National Republican., 1883-04-04
WHOSE anniversary is this?
ADJUSTMENTS.
RAYMOND AT THE NATIONAL.

RAYMOND AT THE NATIONAL.
John Raymonds popularity will renew
itself with the play that he calls "In Para
disc" He might call it ain Misery" or
anything else, and change all the scenes and
all the characters, and pretty much every
thing else there is in it, without making any
especial difference, provided he could still
retain the opportunities it offers him to
"st around and talk" No audience
possible to an American city could resist
the humoP that he crowds into his part.
That the part itself is nothing, and that his
humor bears no particular relation to the
play, and that the play is tedious when he is
not in sight; are points scarce worth mention
ing. People carry away from the theater an
impression of having been thoroughly well
entertained. 1t would tax most of them,
perhaps, to give in detail any account of the
entertainment, but the impression is none the
less strong for that. T.
"In Paradise" begins away in tho west,
at place that seems to be sort of sub
dued mining camp. The scene shifts in the
next act to a lawyers office in Chicago; in
the third, to the parlors of seminary for
young ladies, also in Chicago-an institution
which Raymond describes as being &c like Vas
sar, devoted to preventing babies from
having mothers, to fill the world
with feminine professors of philosophy"
Tho last act occurs in the residence of a
Chicago lawyer. Following these changes is
II pair of young lovers, who are separated by
a rather mild article Of villain, to the frus-
tration of whose design Mr.. Raymond, under
the name of Major Better, devotes such frag-
ments of his time as are not taken up by
exceedingly pungent remarks upon any
thing and everything else. Occasionally
he disappears for few moments, and
the play makes dismal stagger at the au-
dience until he returns. 1t is precisely the
loose-ftting sort of thing Raymond has been
looking for. He may knock about in it and
say whatever suggests itself to be said, with
out in any way doing it hurt Better lacks
the universally of Sellers, but he is never
less good type. Mr.. Raymond faithfully
adheres TO the accent of Kentucky (the au-
thors thought it Virginia) and never permits
himself to forget the shrewd Yankee habit of
thought that he takes on with it. To this
extent the Characterization is complete and
we'll sustained, For the rest, it matters little.
No moro hearty or wholesome fun has been
offered to the public of this city the present
season.
The members of the company are quite
equal to the work they have to do. Mr. DE
We're is particularly to be commended for a
very well considered and temperate
portraituro of n western gambler. Miss
Boniface acts the part of Amelia with a
good deal of spirit. The authors have plunged
the part into bathos two or three times, but
Miss Boniface gets through these places
very creditably. Miss Creese is engag-
ing so far as rapidly deteriorating
part will permit. Mr.. Barr, who plays
Stephen Dallas, the lover and dramatic hero
of the piece appears to suffer from a lack
of interest in himself. Mr.. Marble is troubled
in exactly an opposite direction.
"In Paradise" will be obsoured this after
noon bya performance for the benefit of the
Elks lodge
"THE sMUGGLERs" AT FoRDs.
A very decided change for the better was
observable in the second representation OF
"The Smugglers at Fords opera house