The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-13
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ed young actor he of the classic head
and sonorous voice, treated large au-
dience at the Metropolitan last evening
to a delightful surprise by presenting,
in most excellent fashion, one of the
most fascinating romantic comedies seen
of recent years upon a local stage. This
is not to say that the audiences do not
expect fine things of Mr.. Whiteside.
But fate has not dealt kindly with Wal
ker Whiteside. Admittedly the greatest
Hamlet among living actors, and dis
tinguished in many other famous
Shakespearean roles, the public has re-
fused to accept him as an exponent Of
classic tragedy. Season after season he
has interpreted with the fine discrimna-
ton Of absolute genius, the greatest
characters ever conceived in the world
Of poetic imagination to empty houses
and applauding critics With a tenaclty
of purpose worthy of the highest re-
turn he held to the best traditions Of
the drama, only to be forced eventually
to bow to the public taste.
Even then misfortune seemed to at
tend him. He turned to the romantic
drama, only to find how peculiar are
the Whims Of the public. However well
he did, the public said How much bet
ter he does Hamlet " Mr.. Whitesde
seemed especially unfortunate in his
efforts to secure a play which, while
him proper and worthy medium for
his powers. 1.-THE Red Cockade'' did not
do this. The impression it left was
that of a wonderful voice which made
| a great ado about something not worth
remembering.
However, 1T is a pleasure to be able
to say. that Mr. Whiteside seems to have
at last found a way out of his embar-
rassment. He has found a play which
appeals to the public, which is in every
way worthy of serious effort and which
gives him opportunity to fully display
his ability. . OF course nothing can ever
quite take away from Walker Whiteside
the atmospheresof Hamlet" No vehicle
can so adequately display his fine gift
| OF intellectual mterpretative power as
the majestic movement of blank verse.
But Mr.. Wshiteside is an actor in the
truest sense of the word, and given any
play of sufficient merit in itself, he
will satisfy the demands of art Such
play he has at last found in ''Heart
| and Sword a three-act romantic COM
edy by ]. H. Pengrew.
The idea of the play is not altogether
new. 1t has literary counterparts in
the Prisoner of Zenda' and ''The Pup
pet Crown and there is flavor of
Prince Otto in it. In brief it tells the
story Of the young Prince Victor of
Heinhault given more to hunting, to
"AAhA1S pOClIS anu " CdI1IlS LUZ MS gar
den and his ducks, than to the affairs
of state. Heinhau1t is on the verge OF
hopeless bankruptcy, and its armies are
being beaten by the Erwaldians, when
the prime minister of Heinhault and the
prime minister Of Steinhausen plot to
marry Prince Victor to the Princess
Sylvia of Steinhausen, uniting the for
tunes Of the two provinces for mutual
protection against the Erwaldians. The
princess is tricked into signing a con-
tract effecting the marriage. The prince
refuses to agree to the scheme, but is
forced to sign a similar contract by the
people in revolt The princess leaves
her castle to plan on a. way of escape
from a disagreeable marriage, and meets
Prince Victor at the Berry Bush inn.
The prince conceals his identity from the
princess, and represents himself as be-
ing Victor's secret agent. The Princess
falls in love with the prince, not knowing
him as the prince. In the end, of course,
everything comes out pleasantly, the
princess of her own will surrenderng
her heart to Prince Victor The mac1in-
atoms of a traitor in the army Of Helm
hault furnish several sensational Incl
dents.
It is a fascinating story Of love play
ing at cross purposes, with plenty of
thrills thrown in. The play is refresh
ingly wholesome, simple, clean; brirn-
ming with sparkling dialogue repIete
with clever situations, and leaving a
very pleasant impression at the close.
The atmosphere of it, sweet and pure as
the morning, will remain long after the
curtain is rung down. Without being
in any sense great, it Is a beautiful pro-
duction, worthy of the serious effort of
an actor Of Mr.. Whiteside's unduestion-
ed ability.
Mr. Whitesides work was a revelation
to many people last night The ease
with which he assumed the careless
Indifference of Prince Victor, the buoy
ancy, willfulness, and playfulness and
the passion in love making, which con-
stitute the character, was a tribute to
his versatility. Few people were ready
to believe that he could be as capable
and compelling in high comedy as he has
been in tragedy. There is every rea,
son to believe that Mr.. Whiteside has a
future in this line of work which will
add to his laurels no less than his mas
terly portrayal of Shakespearean charac-
tiers.
Mr.. Whiteside's company Is the best
one he has ever had. 1t is pleasure to
see him properly supported, for he has
never had adequate support heretofore.
Miss Leslie Wolstan, as the princess
Sylvia, is all that could be desired. She
played the queen1y character naturally,
ana Win COHlII6uQdDl0 IEe6QOIn from
affectation. The work of Mr.. Laurenco
Evart, as Frederick Stah1back, tho
traitor, was very good, and the other
members of the company are deserving
OF warm praise for their noteworthy per-
Torrance.
The play is beautifully staged, and so
far as the scenic effects are concerned,
it can truly be called ''sumptuous
production.
Primrose and Dockstaders' Ministries
come to the Metropolitan for an engage
ment of three nights and Saturday matt
nee, beginning Thursday evening The
sale of seats for this engagement opens
today. iiaJ6
Jeff De Angels and his big opera COM
pany in his latest success, "A Royal
Rogue" will appear at the Metropolitan
next Sunday night and the first half of
the week.
Ellery's Royal italian band is under
lined for return engagement at the Met
ropolitan Jan. 49, "A and %.
One burning ship, a dyed-in-the- wool
villain, hero and his outraged lady
love, rescued from horrible death, and
a host of muscular and loose ointed
Arabs are the principal factors in 'Lost
in the Desert the attraction which open
ed the week at the Grand last night.
That it is "a tnelodrama goes without
saying. Things thrilling permeate its
every act; while the finish comes with o
Sword-sticIxing scene, in which many
Arabs bite the dust in a most realistic
manner.
The cast is somewhat limited in re-
spect to ability, but the attraction must
be given credit for some elaborate seen
cry and some decidedly excellent stage
vii 49,