The Marble Heart

THE MARBLE HEART, OR THE SCULPTOR'S DREAM, a drama in prologue and four acts adapted by Charles Selby from MM. Barriere and Thebout's drama of "Les Filles de Marbre," was produced at the Adelphi Theatre in London on May 22, 1854. The cast was as follows:

Raphael Duchatlet, Leigh Murray.

Volage, Benjamin Webster.

Viscount Chateaumargaux, Paul Bedford.

Monsieur Veaudori, Charles Selby.

Marco, Madame Celeste.

Clementine, Miss Cuthbert.

Mariette, Emma Harding.

Marie, Sarah Woolgar.

Madame Duchatlet, Mrs. Leigh Murray.

A little over a month after Benjamin Webster assumed management of the Adelphi Theatre, he brought out Selby's adaptation. The original play had created considerable furor in Paris upon its performance in May of the previous year, when it had been produced at the Vaudeville with Charles Fechter as the hero.

"The Marble Heart" had a very successful career at the Adelphi, and was praised moderately in the press, the chief exceptions being taken to the manner in which the crucial scenes were prolonged beyond the point of interest, and to the allegorical prologue, which was found to have little or no relation to the drama itself. Mr. Murray achieved unexpected distinction in the leading character, and Madame Celeste also came in for a good share of praise. "While Mr. Murray's acting is the chief feature of the new drama," said the "Times," "Madame Celeste makes the most of a not very kindly part. Her quiet manner of acting the marble-hearted lady, who sits in calm contemplation of her lover's distracted gestures, is as truthful as it is unobtrusive; and the remorse she feels when at last she sees the dead body of Raphael is depicted by a most terrific expression of countenance."

The character of Raphael was a favorite one with Edwin Adams and Lawrence Barrett in the old stock days of the American theatre, and almost every actor of note was at some time or other seen in the drama, for it contained several good parts besides that of the hero. The original American performance of the play was at the Metropolitan Theatre in San Francisco in January, 1855, with the parts thus distributed:

Raphael, Edwin Booth.

Viscount Chateaumargaux,Henry Coad.

Volage, Henry Sedley.

Marco, Mrs. C. N. Sinclair.

Clementine, Mrs. Burrill.

Mariette, Miss Lane.

Marie, Miss Mowbray.

On April 23 of the following year it was brought out in New York at the Metropolitan Theatre, with George Jordan as Raphael, G. K. Dickinson as Volage, T. B. Johnston as Chateaumargaux, Laura Keene as Marco, Ada Clare as Fedora, Kate Reignolds as Marie, and Mary Wells as Madame Duchatlet. Its first performance in Boston, in September, 1856, was with Julia Bennett Barrow as Marco, Mrs. John Wood as Marie, and John Gilbert as Volage. One of the most famous Raphaels of his time was John Wilkes Booth, a character in which Charles R. Thorne, Jr., was also successful, while F. B. Conway as the sculptor, and Mrs. Conway as Marco, were noted in their respective parts. Madame Ponisi used to play Marco, and John Brougham at one time acted Volage. Of late years, Robert B. Mantell has been the only star who has essayed the character of Raphael, although in many instances the local stock companies have given the play with satisfactory results.

SOURCE: John Bouvé Clapp and Edwin Francis Edgett, Plays of the Present, p. 174-6