New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-04
THE DRAMA.
MADISON SQUARE THEATRE :" SUNLIGHT
AND SHADOW,

AND SHADOW
When the spirit Of play is swee: and gentle it Is
extremely apt to be nspM but the spirit OF this
new comedy, Sunlight and Shadow, which had its
first American representation last night, before large
and bright company Of appreciative people in the
Madison Square Tbeatre,-is less piquant than
lovely and less forcible and touching than simple
and pure In this respect the piece is exceptional:
AID since It's tender and beautiful ideal Of nobleness
in character and integrity in conduct Is invested with
cheerful accessories and expressed by expedens
OF dramatic mechanism, and in tersc buOyant and
spirited strain Of dialogue. it surely may be hailed
and welcomed among the most auspiclous productions
Of the hour In looking at this piece the observer
looks upon truthful Of domestic life. which
made romantic with the halo OF love. There 10
love thwarted and there Is love fulfilled but in each
vein Of destiny the love is pure Nothing could
be simpler than the story. Not attempt at
invention has been made in this particular. The
entire stress of art has been laid upon a dramatic
exposition Of the persons and the circumstances which
10 be displayed.
At the outset you picture, framed in the
rustic summer bloom and sweetness Of English
country place of the happy home Of certain benevo-
lent ply sican. DR.. Latimer who has two daughters
and but little property one of these girls Helen
Latimer. is secretly loved by George Adds. choir.
ster who is defOrmed in body but who Is a moral
hero in spirit, and she IS also loved by Mark Denzl
man Of middle Of her fathers college friends
and him she loves in return. As yet, this love Is
unspoken. The other girl, Maud Latmer. is loved
by Adolphus Bamfeld. absurd swain. but humor.
his absurdy and this affection she reciprocaes.
Helen atimer is girl OF the reticent and thoughtful
kind while her sister. Maud, is sprighty and mis-
chievous. At the end Of act these lovers have
reached an understanding as to their several anars'
all their fortunes apparently lie IN the sunllgh''
Denzil however. has been married and has been de-
serted by his wife. ard he now believes that she Is
dead That absent wife. false TO her husband and
evil in her nature villas it IS instantly surmsed-
return TO work yet further mischief before her death
snooths the way to a happy marriage. In fact, she
comes almost Immediately and Just before the fau
OF the first curtain she IS 10 stand in the SHADOW
and listen "a Deuzirs avOwal OF his love for Helen
Latimer Then. and from that cause. the sunlight DO
gins to darlIen
IN act two Dr. Latimer, who has had considerable
surn Of money confded 10 him for investment by one
~ his eccentric patients locks Il in drawer and gives
the key 10 Denz by whom IL is sent TO Helen ana
Helen receives ii in the presence Of Janet felton
Dcrzlrs vicious wfcl. who has called 10 see thu
Doctor and who IS presently left alone In the room,
with the key within her reach. Janet FELTON, en-
deavors tn steal this money, but is detected ana
hwarted By Helen; and then instantly, upon the con-
current arrival Of Dr. Latmor and Of Denzil. the
amazed husband and the criminal and defiant wife are
confronted and the secret that must, apparently,
be fatal 10 the happiness Of Denzn and Helen Is q
secret no longer All this while the fortunes OF Maua
and her comical lover Mr.. Bamheld. have been al
vanclng in sunshine: and there Is. in act two par
tcuarly fine piece of equiyOque. taking the form oil
dialogue between Mr.. Bamfeld and DR.. Latimo''
wherein the sutton is trying 10 ask for the hand o
Maud and the Doctor understands. or perhaps chooses
10 understand that his nterlocutor i trying 10
ask for medical advice. Al this WHILE lac
wise. the hopeless love of George Add!s
for Helen Latmer has been deity suggested ana Kep!
IN view And all this while sparkling current {"
flexible and piquaat English. which is chief charm
Of this delightful, piece. has been ripping on In an
easy sprs!tly strain, such as is only possible 10
writcs possessed Of the true instinct OF Style Dron
turns of expression and neat peasantres diversity
tho dialogue ard light IL mp continually-evey nimoe
wave Of speech gancins In the radiance Of mlrth
not Of hum0r No Jest forced. but the girls arc
the daughters If physician the medical Jest Is natu
rally deemed appropriate and certainly it is we'll used
d." \ girls mind says The mischevous Maud, is no'
a prescription, that be made mp while you wait.
In act three the sunlight. which has been darkened
begins to glimmer forth again, and soon 1t Is all re
stored. Adds who alone knows OF lielcn's secret
betrothal 10 Dcnlil las privately befriended Jane'
Felton, and that pitiable is in a London hospital
Ramneld and Maud are harmonious. DR.. Latimer.
from the first kindly good old fellow, making the
best OF an exactlng life and therein setting the eS
ample which, sooner later, every man has to follow
is chocry. contented, and obtuse. Denzl, sacdeneo
quite enough nN Garner CApcltHtNN, - bAV"'" ="
spirit by this one. and he will disappear Helen mas
become "A patient drudge, and she is taking care Oh
Adds who has been very ill., This deformed enthu
s;a,t can no longer conceal his passion, and he ASKS
Helen To desist her grief over the loss OF Dehh
and TO become his wife. To this proposal. out "
gratitude from which motive IL is supposed that women
sometimes act in making marriages.. she consents.
4 letter TO Adds at this juncture, tells him tha'
Janet FELTON, has died and when DenZil comes 10 say
a last farewell Helen. and the unfortunate cripp'o
sees how it is with these lovers he no less wisely
than noby subdues his selfish impulse and so can spes
the word that shall unite them. This is the OF"
busjness-with difference In crcunstances,-Of u''
Pathfinder with Jasper and Mabel but 1t Is not wv
less lovely in It's significance because II IS Old ANU
after long contemplation OF the numerous and various
stage individuals. both male and female. who suos
NJ nothing in their mad desire 10 come together !"
singuarly refreshing to look on somebody. even u ~
is only crippled musician. who Is great ehousH "
rise above passion and noble enough % eAemphH '"'
de,p.sed hut celestial virtue Of sclfdenal.
sunlight and shadow Is the work Of Mr. H. u
Carton, a dnmast OF whom We now hear Tor '"'
first time. II IS honorable to him in every way
While not level with the standard OF kooe.
SON IL Is in the vein OF Caste and "ours aS
" SchoOlp Ii shows no such inventive faculty ~
Robertson possessed, but ii shows exceptional SIKH
the difficult art OF deduclng a substance OF roni"
out of the commonplace phases OF life, ana Oh w.
parting TO trlte materials the freshness anu -.
fragrance OF novelty. The structural defect
plot is obvious enough. The wife OF DenIu hA'~