New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-01

/ Presented at the Lyceum Theatre by
David Belasco and the Charles Froh-
man Company. -
Quannah ........... william ,oH,, esa
Nttoua-. -. oI- ~"
John Hardin. .............. John Ahtrfn
3 David Ws.ls. .................E Edward L. Suadef
Anthony Wells. .......-.. lloNcil ri' il.i
Msy Greer ......-....+..--.... Isaor, b" NAU'.a,'
tomaucar Jack ........-...+. silis $500
NalmA. i..'l ''''."-
F.scqua. ..-......-.- -Lan,lql No.
Ease...... t.lef Deer
The programmes given out at the
Lyceum Theatre last night informed
one that the time OF the play was re
Gently" but it wasn't. David Belasco
in producing The Heart of Wetona,
has dipped into the theatrical past. IL
is past within easy memory OF the
present generation. but dramatic forms
age quickly. The Heart of Wetona'
belongs in the period that began two
or three years after the vogue OF full
sleeves. and lasted until about the time
J that soup tureens lost their popularity.
Such is the long vision OF Mr.. BelaSco'
however that it may be that the pub
/ lie is again just in the mood for such
/ play.
The principal ingredients of melo-
drama like "The Heart OF Wetona" are
three in number. They are nero, WI
lain and girl The hero is hero IN
deed. capable OF tremendous sacrliices
Tor the girl he loves, stalking MS all Oh
- l.. ~ fa llsF IL
umph. The villain is = neatly dressed
person. who deceives the girl with soft
words-a brave fellow among women
but 4 coward among men. lln the END
of course, h. is shot down like dog
The heroine is weak and cllnging
creature. whose acts are guided by IN :.
stinct rather than intelligence. And
there you arc.
When il is added that Mr.. Belasco
has placed his play among me li.di'hs
and that the story concerns the rove
Of a semi-lndan maid Tor white man.
then i will be still easier Tor the cat
aloguers. Which does not mean that
THE Heart of Wetona" is an out-and-
out mclodrama OF the 30-cent type. Mr'
Relasco Is far too clever for that. The
PLAY was planned and played IN sp':it
of restraint that precluded suen CLASS
ification. The villain may smoAe elg-
arettes, but he does not wear q DECK
mustache. The big boned cowboy may
afford comic relief" but ne serves
dramatic end as well. What Mr.
Belasco is doing in the case OF he
Heart of Wetona" is subt.y TO owe
audiences exactly the sort OF stun tha
they like. but TO present i in such q
fashion that they Will not he ashamed
10 like it. Mr.. Belasco knows full well
that the play is largely buncomne, nut
he would be the last person IN me
world to take the audience into has
confidence.
To take up the other side Of the
question, there is IA great zeal TO be
said for "The Heart OF Wetona.' The
play is on extremely deft bit Of dra'
matte Workmanship. The first act, IN
particular, is eXcellent-one OF the
best first acts in years. IL combines
exposition and action IN such way
that one absorbs the exposition WIN
out knowing il, and that is the great
est mission OF a first act. The sus'
peuse is maintained cleverly through
out the play, and Mr. Belasco draws
every ounce OF dramatic value from
his situations. Perhaps II Is needless
TO add that the stage management Is
perfect and the company excellensly
drilled. II is a tremendous relief "a
witness one of Mr.. Belasco's careful
performances after viewing the regu'
lar run of offerings.
The next point at which The Hear
of Wetona" eXcels is the acting. There
isn't a bad actor in the cast. Those
members of the company who are sup
posed to be Indians look and act Ike
Indians-or, at least, in the manner
in which one has been taught 20 be
lieve that Indians look and act. IGNORE
Ulrich scored the triumph f the even
ing as Wetona. She WAS lot new
brand Of cereal, as you might suppose
from the name, but the daughter OF the
proud Chief Quannah. Ii ever an
Indian maid walked the stage. Miss
Ulrich was the person.
William Courtleigh lost his identity
completely in that of Quannah, he
terrifying chief He was an Indian
whom one really could fear. John Mil
tern was the superhero. The exigen-
cies of the role required Mr.. Milterr
TO drawl his speeches occasionally. but
that was not his fault. He was quiet,
well hammered and thorough hero
Lowell Sherman was the caddish Tony
Wells, and deserved countless hlsses
that he did not receive. Curtis Cook
sey did a good bit as ComaacEe Jack
and the minor roles were Iillcd more
than we'll.
The story of the play is rather con-
ventlonal, and is purposely omitted
from this article. 1t does not matter a
great deal, anyhow. George Scsrhor'
ough was down on the programme as
the author. but no one really believed
il. David Belasco either wrote "The
Heart Of Wetona" or he rewrote =. Mr.
Beasco and the Charles Frohman
Company. similarly. are announced as
joint producers. but the partnership
of the latter is undoubtedly confined
TO the financial end. One lid not re
quirc the note on the programme "a
know that the production lad beer
supervised by David BelascH.
"The Heart Of We,ona' bears the
Beasco imprint upon i. at every turn,
and consequently it is sure TO be popu-
lar. Undoubtedly the house will be
filled nightly for the balance of the sea.
sen and overiiled at the matnees. Il
is the kind of play that has succeeded
before under Mr.. Belasco's direction
and will again. Perhaps, in fact, 4;
will make SO much money that the
management will feel able TO repair
tho hat hplIara ppior tho soa.s