National Republican., 1877-08-31
ADJUSTMENTS.
THE PLAY OF "RABY" At THE NATIONAL
THEATRE NEXT MONDAY.

THEATRE NEXT MONDAY.
The National theatre rc-opens next Monday
evening with the now play of Baby" which
has met with great favor in New York and
Philadelphia. The following criticism from
the Philadelphia Press will enable ovr readers
10 form an estimate of Baby and prepare
them for its reception:
II there Is q lingering doubt In the mind OF the
anxious manager or the old thc1trc'gOer, that emf
ncnt, respectable gentleman who preSlImcs to die
late what the character of theatrical entertain
mcntS hail be, let him go to, the wamutstreet
theatre. u may be rude awakening but II Is In
cvitshlc. They both might as well learn now as
when Il seeks amusement Il wants to be amused.
not instructed or even entertalned-it wants TO
laugh, aud he who shall make them laugh most
ton by Mr. Thomas B. McDonnugh of the comedy
Of "Icbe," written by Count dc Najac and N. Al
Pars which nss ptoved Se sse
cess Of the summer season at the Park theatre New
York, having drawn large audiences for six weeks
It's ~" chaeters an % Impossible , Every blt Of The sns S
gcstive indccency OF the original has been sacri-
ieed and i ha, been drawn up to ,S rack Of The
makes people laugh. II attans this result solely
by quick and acute perception Of ludicrous situa-
possibilities of scenic complications. "Saratgga"
has shown us what can be done In a room with
| only four DOORS in Baby there are six, and no
one who remembers the last act OF Mr.. bronson.
Howard's comedy can doubt for a moment the pos
| sibilties afforded by this ingenious architecture
The very idea OF ayoung mans study with six
doors opening ont Of Il Is funny. and when you
| think for a moment of the complications that re-
suit from the appearance Of a male or female at
| the most inopportune time from out of each of
these doors all you have to do Is to recall the old
| arithmetieal rule for reckoning the different
| combinations possible with these six doors
| and you have to laugh at the very suggestion.
In the second act occurs all the fun, and Mr.
McDonough has shown more dramatic skin than
literary ability In transforming II and eliminating
from II the SAVIOR of naughtincss, which Is almost
| inseparable from the French. The motive OF the
play is changed entirely. In the original Bdbe Is
bad, absolutely bad In the adoption Baby IS really
a natural youth, with the impulses, the character
| and the habits of the average young man, and he
assumes the airs OF rake quite much to get rid
of the odious appellaton of baby as anything
else.
The best acting Is that Of Mr. Lemoyne, an
excellent character actor, who does the part of the
| tutor admirably investing 1t with a quaint and
humorous individuality filled out with the skill
| and talent OF the veteran actor. Mr.. Bailey, who
assumes the role of Bdbys hlpa, was received with
such prolonged applause that the progress OF the
play was delayed for some time, and his acting
| fully justified the greeting which he received from
| old friends. Mr.. J. W. Collier was very easy and
effective In the title role and Mr. J. c. Kennedy did
very well as B1bys Chun, Mr.. McDonough, as
MdgBus, was little heavy, but oil the whole salts
| factory. The slight demands upon the ladies were
| fully met by Misses Nellie Taylor, Alice Wyndham
| Rose Lisle, Alice Mansfield and Sadie Vivian