THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 205, 23 May 1908, Page 12

THE THEATRE.

Br STLVIUS,

"The world's a theatre, the earth n stage."—Heywood. " The Scarlet Pimpernel." This evening, "Wellington playgoers will have their initial oportunity of witnessing tho dramatisation of the Baroness Orczy's fascinating story, "The Scarlct Pimpernel/' which has been so eagerly awaited for weeks past. As modern plays of tho romantic school go, "Tho Scarlot Pimpernel" is a. fair sample, and though it may not satisfy those who have been enamoured enough of tho book to read it two or threo times —I heard one. young lady saying she had read it four times—it will please the playgoer, as necessarily a lot of extraneous matter has perforco to bo omitted, yet the principal situations aro retained, and are represented with a good deal of skill. The picturesque Eng-lish-dresses of the latter part of the eighteenth century help to give tho play the correct atmosphere—good acting and appropriate scencry do the rest. Wellington playgoers will doubtless accord a warm ' welcome once more to Mr. Julius Knight, who, sinco-his first appearance in this city as Marcus Superbus in "The Sign of tho Cross" some eight or nine years ago, 1 has been accepted as " a steady drink" by tho playgoing public. Mr. Knight has hardly the stature for tho novelist's Pimpernol, but such performances as that actor's Napoleon, Boaucairo, and Brigadier Gerard entitle 0110 to anticipate a sound acting : performance. Mr. Knight's co-star on this occasion is Miss Ola Jane Humphreys, an American actress, whose particular forte should bo light comedy, and who is kindly rcmem-' bored in Wellington for her performance in "Tho Virginian," which was not a good play. Her Amoricari accent was rather obvious in "Tho Squaw Man," but wo hope that by this timo that has Worn down enough to givo us a nice English Lady Blakeney. In tho company is Mr. Harry Plimmer, who admits to Wellington as his native city. Ho has not much to 'do as the Princo of Wales, except to cut a good figure in a couple of animated scenes. Mr. Leslio Victor, who is a capable character actor, does sound work as Chauvelin, the French spy, whose pursuit of. tho Pimpernel, with its complications, constitutes tho play. Others in the .caste are Mr. Dudley Clinton,' who was in New Zealand with Miss Nellie Stewart, Reynolds' Dcnniston (Mr. Justico Denniston's nopliew), Mr. Geo. Chalmers, Mr. Herbert Bentley,' Mr. Rupert Julian, Mil .Reg. Rede, Mr. S. Walpole, Miss Ada Stirling, Miss Elwyn Harvey,. Miss Mary Marlowe, and Miss Katie Towers. A Ccod Welch Wheeze. Mr. James Welch, tho popular English actor, told tho following excellent story to. tho Playgoers' Club some little timo ago "An Amorican comedian came oyer to. this country, and secured a"cornerman from a certain celebrated minstrel troupe, who was expected to 'knock them' sky high. Unfortunately, ho was a 'frost,' and never got a laugh.' Eventually tho manager of tho troupe took him on; one' side and said to him: ' Look hero, I engaged you as a funny man, and I expected you' to make them laugh; but up to now you have never got a smile out of them. I do not throw my money away for nothing, but will give you a last chance. I' shall look in to-morrow night, and if you don't make 'em laugh, you understand—the boat sails"next' Wednesday!' So tho'little comedian sat up all.night, wondering what ho. could think'of that would be funny; and he finally thought;' 'Well, I'll try them with this.' - He went down next day to rehearsal, and said to the interlooutor; ' I am going to ask'you to-night ken you tell me Mr. Johhnson, why 'cs an old maid like a termater ? and then you must say to me, ("No, sir, I cannot tell you why an old maid is like a termater." Then I reply, " 'Cause 'she 'as no one ter-mate-'er!" Tho evening arrived, and tho manager sat in front of tho comedian. - Seeing a propitious moment, tho cornorihan said:- 'Now, Mr. Johnson, ken you toll mo why an old maid 'es like a tor-ma-ter ?' The, interlocutor duly- replied, ' No, Mr. Bonos, I cannot. Why is an old maid like a tomato?' The comedian cast a despairing glance into tho audience, caught tho cyo of tho manager, and gasped, "Cause the boat sails next Wednesday!' " ,

Roalism not Required. Mi 1 . E. H. Sothern was recently approached in America by an intorviower, ■ who asked him what prompted him to tempt fatff by producing such a gloomy play as "The Fool Hath Said Thoro Is No God." In reply Mr. : Sotharn said: " I-'produced'' Tho Fool Hath Said There Is No God' because I thought it was a good entertainment." Ho contradicted tho reviewer who'declared that the examining magistrate in .the play under discussion looked like a rural shoriff, remarking that Mr. Irving had lived in Russia for some time, and that the costumes and make-ups of tho various characters wero accurately designed and would stand examination. "That reminds mo," Mr. Sothern continued, : "that once I was playing the part of a Warwickshire lad. Now I had lived five years of my life in Warwickshire, and knew tho dialect. Yet, when I began to speak in tho real dialect tho manager told me that it would never go with the audience. ' But it is exactly right,' I protested. 'Never mind that,' lio replied. 'Tho audience does not want real' Warwickshire dialect; it wants stage Warwickshire dialect.'" . ; . ShocKorsl ' A Fronch company under tho nianagemont grandiloquently termed "Lo Grand Guignol", is giving tho London public a series ot ono act " snookors '' of -the creepy order. A tabloid description of a few of these playlets will let- the light play on their character.' In "L'Angoisse" a lunatic has murdered his wifo and packed her in a cast of a column, which ho has left in his studio.' The presence of the corpse is discovered by a clairvoyante model, employed by tho present occupant of tho studio, and he and a friend smash; tho cast and oxpose the body. This was followed by the "Un I'ou do Musique." The idea of the piece is a burglary committed on the premises of a connoisseur by a man who calls and pretends'to be a fellow-collector and enthusiast. Then some "bogus" lunatic asylutn officials arrive, and tell tho connoisseur that his vistor is a madman, whom they will recapture if he —the connoisseur—will leave the room. He does so, and, when he returns, he finds that all flio valuables have been removed, with the'exception of one " doubtful" Vandyck—in the Fronch pieco it is a Corot. In " Lcs Nuits' dit Hampton Club" a journalist who has rashly passed tho portals of tho club, ind has taken part in'a game of cards which selects him as tho next victim by self-destruction, goes mad with terror when left alone in a room in the dark, and, after heartrending ravings, blows his brains out. •

The programme terminated with "Le Rougo Est Mis," The sceno is a surgery connected with a French racecourse, and presided over by a brutal medicin des courses, who handles tho injured jockeys with callous carelessness. One of them, Joe Flapping, is brought in dead, and laid oil a bod. Whilo this is going on, the doctor and his assistant break off every now and then to bot on tho races, and tho doctor's friends hurry ill and out on similar business. The dead jockey's sweetheart enters, and bursts into a pasaion of weeping. Becoming calmcr, sho remembers that he had given her an important. " tip " for a race which is about to bo run, and after somo, hesitation sho goes out to back it, leaving the corpse alono in the surgery.

Nates. Mr. Edward German's appearance on the Lyceum programme as the ''incidental" coinposor recalls to one's, mind tho quaint interview which took place between himself, n.va very young and comparatively unknown composer, and th# late Sir Henry li'rh>£, when tho famous score of th« "H«my VIII" untie had just- boon finished and dakverwl. Tksre bad boon 110 mention of terms en aitlier side, as is so often the case between Hie* wli» ar« working as much for th» 1ot« »f tin thing as for bho money; and when the composer of tho immortal "suite," having ascertained that it was "the very thing, was leaving Sir Henry's private room at the Lyceum, the aotor called to, him, "By tho way, German, how mush do I owo you?" Mr, Gomwv

contomplativcly stroking his beardless chin, hadn't tho faintest idea. "Let me see," said Irving, turning to Ilia manager, Mr. Bram Stoker, "how much did we givo Sullivan for his- 'Macbeth' music?" Mr. Stoker told "tho Chief" tho amount. "Oh, then," said Irving, "I'll send you a cheque for " mentioning the sum that had been paid to Sir Arthur! And peoplo sometimes wonder how it was that Irving did not die a very rich man.

Thero aro already several good stories to bo told regarding "Peter Pan" most of them having youngsters for thoir heroes and heroines. Tho litt-Io people aro so eager to assuro Peter that tlioy do believe in fairies, that tlioy writo Miss Bruno letters asseverating their faith and declaring thoir undying affection for "Peter Pan." One kiddie went further, for sh© wroto enclosing sixpence for Vi supply of fairy dust to blow on hor libtlo brother's shoulders, both of them being anxious to try tho experiment' of Hying. She did not get the dust, but she did get a "thimble," which is "Peter Panose" for a kiss, sent with M-iss Bruno's love, and tho samo gift went also to the othor youthful correspondents. At 0110 matinee a thin little treble piped up from the stalls: "Your children have come back," when Mrs. Darling, sad at heart, camo in from playing "Home, Sweet Home." Its owner was evidently so absorbed in the play that she wanted to cheer the mother up as soon as she could.

Soveral Australian actors aro doing very woll in tho United States. Mr. Charles Jjawrence is a member of a company plainy "Tho Squaw Man," which is headed by Mr. Harry Jowett, another Australian. Mr. Paul Bourdon is appearing with Mr. E. H. Sotliern's Company, playing character parts. The Major oni Brothers are both doing woll; the older is witli Madame Kalich in "Tho Kreutzor Sonata" in Now York; tho younger is with Mr. John Drew and Miss Billie Burke in "My Wife." Mr. Lomprioro Pringle, the Tasmanian baritone, is singing at tho Metropolitan Opera House.

Miss Jennie Roiffort, whoso character study of Madame Vinard with the first "Trilby" Company to visit Australia, was such a fine bit of work, is to bo out here again shortly. She has been engaged for the part of Mrs., Schultz, in '.'Mrs. Wiggs, of the Cabbage Patch," to bo played hero shortly under the direction of Mr. J. C. Williamson.

Molbounio said a reluctant good-bye to "Petor Pan" last woek,-and on Saturday, May IG, tlio delightful fairy piay started on its travels round Australia, beginning them at Brisbane on May 22. The tour was marked out some timo ago in order to give every part of tho Commonwealth and Now Zealand a chance to see Barrio's masterpiece, but thereis every likelihood of a revival in Melbourne in tlio near future, and revivals are a speciality with. "Peter Pan." It has had four at the Duke of York's. Theatre in London sinco it. was first produced there in 1904 — every one of them more successful than the last. It is to have another one next Christ-, mas,' for which arrangements have already been definitely made—even though it will, by roappoaTing, cut short-the run at the same theatre of J. M. Barrio's now oomedy, which is to bo produced there by Charles Frolimanniri September. The history, indeed, of this piece supplies a story after Barrio's own heart. It was originally intended to produce it at Easter time, but the revival of ,Barrio's "-Admirable Crichton" caught on so well that' tho playwright agreed with Charles Frplim'ann that it would only be fair to pospono -the premiere. Consequently, Barrio ■ has only himself to thank that his now play was hindered in its commencement by tlio popularityV one of his earlior pieces, arid contracted as to its run by the popularity of another.