New-York tribune., 1875-08-17
THE DRAMA-MUSIC.
THE DRAMA.
Union SQUARE TBEATER-MR RAYMOND AS
COL. SELLERS.

,snreseu,ed by q wet rag and opinion by yawn For
Mr. Raymond. aeeorhn ely. II h unfortunate that the
moment his reontrnce the NewYork stage shonid
arrive Just He may indeed receive from an indo-
lent pubc tho tribute passing admiration he lie not
likely 20 receive. the instant from judicious stu
dents Of very much Of that thoughtful appreca-
ton which. the Is dearer than applause
Thought sagnates under the scorchng torrents Of this
pluyia Summer. For the public however, Mr Ray
monds return Is positive blessing He makes every
body laugh and be brings at least mOmentary forget
fuluess OF suffering He was welcomed. last night,
NJ the Union Square Theatcr, by a delighted throng
Of spectators that crowded the house and made s walls
ring with laughter There he viii appear every night
for the next weeks shedding the roseeaves Of mrh
upou mis- multitude Of old admirers and winning new a
res his Mcawber OF the West His return prompts III
our thought line of comment II is the arrival
of natures greatest boons to her children ""n
Of genuine comic humOr and therefore
IN an incident 20 be hailed and recorded Win
giadnes and gratitude But when this is said we hnd
onrseves-as to reasons for high an estimate OF the
sctor-thrown back upon views that we nave areauy
more than expressed In this place MT ha! mo"u
found Colonel tackled by slight thread TO nsy
play-tha bare outline OF character uninVeSteu Win
.p,table dramatic conditions and unfouuded in suitable
dramatic interest Ho took this part and poured INTO
his own forcefI humorous. eccentric, resonant anu
kindly fanascal nature aud he made 1t VITAL JUICY
and infinitely dror human being. He found 1t presented
In only few dramatic aspects; but he got 30 thoroughly
inside OF it, aud completely saturated with his own
kindred and opposite individuality, that he expanded
the range and compass Of tho drama which inclosed
IT, aud ranshgurcd grotesque sketch into vigorous
natural brilliantly comic person The narrow little doc
trine OF calow dramatic criticsn-that character II
limited as to expression to the symbols of words ana
serions-fnds another and signal discontinue
In this remarkable success. Personality when
NAV be defined the fragrance or character
is an emanaon from 1t, and may manifest Itself Id
thousand ways with which words and actions are IN no
he
neither Al act word yet unGuestonaby II had its
weight Of influence upon Pariss adjudication OF the
apple. II is the charm OF personality which
makes character potential and this is the
strength OF Mr.. Raymond's Colonel Sellers
Through the clear. voice. the angular.
emphatic deeanor the queer style Of dress the 'oqna
cous nOnsensoa verbiage. the bombast the unexpect
etness thinking and all the suqermposed gr'hdilo
gu, nee and levity, this personality SHINES out
denoting a good and lOveable nature and suggest
ing a somewhat broad experience Of feeling
And suffering Colonel Sellers. Mr.. Raymond
portrays him. is just little quaint: certainly
tender: and and then rueful-just as clearly
"a he IA ludcrous and 20 think OF him as human
being with a heart and a history and not as mere
narrow bufoon cracking through farce without pn
osopby and without hneness of art-fOr Mr. Raymond
has nether-the actor has intuitively grasped ana
nIled up a type OF character which, While giving
free rein the exuavagant plsyfulness OF lis
own nature, Is yet rooted in the goodness
form that natures In his performance, last night
Mr. Raymond employed. with the od-timed felicity ana
affect those forces and expedents of method positive
and subtle-for which this representation mas all
along been excellent The bright significant glance,
the mysterious pause the abrupt change OF
,naection the ardent demeanOr presently lapsing
into droly puzzled rehectveness-a were defty' he
cause spontaneously employed. and each wrought s que
effect The defects Of the performance Also remain the
same the humor is. and then, little rasly' ana
ia NJ fltap ytfa 1r-
artistic manner in which 1t is displayed by the
dramal is little mOnotonous. This injustice to
Sellers take TO be the most gIievous deect OF the
piece II has however, others IL proceeds upon
the theory theatrical tableaux-by which are meant
situations dramatic effects 10 deals In description
oftener than il tay; and does violence I"
probability and nature. alike in its summary dealing with
events arrangement Of the relation OF human ac
tions to human Reform OF Ii. now however,
nav he deemed impossible. sellers float it-and
therefore It will AOat without MI Raymond IL Wouio
have sunk long ago This is perhaps the time for few
general remarks on American Drama; but we shall
content ourselves with saying that there Is nothing
distinctively American in this slecimen-asde 1rom
Sellers and may gracious Providence FORBID that ts
should be taken exempar Last nights revival OF
THE Giided Age" made with capital scenery and
neat and appropriate appointments Miss Marie
Gordon Mrs. Riynonil appeare1 "a 'he neToin no
and met with tho hOnors OF uneiuivocal success
She IL NOT only a brilliantly pretty woman, but good
her words actions passed first through her Thoughts
and and then was uttered with the art that carries
moaning To the apprehension ii addresses MISS Oordoh
has the compact little head and the ustrous eyes tha'
Atken alert and her power To convey passion
In sweeping. yet sefposcd oatburs-as IN the 'hoo'-
ing scene-shOwe her 10 possess AeWse ueep IeeiinE
and the artists skih tho OF 1t. Her Soil0ques
though spoken too much as addressed 10 inc noSc
Mr. RAYMOND was recalled after his tpsy exit IN act
fourth and Mr. and Mrs. Raymond were recaied
nj the eud OF the play. Upon the nrst appearance o MISS
Grace Stuart, who forward in the very Dd part
of Emily Hawkins, we remark wth reiuctAnoe'
II was a failure The lady to be inter
ssting In mind and in temperament; ana sue
IA obviously refined but she did not upon
this occason DISPLAY the slightest qualification Tor the
.tape IL IA the worst unkndness that hesitates To
say the truth in sEch an emergency aS
t,s The stage is already populous with
ernbittered half brokenheartcd people, whc'
M the start were mistaken asPirants illudc'elsy
encouraged Miss stuart appeared II is true in weak
mart. but even in this she could scarcely be
heard and. while she evidently frightened
aha seemed az evidently to be sefsafished
She will be wise 10 refrain from an ehdeaVor
IN which success seems an lmpossiDliS lhe
miscellaneous cast of 1.-THE Gilded Age was fouhd 10
have been udiciousy made. Mr.. Morris, Mrs "lIKins
MI Peakes Mr.. walcOt, Mr.. Edwards and Mr. Burnett
the latter particularly-dd than justice to little
marta The curtan fell amid peals OF laughter at Cot
onel Sellers and in these bad moral OF the rasce
was drowned and the bright OF Mr. Raymond was
emphatcally ratified.
The east of parts IL az follows:
Col sellers Johu T Raymond Laura HAWKINS a r. c..,o,
Cav HawRins Ebtn Piymp,on Emily Hawkiss.
c Geo selby Cha WssSs MS n NJ Marie wilkins
Nj luz ~ - " Gillette Mrs Mulberry sellers
ns Enee Daniel " " n r. Wi%ef Foreman Of the jury
y.oti,er rhouuson JOlu Matthews