The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-10-17
"The Holy City. y
A Strong Play But One That Does
Not Strike a Popular Chord With
the Average Audience Present
ed by an Excellent Company, One
of the Beet Ever Seen Here.

y S-A AA~S~AAe
of the Beet Ever Seen Here.
The Holy City" as presented at
the Grand Theatre last Thursday
night is play TINT does NOT appeal
to the average audience and there is
a division OF opinion about it. One
sees in the scenes presented on the
stage something akin to sacrilege;
another sees in the same pictures
portrayed a powerful sermon and q
deeper significance OF their full mean
ing. But whatever may be said of
"The Holy City" it must be admitted
that it is a powerful play-one that
pieases and enraptures while it is
aweinspiring; fascinates while it
shocks the senses. 1t was presented
by an excellent company, one OF the
best ever seen here. There are some
very clever people in it and-tAeir
work gave much satisfaction. De-
serving of special mention are Clay
Clement, Jr., as Marius, Young
Roman; Miss Pauline A. Harice, as
Salome, daughter OF Herodias; j. Il.
Williams, as Andrew, one of the disci-
pies; john +. Dvorak, as John the
Baptist and Judas Iscariot; l.. d.
Kirk, as Pontius Plate; J. Z. Illias,
as Herod, King of Galilee Miss Ade-
line Ramsey, as Mary Magdalene;
while Charles Hogan, as Caiaphas, Il
High Priest, r. c. Mcintyre, as Nal
chas, nephew of Caiaphas. Walter
S. Howard, as Nicodemus, Louise
Roberts, as Herodias, Herod's Queen,
Miss True PoWars, as Elizabeth,
mother of John, J. G. McCormic, as
Peter, who denied his Master, played
their parts we'll If one seemed to do
better work than another it was be-
cause he or she had the better and
more pleasing part, for each was adj
mirably fitted for the character por-
trayed.
The costumes were attractive and
representative of the period depicted,
the stage settings ornate and rich
and the electrical effects pleasing to
the eye.
The figure o. Christ was only sug-
eested (by a brilliant light behind
the scenes) and was never introduced
on the stage. The play follows the
Scriptural story, in SO far as stage
craft will permit. without alteration
Or change, and there is given the mar
rative recorded by the evangelists.
To this is added a story which deals
with the love Of Salome for Marius.
But this is entirely distinct and sepa-
rate from that which tells of the per-
secution, death and resurrection of
the Christ
For ii fuller criticism we cannot do
better than give the following, which
is taken from the Greensboro Indus
trial News, where the company went
from here:
The mOmentous and stirring scenes
preceding and following the tragedy OF
Calvary were depicted in q strong, i'm
pressive and admirable manner in the
play OF 1.-The Holy City" at the Grand
last night.
The Scriptural story as recorded by
the evangeists is closely followed, except
that there is no impersonation of Christ,
and interviewer in the narrative is q
thread OF romance dealing with the love
OF Salome, daughter of Herodias, for
Marius, young Roman, the love story
reaching it's climax when Salome by mis-
take kills Marius for Andrew, and, ac-
cepting the Christian faith, stabs herself
and falls lifeless upon the body OF Marius,
who had also accepted that faith.
Presented in the play are the charac
ters OF Caiphas, Pontius PLATE, Herod,
Herodias, Salome, John the Baptist,
Peter, Andrew ,Nicodemus, Judas Iscariot,
Elizabeth, mother of John, and Mary
Magdalene. Among the scenes portrayed
are the dance Of Salome, the head of
John the Baptist on charger, the ston-
| ing of Mary Magdalene, the purchase OF
Judas with thirty pieces of silver, the
| condemnation of Jesus, etc. The cruel
| fxion was shown in q picture, after
| Michael Argelo's masterpiece.
The resurrection and flight OF the angels
were also represented by picture. The
| curtain falls in the last act while the
song Of The Holy City is being rem
| dered behind the scenes
| 1t may readily be imagined that the
| play is difficult one, and calls for his
trionic talent OF high order. An all-star
| cast find in it no easy task. The well
balanced company OF last night presen ted
splendid work in it's efforts, and it's merit
deserved q larger audience. Entitled to
special mention are J. Fl. Williams, OK
Andrew, whose work was superb; l.. D
Kirk, as Pontius PLATE; Clay Clement
Jr, as Marius, John E. Dvorak. i'll the
dual role of Ohm the Baptist and Judas
Iscariot, and Miss Pauline A. Harice, al
Salon e.
The stage settings were very effective
and the costumes true to the period. Al
historic and religious play, 1.-The Holy
City is deserving of high rank, anC
should prove effective in impressing tn,
solemn truths involved in the narrative