New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-06
MITSIC AND THE DRAMA.
THE LIGHTS o. LONDON.

Tn considering this play the mind is conscious OF
feeling Of relief from the necessity OF even an w
tempt at subtitle analysis of It's con'en'S'
No effort has been made IN the Pio00
10 depict exceptional character or 10 coiV'n
trate attention upon any single form OF lu .u"'-
deyelopn mt There is nothing III the "orA o''ii0'
ideal. or reconcile, or intricate. III nO'0s
70 direct object, and is simple pho'osIapn Va
octnal life The premises of its story, ana the eN-
oosd;noIp ant occurrences which bear along the
current of its plot are, possibly somewhat
forced. but. in this respect IL Is
n vast advance upon the melodrama
NJ "Tbe World' to which il Is kindred, and which
was lately received in this country with so much
nonular favor 1t ranks above that piece and above
Mr. Boucicaults play of After Dark; BUTT stands
below "The Ticket of Leave-Man in the same lam
iy It's types of personality have all been used be-
FORE but its author has used them now with skli
and some novelty, and has produced play when
interests the spectator. and which is suscepu-
BILE of scenic establishment. This 1t
received last night in the Union
souare Theatre. The snow scene and the Regents
Park scene are among the most elaborate pictur-
esoue and beautiful stage sets that have been made
here within our remembrance. The artlst' MI
Marston, was honored with pubic recall
and Mr.. Palmer, the manager was TWICE
nalled before the curtain There Is one scene OF
great dramatic pOwer-a scene wherein tather'
who has committed crime IN order to advance ms
daughters fortunes finds her wearing the badges OF
infamy-tbe gems he has himself stolen-and
suffers at her hands most cruel rebuke and
reputation This was finely acted by Mr.. stod-
dart and Miss Eleanor Carey. Mr.. DeBelle-
Vile and Mr.. Parselle made also a brilliant
hit. the one as an elegant villain, the other
as stroling actor, of the MGrigotd description
1t would require much time and space to rehearse
the story of g The Lights o London" and the GUIDE
book STYLE in these cases is not allnrng. h'hU
sufices when it is said that this piece EXHIBITS the
mental suffering and the physical har'ships
that are brought upon certain innocent persons
through the Vaccinations of clever scoundrel
There is a disinherted son. who has dispeased his
father and there is polished villain, who contnves
to get his inheritance to have him unjusuy
convicted of a crime, and subsequently to hunt him
down. All this is sufficiently trite The attractive
ness consists in the manner of treatment, IN the
alterations of droll humOr with wicked conduct
and pathetic wretchedness, and in the
pictorial decorations of the grotesque
pageant of common life. There is
strain of tender humanity running through the
works feeling of sympathy with goodness and OF
compassion for the wretched and poor-which is en-
tirely genuine and which does not tail to touch the
heart If it be added that this piece is
good specimen of an inferior order of dra-
matte literature, and that 1t has been
magnifcently set upon the stage, and acted with
much and various ability and here and there with
positive brIancy, enough viii be said, for the
present to denote its character, and mark the sue
cess which attended its production.
There is much in it to please. There is
nothing in il TO offend The influence Of ii is stimu
Iative OF charitable and kindly emotions. Its char
acters and situations afford good opportunities for
the display of dramatic art 1t is sure to
fY.,r Ftrftln
ceptiOn with which it was greeted last night
seemed to augur for it a long and prosperous
in the public favor The following is the full cast:
Harold Armytage an Outcast &c r. ThOruc ir.
Mr. Army t8ge Of ATnytage Hail. his
father .............A D. Billings
Clifford ArmytaCe, his cousin. 4. de Beevhle
Marks. lnlge-k.ener 30 Armvtlge Hal Il D. MuIIIs