THEATRICAL NEW ZEALAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 203, 21 May 1908, Page 4

THEATRICAL NEW ZEALAND.

"NOTHING L'ESS THAN*THE BEST."

MR/ iLLANy pJ&ffiFQN'S PROPOSALS. With' the .material for 110 fewer than three. . packed up in innumerable cases/ Mr. 'Allan Hamilton, looking robust, cheerful and hearty as ever, arrived .by the s.s. Moeraki yesterday morning ujri dli'a'-.tßcaiKeal invasion.'of New Zealand. . : ..it of .eiitei'tainmont in stock this trip," ho told a reporter, "high class'"drama, comedy, melodrama and vaudeville, such is my faith iii New Zealand, pfjny pew plays the first will bo 'The Prince ■Cliap,'-'a great London success in which Mr. 'H.,rßr,;Robei'ts will make his re-appcaranco at Christchurcli on Juno 1. 'Later in August I will hare tho honour of presenting, in con-junctiqn.-with:iMossrs. Meynell ,and Gunn, a splenflid-drama 'Tho. Litt'le" Breadwinner' and subsequent!j-'JThe Old Folks at Home,' 'Tho.:Little^^to^(other' : and 'Tho Fatal ;iWMain : lino I am with Sir. wonderful Klos Sisters, ;tho;BrptlieiS the Miles Stavordalo •tifuiiitbttej' Mr. Leonard '.and a number of 'to' appear in Dunedin W'J"uli6~l.""~"S6~tliat in addition to two new dramatic companies I am importing ono of tho strongest vaudevillo organisations which liavp yet yisitod this country. What more'do. you- want?" --

Keen Ccsnpetition. qtiite true that' things theatri'.'cfil tiro "moving:-,ripi.dly now in' Australia 'for competition lias never been, so keen. The public are. demanding, more amusement than oveiv beforehand "they no longer care where it" : cWes'-from -so'-''", long as they got it. Every manager-is "thercforo confronted with ,tho-..same,, to get . .successful '.pl.ay§. r JJu.4er such circumstances I am parti'culafly "fortunate in-'having secured in ; conjunction with Mr. Harold Ashton such a splendid play as 'Tho Princo Chap,' iii 'v/liich Mr. H. R. Roberts scored a-.big success: at,,;tho.-Criterion Theatre, London, re-.cent-ly, 'pitas'.,also gratifying to be tho iiiedns of -hnnging. back to this country such a fine actor as Harry Roberts', who was a great favourito in this country and has sinco had the benefit of- the best experience. With i'Mt;; ;'Robffts aro associated several noted English and American artists, including .Mr. Prank Lamb, ono of. tho leading exponents of Shakespearean comedy in America, Miss -Mar/ Kecgh,: a; New York comedienne of exceptional isiljtyj\'Miss Justina .Wayne, a very pretty actress, (Mr.'-A. E. Greenaway, who was formerly with Miss Tittell Bruno's company,':] and a number of others." New Zsalsnti" ryiust 'Get t'no' Bast. " I agree with you.| The time has arrived when New Zealand" must get the best it is possible to Moreover, this country can no longer b'e Regarded practically as an Australian ' depei'ictency. There was a time •when companies leaving the Commonwealth to tour ..Jjqrg were, reduced, in ■ numbers and in .meHt',''as"'tli6ugli Now Zealand, audiences 'inferior in taste and expectations. But now managers understand that tho. playgpei;3' of-- , will be. satisfied with, nothing less than tho best. And oo I say tjiat.m.future New Zealand must bo catered for "lip' to - the standard. Another thing I .claim for New Zealand is that-, being ■tliS';Kfst'slftC&. of;call on- tho route from Ame-' riea,' if should qonvenient, tho scene of'many premiere performances. Mew' Plays: ": " But there has been some fe?.r on- the part of managors in submitting new plays and people first to tho judgment of New Zealand An impression, has existed that a. .Melbourne or. Sydney success was essential „ tp /sucpess lio'ro, as 'if'Nofr Zea-laiidei-S liadOlQti eciial intelligence crimination. Personally I aril so little gttif'od Iby ."this V b'olicf ,rth at in. tho casofi.of- '.Tho Prilled'.:, selected Christchurcli as the scene of opening, not only; on'tho -score b?-fcoavfci3fiffiii in- tho matter of date's, but because vl have as much faith in tho judgment 'of • New Zcalauders as of Australians. A Datissr to bo Avoided. '■ " But while I heartily commend and strongly encourage the critical '.faculty in l^rgc'ftiicnfe.cal' Centres, I think ;.thero is a danger'" to ""to' avoidcd--that of becoming hypercritical:' . one cannot afford nowadays to judge the drama by one's ideals* of what it "ought to bo. There are so very'few good plays on „tho marke,t that, it 'is .only .fairroiterf-lio -part cf, theatregoers to criticise from tho standard -.of-, possible production?,,, A standpoint too idcalisti^impj^fcticablq. . For .example, I have , in'"'niy' minct' St present' several lirst--.whoso success would.be- assured "if pfoduceil :iii this country. But to secure is quite another matt "'terj*' 'managers', in. London .ajid- vNeiv-.Yorkvmako us abide their own time,"and* w'ilV'no't be hurried. Howcvpr, I havo V'been-jJortunAte in getting'tho plays I 'liavV two or three other splendid'-dramas: fw iiext year c Tho'Most Suocossful. Plays.

! ?tlle"! : ii i osi- successful playa'.from ?;•. .'WeUj . for; .this o : ijiMtjry,;.'a lie a' success, must liot; class.'' play. By ;t}iat' ,1moan? appeal l only t o-'a certain' sfietTsW of iMiijommuiiity.' But' for. this fact M-Wight bresbnt the. the noom-plays of Stephen' 'filifllips, repertofre-of'othc'r'cfcis'sicj' Entirely .refute"the charge that tho stage is degcnera.ttrigj-'Npi-tlio Australasian manager is confrbutSLw'tlu'tho difficulty .of . having to cater for all. classes, and. at tho same time toi ttatatjdtpsp; highest, standard. And .'so a $^'|(C : s£cs!fcd hero . must. be strong' and forceful, direct, and easily 'understandable. However, sinco •I-hay?- come, .over to/'arrango for several ip'roauctigiisirifl'thc; successful class;- ,'you will nbt'-hayi.long to 1 j,-j.it;.to : see what. I moan."