The Washington times., 1914-01-13
PLAY At BELASCO
HAS GREAT CLIMAX
Thrilling Story of Peasants
Ably Presented by Dorothy
DonneIIy and Company.

! IT requires Daring TO bring a play
to an enG with L bride stabbing her
| husband to death after the wedding
supper, hut when this IS accepted by
| the audience as climax to applaud
! II gives demonstration OF real art.
| That is what happens at the Belasco
| this week, where Dorothy Donnelly is
starring in an English version of Maria
| kosa, a tragic story of Spanish peas
ant life in the mountains OF Catalonia,
! ably supported by Lou-Tellcgen, a men,
! Der of one of Sarah Bernhardt's COM
anies, who makes his first appearance
al English in TINS production.
| mara Rosa tells the IraSlc lie story
OF home wrecked by a designing lover
| and faIsc friend. Maria lived happily
NiIh Andreas Until Ramons 3 coveLUus
eyes fell upon her. Then one night the
foreman OF the road on which Andreas
, and Ramon We're employed was muir
dered- The knife was found in Andreas'
home. His handkerchief was beside the
DoGy. He died IN prison.
Ramon Woos Maria.
Then Ramon wooed Maria Rosa He
attracted her, but she would not be dis
loyal to Andreas. Ramon compromised
her in the eyes Of her brother and the
EvuataIneers by begging entrance to
her home at night with the plea that
he had peen wounded.
Ramon's companions said Maria Rosa
was glad Ramon had won her in such
caHe-Inan-liKe fashIon. She gave every
evidence OF being a happy BRIDE as she
saL down to a wedding supper.
Then Salvador, who had loved Maria
Rosa and lost, made q cunning stroke.
His Wedding present was the wine for
the feast. lie said he had bought the
wine from the distant vineyard where
4nIiureas and Mara Rosa we're grape
Ercsstrs during their courtship. 1t was
three years old, so II was made from
the very grapes their hands had pressed.
This sobered Maria Rosa, but it tred
Ramon. \ suspicion formed itself IN
the brides mind. Finally she sent the
wedding guests away so that she might
wrIng Ramons' secret from hlm.
Andreas was nothing TO her, she said.
wiring Ramon'S secret from MIN.
hand ana he stood between her and
Ramon, she would clcnch her fist and
crush him. Ramon would not go to
such tragic lengths for her, she insist
ed. Ramon's boastfuIness was aroused.
He would do more. Had he not already
killed the foreman and permitted An
dreas to die in prison so that he might
win his bride?
She Tries To Escape.
II his life was in the hollow OF her
Maria Rosa, maddsncd, tries TO es-
embrace her, but Maria Rosa grasps
a knife from the table where they had
just eaten the wedding feast and strikes
him down.
Rare art on the part Of Dorothy Don,
nelly in the title role, and Lou-Tellegen
as Ramon held the tense interest
to the end, and wrought an audience
10 a pitch where nothing else but the
trag gic climax Of the play would be ac-
ceDted. And rare art was displayed by
Angel Guimera in weaving a simple
tale Of peasant life into sub ca gripping
play.
Miss Donnelly scored a success that
strengthens her claim TO a place in the
front rank Of emotional actresses. She
seems to live the part and to make
Maria Rosa living character.
Loll-TeIIegen made his characterize
tiOn of the Spanish peasant more life
like by his French accent and manner
iSlns. His fiery love making and the
impetuosity with which he clothed the
character of Ramon proved a strong
factor in making the transplanted Span ,
ish play successful
There was strong supporting COM
pany. George Graham gave a strong
characterization Of the Spanish hunch- !
back peasant. Enrico Fernandez was
an ideal Quirico, Maria Rosas brother, ,
and the husband of Tonasa, played by !
Maude Odell. The only other woman in |
the cast. The two added bits of com |
edy to tighten the tragic trend Of the !
play.