"The Lights o' London."

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 57, 4 September 1885, Page 2

" The Lights o' London."

The enthusiastic reception which the Silv.er King Company met with lat>t evening en iheir re-appearance at the Theatre ' Boyal most have been highly gratifying to them, as affording the beet possible proof of the favour in which they are held by the play-going residents of Wellington. Not only was every Beat filled upstairs and down, bat hundreds of late comers were content to stand, rather thaii'm^ss the anticipated treat. The play produped— •' ThA light* Q* London " — is not altogether unknown hare, ajj it was produced here by tho " Youth' v Company two #r£hree years ago. It is a play vhioh affords the widest scope for speotaoular effect, and the management must be awarded great praise . for their elaborate efforts in this direotion. Ihe change in the seoond act from the "Interior of the Armytage Arms" to the "Eoad from Chatham to London in the qqos7 end moonlight;" Begents Park by moonlight, ioclading the leap • from the Canal Bridge, aria the B^irday night's soeneinthe "Borough," are capital specimens of realistic effeot and mechanical ingenuity combined, while at the same time they illustrate, together with the St. John's Wood villa, the workhouse portals, the home of the travelling showman, and tha policp station, distinct phases of London life' in a very forcible manner. Tho plot of the piece is yery aiaple. A young spendthrift, who, however, has redeeming qualities, is turned ont by his father, afld jn company with his lowly-born bat heroio wife, experiences a Beries of trials while seeking a livelihood in London whioh are intensified by the moolunations of the usurper of his rights, who is represented as a very bad lot. The part of the outcast, Harold Armytage, was ably interpreted by Mr. P. C. Appleton, who responded to £he severe exigencies of the part in a manner whioh commanded general admiration. Mr. George Leitph's portraiture of the travelling showman, Joseph Jarvis, gave us another proof of the versatility of this actor's genius ; and in many respects it mast be considered one of his best impersonations. Miss gate Douglas had a trying part to play m the heroine, Bess Marks, wife of Harold, but she waa full; equal to it, and her acting in the emotional parts was really exoellent. Mr. Herbert had a good character part as Seth Preene, in whioh he acquitted himself well. The part of the villain, Clifford Armytage, was entrusted to Mr. Oscar Balfe, who succeeded in givisg a very correot representation of a thoroughly bad young man. MiBS Jennie Bryoe as Mra. Jurvia was perhaps a little too pronounoed, bat otherwise was a suooess. Mr. H. Douglas, as the Boman father, was quite in his element, and in the scene in which he denounces his repentant son was very effective. The other numerous characters in the cast we must leave for future comment;. The whole -performance, for so exachW a piece, Vas cujgularly free from the hitcLes generally inseparable from a prat ' night* representation, and already "The' Lighta o' London" is inre of a splendid run.