The San Francisco call., 1897-08-17
WARM WELCOME
FOR BELASCO
+" The Heart Of Maryland "
Proves an Exciting
Melodrama.
Wagner Lovers Flock to the
Tivoli Production of
Lohengrin."
Francis Carlyle Appears With the
Frawleys-The 0rpheum Has a
Clever Debutante.

In a curtain speech at the Baldwin
.Theater yesterday evening David Belasco
remarked that he had long and eagerly
looked forward TO the first production of
"The Heart of Maryland" in San Fran
cisco. His expectations would scarcely
have been disappointed, for the drama
lists friends and admirers packed the
theater, and both he and his play received
a demonstrative welcome.
Mr.. Belasco's new romantic play" as
it is described in the programme, proved
to be a melodrama of superior type.
There were no boiler explosions or thrill
ing leaps for liie-the California play
wright Is too experienced to rely on such
hackneye1 effects for capturing dollar and
half audiences. The great spectacular
feature of 1.-The Heart of MARYLAND" is a
modernized version of "Curfew Shall Not
Ring Tonight" where the heroine robed
in snowy white, swings in md-air from
the clapper CT bell.
The story of "The Heart OF Maryland"
does not lend itself to synopsis, for action
follows action too rapidly. The scene is
laid in Maryland during Federal and Con-
federate days, when father was fighting
against son and sister was conspirIng
Union spy, and the villain, Colonel Full
ton Thorpe of the Secret Service. man.
ages to fasten the treachery of Maryland s
brother onto her lover, who is an honor
able Union officer. The climax is reached
when Maryland stabs Thorpe, releases her
lover, who is about to be shot, and swings
on the bell clapper to mutf1e the alarm
telling of prisoners escape.
The stage telling of the story is full of
throbs and thrills Of excitement, especially
in the scene which leads up to the "Curtew
shall not ring tonight" act. Mrs. Leslie
Carter was a host in herself in this trying
climax, where she showed her art by
reaching a llblowu crescendo o of dramatic
fervor. The first act she pitched in rather
quiet key, but from that point forward,
she worked gradually up to her climax,
and remarkably effective climax it was.
In person Mrs. Carter is rather more
picturesque than pretty, but she made q
striking stage picture with her Venetian
red hair and graceful movements. She
seems 10 affect white gowns as much as
Eienora Duse.
Maryland has the lions share of what
in actors slang is called fat The viii
lain, Thorpe, has the next rest part but
next in this case does not imply proxim-
'ity.
Theodore Roberts made Thorpe all that
a meiodramatic villain ought to be, and
when Maryland stabbed him the general
verdict was, 'served him right"
James E. Wilson and Frank Mordaunt
were effective as Maryland's lover and his
father. respectively. who fought oneoppo-
site sides. The cast is long. but it does
not afford any other special opportunities,
except in the case OF comic grave
digger, who ought to be labeled, "With
Mr. Belasco's compliments to Hamlet
and the late William Shakespeare"
''The Heart of Maryland" is beautifully
sta ed, with the exec ion of slight pre-
dominance of magenta sunsets. The au-
dlence received everything with delight.
even the constant galloping of horses
without, q detall which would not elicit a
ripple of interest from the melodrama-
hardened patrons OF the Grand.