New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-15
MR.. RAYMOND IN RISKS.

Mr.. Raymond gained an nreQuiyOcal success
last night 1T the Park Theatre If his new character Of
Pemberon Pembroke, the intrusive, loquacious. agile
and comic agent OF life insurance That Is 10 say, his
performance was welcomed with gladuess, and there
after il was followed with laugh from first to last II
is a performance which presents. under new gen
eral designation. and in a somewhat fresh guise,
all those attributes Of humorous character and
OF bold comic expression which are peculiar TO
Mr.. Raymond and which mako up his personality. The
comedian as Pembroke. is, again, and does, over
again. ali that know OF his professional character and
conduct He passes from gleclu lcVty 10 wooden sio
hdty with an abruptness equally effective and comic
He is oqudcious to extent and N manner mat are IL
resis;iby amusing He appreciates very keeny the hui
NOR that turks in tenn OF phrase, ana
what he thus appreciates he can convey III
apt and hne modulatons equally apt and fire mono
ony of tone He can keep straight face and tal6
right on ia wy that is simply perfect. IL never knew
but two men," he says Pembroke, who succeeded in
making both ends meet One OF them was an acrobat
and the other had the collie" IL possesses also in sin
eular fitness the art Of keeping up the fun and sGs
tanning the identity of situation ana character. lie
reves in the mirth Of his creation and makes the
spectator feel that il real Aud tic quality Of his ind
vdualisrn is ovable. As PeA6y0Ee-"ich is compound
OF some of the attributes OF Paul Py with some Of tho
conditions OF Mark Nedde becomes lis business T. be
continually invading the priyacies OF individuals who
are in conversation and profo!inc inappropriate and
lives He thus meanders, quite dscOnncctcdly, through
fouract play and nO-act story. making momcntaiy
confusion, and awakening mirth by his nconsruiy
with his surroundings and by his bosterous good hmor
The funniest thing that lie does perhaps is his asump
ton OF easy generosity and nonchaant bounooIsncss
when by chance allowed 90 be munidcent with
another mans money. His gIand air upon this
occasion is very ludicrous as jocose assimp-
ton, and il is very fine both as subtle
denotement of character and as satire Mr. Raymond
made the point with admirable Visor; and it may
rightly be added that be made the entire p0rtraiture
round clear vial and consistent In most persons such
an embodiment would become borethe character s so
roopotonous and so unwecomc. This actor dyersihcs
il with his own quick and numerous freaks Of manner
and saturates it with his own pleasant and
winning temperament; so that tho spectator foFSeis
or does not notice. that the person presented Is lan
nered noisy common and Of indicate earthly
noald and that he suggests nothingor almost nothing
Upon which itis pleasant TO dwell The actor, in fact
has made the part The author has done nothing for It,
And both the part and the actor are encountered WIN
play that is either forced trivial IN situation end silly
in language. Parts Of the dialogue are OF the Valhd
and nauscous strain that used to ckcn good taste III
such pieces as Saratoga" ana " Surf" aud oticr fee
bemnded society dramas Of that balcdl order made
in the earlier days Of the Industrious but not yJ
judicOus Mr. DAILY The story relates 10 the tempoFar
Hy trying experiences Of young man and woman VINO
Kept the fact OF their marriage secret an1' III ofder
TO avert the anger Of the husbands ami
and thereby caused misunderstanding and dis
tress on tho part Of the wlie's grandfather
This tale Is not worth the telling upon the stage ana GER
talny not ia a newspaper. II serves as framework
for Mr. Raymond's cOmcaies. and II received oeHef
treatment than sach rubbish dcscrvc3 from Nj LeM"yne
Ar. y. II. Bailey Mr. Lewis Baker Miss Minnie Palmer
Miss Sidney Cowe Miss Florence Noble, Miss Line III
bridge aud others, who acted in II last night
All the parts slight, but none OF 'heu'
were sighted That Of MI LcMOyne go n VIZ
tuous farmer, aged and presently bereayed--was
In particular portrayed with deep emotion ine tiacey
Of character aud stimulation. The play, which
is called Risks" was mounted with three excellent
scenestle first OF which, dusky woodland grove. with
vista Illuminated by The SUM- sting mention Is Of
singular beauty. BARLEY Campbell is the author OF tue
play. He has been the occasion Of bright,
comic effort VOL framed lie might make his
piece nose tolerable by cutting out OF 1t
tie offensive stuff about the Indifference of
husbands as compared with lovers. He might have
made IL substantial had lie used more Wit and
delyed deeper into human nature. Experiences within
the range of social life, which representative should
be chosen az the proper clements Of story which Is TO
receive illustration in the form OF "A comedy OF the actual
In the adequate OF such materials writer, possess
ing competent and skill. may produce work
which shalt be picture OF manners slight
ly Sut Justly dealizod, and made brilliant with
wit and amusing with equivoke at the same time that
be invests his piece with general and lasting applicable
~ and endearing charm Tho practice OF good writers
OF comedy has generally taken the direction thus ndi
Gated, and this practice seems the right II is
venent and usual TO refer, illustratively, TO a
work that everybody knows-namoly "The School
for Scandal" In that excellent piece the
experiences depicted are representative. They
relate Of course style and state OF the society OF
M period but they slfo relate TO the style state Of