The record-union., 1897-09-22
ADJUSTMENTS.

The NTetroDolitan Theater was crowd
ad fl1ad to its limit last night. by
,,anrasantative and a brilliant audience,
drawn ont to witness the production OF
Ralaeco's latest play, 1.-THE Heart OF
Nrar-vIand' - That the audience had its
highest expectations gratified-with
sinala exception. referred to later on
is to state the common verdict. The
drama is one of the most intense ever
nlaved upon the stage. 1t IS condensed
energy. crystalIized vitality, the concen-
tration of nervous vigor. Dramatically
the story is a simple one. 1t involves
in the time of rebellion the love of a
southern girl and a Union soldier; the
trans and plots of a revenGeful foe Of
the Federal, and the heroism Of the
woman in saving her lover from an ig-
nominious death as a spy, by STAYING
the sounding of the signal that meant a
bullet for his heart. incidentally. 1t
introduces the old story of the struggle
between affection and duty, in that a
Confederate officer is compelled to SEN
tence his own son, Federal soldier,
to death. Probably no play has been
more elaborately mounted upon Sac
ramento stage Forty men were at
WQGk all QdN NtSAEluds plCpcAlAAS liz
stage. #pausing neither for food nor rest,
while the carpenter of Mr.. Frohman
company has been here since Friday
preparing matters for the mounting of
the play. The scenery is. complex and
very beautiful. Artisticallv, the land
scapes shown in the back sets meet the
demands of criticism, and are perspec-
lively and beautifully deceptive. The
large company is an excellent one. If
we except the rapidity of utterance by
two of the troupe, and the muffied
speech of one other. the reading was
good. Mr.. Wilson, Mr.. Mourdant, and
Mrs. Leslie Garter set a brilliant and
valuable example of reading before the
people Not a syllable they uttered was
lost uD0n the most distant auditor. 1t
is to be regretted that as much cannot
be said for all who attempt to read lines
from behind the fOotlights. Among mil
itary dramas The Heart of Maryland"
viii take a place in the front rank. IN
deed, we are inclined to give it first
place for intensity. and an almost pain
full sustained interest Mrs. Carriers
heroine is a splendid example of acting.
She reaches quite the pinnacle of emo
tiOnal energy and nervous vigOr. She
throws into the part apparently, every
power of her being. and gives the play of
emotion complete control of her person.
ality. She is not. apparently, the ac-
tress, but actually the devoted woman
who sacrifices herself for her love, and
imperi1s her life to prevent the con-
summation of a great crime, which she
had innocently brought about. In nice
ty of detail, completeness of stage dress
ing, military equipment and trappings,
the dust and confusion of armed con-
test. the close attention to the hundred
and one little things that 20 to make
up the great successes. we have not
had here in many a day play that has
been STAGED as was this. 1t is, all in
all. a satisfying drama, reasonable
and not overcolored: for, unhappily
war is frinSed with such scenes and
trials in all lands. It is a beautiful play
in its humanity and love. its manliness
and DEVELOPMENT of womanlv wit and
recourse. 1t hinges upon the old poem,
"Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight. y
and therein the one unhappy and dis
appointing event took place last even
ing.
The heroine is entrapped in an old
church, where her lover is held a con-
demned prisoner. There she is taunted
by his foe, and insult and personal as
sault are visited upon her. In her des-
perati0n she fells and wounds her per-
secu-o-, and frees her lover who dons
a disguise and escapes. But the alarm
is given, and the great church bell
above is about to be struck TO warn the
guards and pickets to shoot down the
escaping man. The heroine seizes a
lantern and dashes up a stairway lead
ing to the belfry. weaving in and out
among the rafters of the interior, and
emerging finally into the exterior tower,
she ascerds a ladder and just as the
great bell begins TO swing for the fatal
stroke she seizes the clapper and is
swung to and fro between the jaws OF