produced at th''
theatre with complete success. The piece, like most of °llr
new ones now-a-days, is an adaptation from the French,
but with alterations that have been made to suit the
lish stage; and the care that has been taken to fit our 1,1°;"
equalled light comedians, Mr. Charles Mathews and ij!
wife, with parts suited to their respective talents, it li:tic,"
almost be pronounced "entirely new and original."
ti
the opening scene we are introduced to a fight-heartei,'
good-tempered gentleman, a general favourite with t'i;
ladies, Mr. Samuel Handiman (Mr. C. Matthews), ."43()„,i
on a visit to his friend, Sir Lancelot Livingston, at his
in Devonshire. Handiman, during the time he has bc)„..d
Sir Lancelot's guest, has discovered that the baronet
his wife do not exactly agree, the cause being " an ine°L;
patibility of temper." Sir Lancelot is fond of his
and hounds, while Lady Marion, a romantic beauty, vfri
has everything that can possibly tend to produce haPri;
ness, thinks she is neglected. Handiman oeg,l.
this, and is in constant fear that some fine ni'w
ing, sympathising visitor will turn up some "
and that consequences will follow of the most disastre'v
character. Handiman is commissioned by his Pretty
little cousin, the daughter of Sir Lancelot, to purch°h"3
her a feather, and on his return he is astonished at ,t", 180
arrival of a friend of his, Mr. Angus Mandeville, a flag
handsome young fellow, the very sort of person he "-gi
been in constant fear of meeting. He seems deatiticiy
to fill this void in the lady's heart ; but though I's, e
Livingston is sentimental she is not vicious, and „",1;
repels him, but feels herself so weak that she w 1.17,1,
from him a promise to leave Europe. thift)tri-
nately, at the very time this strong enl°-:
is waking her to a sense of propriety and duty, she and
some small reason to become jealous of her husband? "pot
the tempter again appears, and she seems about to ne°Sh- r
to fly with him, when her husband enters, and hears ;vet
guilty declaration. The lover loaves England, as he
pt
not lift his hand in a duel against the man he was 51)°,1..
to wrong. The husband and wife agree, to avoid scarf,
dal, to live together until their only daughter is inarr,c'elie
but totally separated in sentiment and person• re
last act shows us the simple wooing of the artless, Pilo
girl and the good young fellow, Handiman, wh° hild
served everybody throughout the play. When the 0,44
is disposed of the parents are about to separate, accords
to agreement, but news arriving that the man wh° 0.
been the chief cause of their misery is dead, they are reclier
ciled. The deep lesson she has received through :1
"dangerous friend" has thoroughlycleared the wife's In'
of :all sentimental rot. The comedy is excellently Tit
written, generally speaking, tut there are portions ° be
weaker than others, and these might with advantage.oe
omitted, the effect of which would be to make the PDg.
" go" a great deal better even than it did last 01701100
The part of Samuel Handiman is precisely
thing for Mr. C. Mathews, and he rattles throtlo
iO5•
it with a vivacity that is perfectly refr,°l 11•°
Mrs. C. Mathews, as the romantic Lady •L'7,,Tell;
acted with more than her usual excellence, and Miss
Moore, as her daughter, by her natural and nlig—i,ad,
acting, gave importance to a part which, in other lfpre-
would have sunk into insignificance. Mr. Howe '`-;ttr•
sented Sir Lancelot with manly earnestness, a°`,„:o so
Kendal (who made his debut in London last nigh tb°
Angus Mandeville, will prove an important addition 'lO-
Haymarket company. He is a tall handsome young le.
and acts with the greatest ease and composure' 000"
Chippendale and Mrs. laws, as the two respected In° said;
in-law of husband and wife, were as excellent as °old
c
indeed, as far as acting of the comedy is concerned, it piece
not by possibility be better. The mounting of tb° ia°
was superb. The applause at the fall of the en't3l; bad
enthusiastic, and the whole of the principal perforrno
112,00
to appear, whilst the author bowed his acknowledg
from a private box.
The house was filled to overflowing.

_.__ -- -- __ _ _ -----r_r Lie'
THE REPRESENTATIVES OF PLYMOUTII.--tin 110 r
cordanco with tho invitation of Sir Robert rorOtv °et)
and Mr. Walter Morrison, the parliamentary r` °f
tives of the borough of Plymouth, a large 10°etir)14,1,,-d °ll
electors and non-electors of that borough assonwniO3'
Tuesday evening in the hall of the Plymouth 3lecilli—va'
Institute to hear from the hon. gentleman soma
011°.
tions upon public affairs. rr SCI3I
CONSERVATIVE DINNER AT BOSTON. °p .racy Nr
evening Mr. J. W. Malcolm, tho Conservativo -s''' 'gr.
Boston, was entertained at a dinner in that tovril'ir J.
Fred.
Cooke presided. Amongst the company we
Trollop°, M.P., and Mr. J.. 13. Stauliope, 31.19'