The Lights o' London is a melodrama

Melodrama

The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...

tic play, by George R. Sims, first produced in London on 10 September 1881 at the Princess's Theatre, produced by and starring Wilson Barrett

Wilson Barrett

Wilson Barrett was an English manager, actor, and playwright.With his company, Barrett is credited with attracting the largest crowds of English theatregoers ever because of his success with melodrama, an instance being his production of The Silver King at the Princess's Theatre of London.The...

. The play was a hit, running for 226 nights, and was frequently revived thereafter. It also opened in New York in December 1881 and was revived twice on Broadway

Broadway theatre

Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...

.

The play was made into a film in 1922.

Synopsis

Harold Armytage and Bess Marks elope. Harold's father is rich but after the elopement disowns him. Clifford Armytage, Harold's scheming cousin, and Seth Preene, a friend of Harold's father, frame innocent Harold for a crime so that Clifford will inherit the father's money instead of Harold. Seth aids Clifford because he hops that his daughter, Hetty (who declares "I hate poor people"), would then marry Clifford and become rich. Harold is convicted and sentenced to gaol but escapes and is helped by an elderly couple to find Bess again. Meanwhile, Seth visits Hetty in London. She has become Clifford's mistress. After Harold rescues Seth from drowning, Seth decides to confess his crime so Harold will receive his inheritance and Clifford will get the punishment he deserves.

Roles and original cast

• Harold Armytage – Wilson Barrett
  Wilson Barrett
  Wilson Barrett was an English manager, actor, and playwright.With his company, Barrett is credited with attracting the largest crowds of English theatregoers ever because of his success with melodrama, an instance being his production of The Silver King at the Princess's Theatre of London.The...
  
  
• Clifford Armytage – E. S. Willard
• Seth Preene – Walter Speakman
• Jarvis – George Barrett
• Philosopher Jack – Charles Coote
• Irish Policeman – Barney Cullen
• Aubrey De Vere, Esq. – Arthur Scott
• Bess Marks – Miss Eastlake
• Hetty Preene – Emeline Ormsby
• Mrs. Jarvis – Mrs. Stephens
• Shakespeare Jarvis – Eugene Edwards

External links

• The Lights o'London at the IBDB Broadway database
• Theatre poster from a revival
• IMDb article on the 1922 film version