Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-04-07
MIR. RIcHARDsoN,s NEW PLAY.

Sc Under the City HAMPSTEAD Fine
Production. of Melo-Drama Last
Evening at the Grand-sketch OF the
Plot-Strfking Features Of the New
Play.
The first performance in New Haven ct
Lsander Richardson's latest melo-drama,
"Under the City Lsmpa." occurred at the
Grand opera house last night. The i'm
portsnt place in journalistic and literary
circles occupied by the author of this play
is so well known to the people of this Sec
ton of the country particularly, that the
presence of al extremely large and, for the
Grand opera house. an unusually select
and representative audience was not to be
wondered at. The play Is constructed on
the lines made familiar by Messrs. Sims
and Pettist. 1t is typical English nelo-
drama, which depends for its chief inter
esting points upon the utilization of real
istic scenic effects, startling and exciting
episodes and heroic utterances. In these
days, when the public may be said to be
attracted more by melo-drams than any
other form of entertainment, and
where there Is an abundance of
plays of this character, 1t is useless
to look for, We might say, anything
approaching originality; and while Mr..
Richardson has not entirely overcome the
tendency to bring into this play points
that are frequent in the construction of
modern dramas, it must be said to his
credit that he has developed remarkably
ingenious as well as an interesting story.
The abduction of blind country girl from
home of wealthy parents, the machina-
tions of the villains to extort heavy ran
som for her return, the efforts of the po-
lice, aided by the rusticus father, to run
the sbductors down, are all, more or less,
familiar episodes But In this instance
they have. been. .Aandled very successfully
and are surrounded and lead up to in
such an adroit manner as to rid them
of a 'fchestnutty" flavor. As seen last
night, "Under the City Lamps" is the best
production of melo-drama, from all points
of view, that has been Witnessed in New
Haven in very long time. Not only was
the audience deeply engrossed In watching
the development of the story, but they
were literally amazed at the manner in
which the play was presented. Without
any exsggeration whatever, 1t may be said
that the scenic effects were elaborate, beau
tiful, and az near perfection in detail al
| modern ingenuity can devise. One scent
| Is as good as another, and there are many
| of them, including the Casino roof garden
at night, beautifully Illuminated; the in
terror of an apartment of Five Points
tenement house; the Fulton Ferry house
| of which two views were seen, the chang,
being made while the house is, for tn
moment, in absolute darkness. The reals
| tic presentation of this scene would
suffice to give the production of this pla..
q conspicuous place in the present da.
| shown perfect reproductions of the Littl
| Church Around the Corner, and the exterio
and interior of the Ill fsted Marine Bank II
New York, of the p ayers engaged in tn
representation, nothing but praise can b
said. At least six distinct individual per
formances might well be called mastery
They were those of Arthur Benton, playe
by William G.. Bench, Bill Rochester, i'm
personated by Ff4zsr Coulter, Chief In
speetor Of Police Edward Buckley, b
Benjamin R Graham, Hungry joe, playe
by William Friend, Mary Jasper, the bin
girl, by Carrie Jackson, and Mothe
Bergman by Marion P. Clifton. All thes
ladies' and gentlemen demonstrated thei
remarkable olevernsss as actor and actress
and such sextstte is rarely met wit
nowadays in any sort of performance
Other parts wsrs fsirly well played b
John Bunny, Andson Liston, Phil Nc
Farlsnd and Kate Foley. In "Under th
City Lamps" Mr.. Richardson has ur
doubtedly play which will yield him nc
alone immense profits, but add vastly
his already high reputation CD a play
wright. The distineu ished author, wit
his wife and party of friends from Ne,
York, occupied two of the boxes las
night. The play will be repeated to nigh
and to morrow afternoon and night, and
will doubtless be witnessed by audience
commensurate with the great strength c
the attrac lion.