The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-14
"THE HEART OF MARYLAND

''The Heart of Maryland" is the fascinating
title OF a fascinating play When David
Belasco 50 happily christened this produc-
ton Of his genius. he gave It the only name
it ever could have known. Yet perhaps hs
tried a hundred names before he found this
one. But. felicltous as the title is, the play
reveals that heart so richly. so ardently, so
eloquently, that 1t owes nothing to its name
Must it be Confessed2 The Heart Of
Maryland" is a melodIama. But all that is
meodrama is not mushdrama Theatrical In
the extreme are some af the scenes. but so
skifully has the dramatist built up the sue
Cessive incidents, devised the smallest de
tails of the plot that before the spectator is
aware he is confronted with a situation that
calls for action-strong action instant action.
He expects it. 1t is inevitable. His expecta-
lions are realized in The Heart of Mary
land" There is no surerhuous dialogue
no audible analysis of motives. no intrud-
ing comedian. The Heart" Is kept in the
foreground.
So If Mr.. BeasCo has compressed a sue
cession of melodramatc happenings within a
very short time, he has mado them seem so
probable that the omission Of any one of
them would give the story an atmosphere OF
improbabillty.
1.-The Heart Of Maryland" ia distinctly
war play. Sabers clank and guns smoke
from first to last. Two of the latter weapons
are discharged upon two separate occasions
In the first instance the shot is unexpected
and unseen, but fatal. In the second. the
shot IS expected and seen, but 1t misses its
mark. There. was a tear in the eye OF
the soldier who was ordered to fire It.
War play as 1t is, excellent as is the act
ing Of those who filed the martial roles. a
woman dominates this drama. Maryland
Calvert is, indeed the heart of Maryland
1t is a tribute to Mrs. Leslie Carter to say
that she completely embodies this crea-
ton, for the character is above the conyen-
tionaI heroine of the drama-though not by
any means beyond the attributes of true
and loyal woman. Mrs. Carter's impersOna-
ton of this role was SO earnest. so intense
so vivid IN the crucial scenes that the au
dfence burst forth into storms OF applause
as the curtain fell upon the second and third
acts The power of this woman is unde
niable whatever the carping critic may say
of her technique And the less he says Of
that the better, for Mrs. Carter doesn't seem
to need that French word. Therein lies
her art. Her emotion moves her pathos
softens. her tears melt her rage is splendid
No one who saw her plunge the bayonet
down down." through the thoraX of the
black -hearted villain will deny that this wom-
an has a spark or two of the rare "effatus-
1t may be urged against her art that she
shed some real tears on the stage last night
and that real tears are not artistic by any
means, associated as they usually are with
red nose, but Mrs. Carter's real tears. and
1t did seem as If a few OF them could be
discerned, did not destroy the vital portrait
she presented. She attained her greatest
Tn, 1n already
TONED which forcibly reminds one of the
great climax Sardou has created for La
Tosca. when she plunges the knife into the
heart of the lecherous Scarpia.
OF course the belfry scene, which first
caused the name of the play to become IA
niIiar, aroused tremendous applause While
Mrs Carter, clinglng to the tongue OF the
great bell is swung out beyond the beltry.
YOU can't help feeling a touch Of that in
SEPARATION awakened by those immortal lines.
Tho curfew shall not ring tonight" Yet at
this moment you are sensible that the actress
is performing a physical, rather than his
trionic feat.
Then comes the last act, and you wonder
how Mr.. Belasco will manage the anti-climuN
that must come with 1t. Suffice 1t to say he
does it gracefully and with considerable show
of strength still left
Though Mrs. Carter is justly starred IN The
Heart Of Maryland" 1t Is a pleasure to record
the fact that the leading roles are in the
hands Of artists of reputation and merit.
Nothing to excel the finish the quiet re-
pressed force, the eloquent simplicity OF the
characterization Of Gen. Kendrick by Frank
Mordaunt could be wished for. His was an
admirable performance, free from an unnat-
ural expression, unmarried by theatric
touch.
Praise is also due James f. Wilson for his
most satisfying. heroic and interesting por-
trayaI of Col. Alan Kendrick the Union son
Of the Confederate general. Mr.. Wilson pos
sesses a pleasing. manly. ingenious person
atty happily adapted to such characters. Nal
colin Williams made most interesting char
acter out OF Lloyd Calvert, Marylands
brother and so fulfilled the dramatists con-
ception. His impersonation was in keeping
with the requirements of the role-that OF
quick. hlgh-strung, good hearted courageous
young man. Theodore Roberts deserves much
commentator for his artistic and well exc
cuted characterization OF Col. Fulton Thorpe.
the traitor to both flags. The remaining
roles, of which there are several. were in
competent hands.
The audience was large, fashionable and
enthusiastic. The curtain was raised FIVE
times after the close of the second act. and
Mrs. Carter was accorded an ovation after
the belfry scene.