Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-17
BEL.Asco's BEST.
The Heart of Maryland" Is At Last Ex-
posed To Local View At the Wor-
cester Theatre.

There are few things in this world that
do not happen in The Heart Of Mary
land" Mr.. Belasco's imagination is moth
ing If not thorough. As early as the end
of the second act the supply Of horrors
seemed to be exhausted. About everything
that could occur had occurred. During
the intermission (Which. being nearly 30
minutes long, afforded plenty of time for
cogitation), one wondered what could the
dramaust do further. We all knew that
curfew would not ring tonight, but that
would only take five minutes or so; what
would Mr.. Belasco do with the other half
hour of the act?
Our doubts in his ability were ground
less Not only does he rise to the ocea-
sion, but he does 1t with an ease and aban-
don that eclipses all his former efforts.
The host of incidents remind you Of a
three-ring circus-there Is so much going
on at time that you are kept on edge lest
you are losing the best part of 1t. Mrs.
Carriers tempest of passion In act /, which
| reaches whirlwind in act2 becomes now
a cyclone. Mr.. Roberts, who has been a
subdued if somewhat sardonic villain, here
throws off all restraint and shows himself
a horribly bad man. He starts to drink
himself to death, changes his mind and
has delirium tremens instead. He slaps
the face of his helpless prisoner, tears up
the order for his release. then turns on
the frightened Maryland and swears "Now
you will be mine! like the wicked witch
he is But Mrs. Carter is equal to the
emergency. Snatching up a butcher knife
carelesSly left around by the stage man
ager, she strikes him three times-probably
In an invulnerabae spot, for he gets over
it-then, with a stroke of her knife re-
leases her lover and fits up the dark
stairways leading to the befry to cling to
the eurfew bell and prevent the sounding
of the alarm. 1t Is proud moment for
Mr.. Belasco and his star and the gallery
slowly RECEIVERS from it's plaudits and the
orchestra from It's thrills, and all settle
down to wait for the last act with its quiet
happy ending.
''The Heart of Maryland, when all is
said, is a strong, engrossing play. Mr..
Belasco is an admirable stage manager, and
one of the best dramatists in the country
He has to perfection the art of expressing
Bushels s% Of T pay ike P G aS
and "Held by the Enemy" cannot express
1.-THE of the horrors of war like a single
scene of this drama, with its grim-visaged
soldiers, its stern officers and wounded and
dying prisoners, Even if the dramatist
starts at a high key, the pitch is sustained
and the interest never flags.
old-fashioned. Quiet. everyday, natural
plays, like Rosemary and Sweet Law
erder,' are the order of the present. Deep
hysterical emotion has gone by. Clara
Morris has given way to Maude Adams
Mrs. Carter, in almost a single breath, is
called upon to weep. to rave, to implore to
threaten, to kneel IN PRAYER to be hysteri-
cal, agonized, triumphant And she does
it very well indeed; still one has the i'm
preston she does not feel as badly really,
or she would not make so much fuss
about 1t. 1t Is the most grief-stricken
widower who remarries the soonest. She
has been carefully and strictly taught the
business of the part, fguratiYely moulded
to it.and literally also, if report concern
ing Mr.. Belasco's vigorous mode of teach
ing be true; but there is the feeling one is
watching magnificent machine rather
than a suffering woman. Mrs. Carter can
draw our toudest applause, but she cannot
start our tears. Even she herself appar-
emily, does not expect her audiences to
take her seriously, for on her first curtain
calls she acknowledges the tribute with
the courtesy and smile of a f1attered artist.
Mrs. Carter is fortunate In her company
Mr.. Roberts is an admirable actor, and so
is Mr. Mordaunt. The death scene of Mr..
Williams, as the spy, was a great piece of
work, though almost too horribly realistic,
and the sight of his dead, staring face
hanging from the blanket as it was car
ried off. is trifle revolving in its grue-
SomeneSs.
THE Heart of Maryland will be re-
peated tonight, and as this is an especially
strong attraction, an extra matinee is an
nounced for this afternoon to accomme-
date those who are unable to find seats for
the evenings