The herald., 1897-09-19

1avorably to the patronage Of melo-
drama II. think, q self-evident fact.
Other forms Of dramatic entertainment
havs their admirers, and whether 1t be
an opera. comic or the reverse; an old
fashioned comedy or an up-to-date farce
comedy; . modern problem play Of Ill
smelling notoriety, or Shakespearean
production with colored lights and his
torlc costumes, each will attract its own
special crowd. But the taste for melo-
drama appears to be general Even those
those who AFFECT to decry 1t will go to
enjoy 1t. on some pretense similar to
those made by the people who apologize
for going to the circus.
The reason for the preference lies, I
think, in the fact that the melodrama
more often deals with the problem Of life
from an optimistic standpoint; the Incl
dents are bound to be exciting; the SYM
pathies Of the audience are worked upon,
but even. while they suffer this pleasing
pain 1t IL with knowledge that the de-
nouement must prove satisfactory. that
virtue will triumph and villainy be foil
ed, before the curtain finally falls. To
attempt to give tragic ending to the
fate Of the chief characters to a melo-
drama would be to utterly subvert rec
ognized dramatic principles, disappoint
m audience and insure the failure Of the
play. The success Of 1.-THE Heart af
Maryland" for example, would never
have been achieved If Mr.. Belasco had
made the ending otherwise than he did,
that II to say. to bring the lovers to-
gether In happy union. The catastro-
phe Of the play really should be tragic;
Maryland should die to slow music after
her lover IL duly executed under the or
der Of the court martial. That is the
way It would have been in real life,
minus, perhaps, the slow music-but it
would never satisfy an audience Of play
eoerA
A certain exaltation Is required for
melodra matte acting, an ability to fol-
low a middle path between the lofty
soarings Of the legitimate and the dull
commonplace Of the conventional society
play. The lovers Of the melodrama do
not expect the actors to talk in an every
day manner; there must be just suffic-
lent elevation Of style to give piquancy
and flavor to the dialogue and situations $
which will impart a corresponding thrill
to the listener Theodore Roberts af-
fords very good illustration of my
meaning. He has true melodramatlc
instinct and gives to lines which some
other actors might slur a color which
hsightens their effect. When the boom
OF the cannon announces the close of a
short armistice. the villain has to say
1.-The truce is over" Mr.. Roberts gives
the line. 1.-The truce-is over" in a deep
tone and with the pause indicated, re-
sulting in poetic effect which is indis-
pensable to true melodrama. Other
lines might be cited. Frank Mordaunt
also has thorough understanding of
the art which lends a poetic charm even
to ordinary conversation. Grant Stewart
- the gallant lieutenant, is a perfect
gentleman in his bearing, but evidently
has no conception Of the requirements
Of melodramatic acting, and his per-
formance. like that of Mr.. Wilson. indi-
Gates that their proper sphere is In So
ciety plays. Malcolm Williams, who
played the unfortunate brother of
Maryland. has much better appreciation
= To 30 I, ~
school, although at present inclined a
little to exaggeration.
or course Mrs Carter wins her sue
cess by having a thorough command
and proper control Of all the qualifica-
tions necessary for the heroine of an
emotional play. That she is capable of
more important work will, I think, be
demonstrated at no distant day. In her
present role she has certainly shown a
power to touch the heart and move the
secret springs of feeling in way that
but few actresses Of note have had at
their command. Her physical resem-
blance to Bernhardt in the profile of her
face has been remarked, and in certain
outbursts Of passion she has been COM
pared in power to that much-worshiped
Idol of the stage. I find, however, a
closer approximation in her work to
that of Minnie Maddern, now Fiske, an
other auburn haired dramatic genius
whose portrayal Of the part Of '"Tess of
the D'Urbervilles" has placed her fore
most among the emotional actresses on
the American stage today. There is
the same intense naturalness about both
of these women, the same elevation that
translates into poetry the common acts
OF life and makes music of the most or
dinary speeches, the same ability to
magnetic, as It were, an audience, the
same clear. crystal tones of speech
which, delivered without apparent ef-
fort, thrill through the whole house. II
Mrs. Carter should play the part of Ca
mile she would, think, settle all doubt
about her acting, Immediately, in her
favor, for the reason that people would
have a standard by which to gauge her
work. As 1t is. 50 much talk has gone
the rounds Of the press to the effect that
she owes everything to Mr.. Belasco