Judge — June 27, 1885 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

| mental and mo THE JUDGE. comedy of the other parts, it would have damned itselfand the author on the first night. One is puzzled to conceive what is the al fibre of a play-wright who can select an insane-asylum case as the centre a farce. Mr, Pinero will probably give us next a morgue comedy or a roaring lunatic travesty. Montague Joliffe (Mr. Raymond) is so severly injured in a railway accident that he swith difficulty nursed back to life, in a Iway hotel kept by a testy Irishman—the only Celt we ever saw on the stage without a spark of wit or good-nature. When the hero recovers physical strength, he has lost all memory of his previous life and identity, and thenceforth the plot—if such it can be called—turns on the blunders and mis- PRESH NATURE At this on BEFORE THE of the POOT-LIGHTS. year our country usin is quite a conspicuous feature of a theatre andienc Brides from Out- own are prevalent, as the result of young men’s fancies lightly turning to thoughts of love at this time of the year, and their bright, unconsciously-enthusiastic presence does much to cheer the hearts of actors bereft of their accustomed city clientelle, now off to the watering places or across the sea. Per- haps it is because of the 4 of 80 at these new faces are so noticeabl yway, their delight with everything they seeand hear, their frank and Spontancous manifestation of approval are refreshing to the other listeners who, in truth gener- ally glad y diversionary show features in the proscenium. While these bucolic delegates are usually very circumspect and quiet in their demonstrations of approval, there are frequently to be found in a sum- mer audience—especially at a matince—one or more who delight the house and stimu- late the players by laughter hearty, applause frequent and eke, a running fire of audible comment on the salient feature of the per- formance. This thinking aloud is often funnier than any “gags” or asides of the wittiest and most daring actor in the cast. It is not wit or wisdom that makes them amusing, but their spontaneity, innocence and unaffected enjoyment. Everybody is interested and pleased at the part taken in the performance by these unconscious amatenrs. We get a glim there of t sionable freshne life which, to most of s, alas! is now only a reminiscence. It re- alls the period when the illusions and de- lightful glamours of the stage had not yet disappeared from us; before life itself was disillusioned of its dreams of happiness. Pity the man or woman who never had an active part in that happy drama! More pity for those who have outgrown the possibility of even an acted delight! at impre A GHASTLY PAL John 'T, Raymond “ In Chancery” at the Madison Square Theatre, has been ‘the prin- attraction for the past few weeks. Mr. Raymond does some of his best work in this mal-conceived and poorly written play. lis rendition makes the most of the lin and partly covers the shabbiness of expres- sion with which Mr. Pinero clothes his thought. To su from mental unsoundness, wonld seem to be no funny matte It requires delicate handling to prevent it from becoming re- pulsive. The whole thing verges so closely on melo drama that but for Mr. Raymond's suggestive acting and the excessively broad ssfully burlesque a man suffering fortunes of this poor non compos mentis, The fun of it 18 as cheerful and inspiring as that which might be evolved froma comic dramatization of Dickens’ terrible tragedy, “The Tale of Two Cities,” with Doctor Manette for the butt of practical jokes and the victim of designing women and plotting rogues, In Chancery ” is not the less ghastly to a well-thinking person because of Mr. Ra mond’s careful handling. He plays the part of a man distraught so well, that the disease is the most impressive feature of the whole. This makes the play as cheerful as a jig at a funeral. The play is well cast and carefully acted in its other parts, all of which tends to make the conception additionally gruesome, | | | | The better they act their farcial parts the more incongruous the play seems. This is the high distinction of such adeformed con- ception—the better it is acted the worse it is. Some one could write an admirable tragedy or inelo-drama turning on such a mental estrangement. It isto be hoped Mr. Pinero, with his peculiar notions of dramatic rationale, will not undertake it, He would be sure to introduce the afflicted patient in Harlequin’s costame. THE CASINO. After the great success of ‘* Polly ” at the Casino it was withdrawn and succeeded by the revived “ Billee Taylor.” ‘The pros- perity of the Cusino in the midst of the general dramatic adversity and disaster the past season, is the very best evidence of skill, in anagement — th amounts to genit he Casino has taken a place in metropolitan amusements that is as pecul. as the building itself. The mana in marked keeping with its unique claims as a place of resort. Valid Baptism. Theologians have been disputing over the question, ‘What constitutes valid baptism?” We should suppose it depended on the sub- ject’s character and previous condition of servitude to Satan. Democrats should be anchored out over night, but nothing less than immersion by dropping from the River bridge e should be considered eflic i for such a man as a New York alderr Tent the water too cold fo “O1,no! Just you come in, Aunt Betsy, an’ try it’ once.” or you, sonny?” comicbooks.com