THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 336, 24 October 1908, Page 12

THE THEATRE.

_"T!io world's a theatre, the earth a stage."— Heywood. , bx Suvioa. The Now "Fausti" "Surely there never .was a prettier Margaret than that presented by Miss Marie Lohr, From the first to tho last she completely WOil tho hearts of the audience, because they Saw before them the embodiment of a sweetly youthful Grotchen, with a tenderness of hor own, and also a wistful grace which combined to fortrt a beautiful picture of inhbceUce," lii these terms of praise the Louden "Daily Telegraph" records the latest success of the clover young Australian, in Ml-. Beerbohin Tree's gorgeous production of "Faust" ht His Majesty's Theatre, just before tho last wail left London. Tills piece is a neW Vetsiotl of the poem, and has been Written by Mr, Stephen Phillips and Mr. Comyiis Carr. Apparently all tho critics Unito in praising Miss Lohr's performance, which is Said to fOVeal a Sense of tragedy a3 well as a rare delicacy of treatment. Sir. Tree SComs to liaVe 6ndeaVoUfod to keep Up to his reputation for producing elaborate spectacle, and in the Broaken scene there is a big Stbrn'ij accompanied by an earthquake, in which a vast rock disappears, and trees crash down into the abyss. Mr. Tree's Mephistepheles is described as full of subtlety and power, Whilo Mr. Henry Ainley is a picturesque Faust. • Miss Madge Titheradge, playing a sympathetic Lißa, is in. the cast, Which also includes Mr. G. W. Anson as Altmayef and Mr. Godfrey Tearle as Valentine. The incidental music is by Mr. S. Coleridge-Taylor, composer of the beautiful "Scenes from tho Song of Hiawatha." "fllaha 6f DobSftn'B." ' The first new play to be produced in Sydney by the Tittell Brune Company, as now reorganised, will ho "Diana of Dobson's," tho four-act comedy in which Miss Lena, Ashwell made such a success early this year at the Kingsway Theatro. The first Australian performance will bo given to-night. Tho cast will include:— Captain Brethßrtofl.....;Mr. Thomas Kingston, Sir Jabez Grinlfey.,m..,..„Mr. Gregan M'Mation. Constable Fe110w5,....; ,Mr, T, W. Lloyd. Mre. Cfthteluhe.,..Mrs. Robert Btotigh. Mrs. Whyte-I'raser ;,.MisS Valentine Sidney. Mjss Prinrie.-..., , Miss Emma Temple. Mifes 5n1it1ier5..............Mi5s Edith Lewis. Miss Brhnt,Miss Nellie Calvin,. Miss Jay Miss Florence Kelly, Miss Morton.i,„.u .......Mi6S G. O'Meal'a. Diana Massinberg .....Miss Tittell Brune. All Artglln 6tefy. A gentleman with a humorous outlook has been writing to Margaret Anglin to thank her for tho influence lier repertoire has had it'poit his better half—if, indeed, the epithet "hotter" can be applied to tho lady whose subjection is related ill the following:— "After my wife had seen .'The Thief she was so obviously impressed With it that I seized the opportunity to drive homo the moral of being too fond of finery and the. danger a too free Use of her husband's income may lead a into. As a result, lam happy to say .that her drapers' and milliners' bills immediately showed a {ailing off—most gratifying to a man of moderate income. Then came 'The Truth,' with its sermon on tho disadvantages of white lying. ■ My wife, like most women, never before realised tho enormity of her offences in this regard, but last washing day I came homo and found her entertaining some ofjier least liked acquaintances in the drawing-room. She explained Afterwards that she could not bring herself to sfty 'not at home' to them, and I leave it to you as a_ woman to judge or the immensity of tho saorifico involved in her action. : Now comes 'The Taming of the Shrew;' with its thorough lesson of how. to subdue a too tempestuous wife. I will not say that mine is as CUrst as Katlierine, but at the same time that lady's experiences hav& certainly given her to think—much to the better comfort of yours in undying gratitude— A Hitherto Downtrodden Husband." i

Children on the Stage. Is there harm to children from their Employment oil the stage? Sonic people believe that there is, others hold with great vehemence that there is hot. A good deal is seen of the Stago-child in Australia. Sohie specimens of the genus certainly do not impress ono with any other - feeling than that Of regret for their lost childhood*—for their precocity far before their years, their affectations, and their amusing assumption of the n'isdom of an ago very nUicii older than theirs. Oil the other liand, there are some childteh quite unspoiled by tlmir stage success and the applause of the crowd, so that they remain just as Euniiy-heartod and ■ unaffocted_ as evfer. The answer..to the question, therefore, should probably be," "It all 'depends upon the child. 1 ' At the back of this, of course, is the determining factor of home influence, Which, after all, is the deciding causo in the child's carcer. Point is givon to this inquiry by a case which occurred in-London the other day, 1 when Mr. Mead, the magistrate at Marlborough Street, had to decide ah application for a child to tako part in a stage perform- , ance. The request was nrndo on behalf of Mr. M'Cabe, manager to Mr. Charles Manners, of the Moody-Mahners Opera Company, to permit a littlo girl of 12 to perform in "Madame Butterfly/' at tlio Lyric Theatre. The child waß to bo paid £1 for eaeli of two performances dufirtg the week, and Mr. Mead, who expressed a general disapprobation of the idea, of parents living on their children, required the appointment 6f a trustee, to whom .the earnings of the ehild were to be paid, subject to 10 per ceiit. deduction for expenses. The parties to the application eventually agreeing, the license was granted. EveryohS, of course, will agree that children should hot be exploited for their parents' gain; but if ii ehild has a wisely-conducted home, where the influences for good are rigidly maintained, association with the stage in the pantomimes, for which children are generally required, may not do much harm. Still, it WOUld be undoubtedly bettor for the children if they Were Sot so employed. Tliey \vould > be far better off at school. The replies to inquiries made by the London "Daily Telegraph," as the result of Mr. Mead's decision, indicate that if 10 per cent, of the earnings of tile child in the ballet, the pantomime, er even the drama or opora, in most eases, were the masimUm allowed to tlie parent or guardian for expenses, it would praetieally put a stop to tlie employment of children at an age when they require a license. As it is, mally managers) including those of some of the West'Ehd halls, no longer engage such children regularly, and. as a matter of course, owing to the difficulties of complying frith the regulations as to lloUrs, etc» Notes. "The Girl from the Golden West" .will be produced at Sydney by the lately joined forces of the "Peter Pail" nhd "Brewster's Millions" companies. The niece is a nio turesquo drama with a Californian setting, and the leading part, which will be taken by Miss Tittcll Briinc, is one which will give that actress every opportunity to do full justice to her histrionic powers. At present "Sunday" is the attraction at the Sydney Theatre Royal, and next week a revival of "Brewster's Millions" for one week will bo put on in order to give Mis 3 Bruno every opportunity to prepare for the forthcoming production of "Tlio Girl from tho Golden west." "Jack Straw," a Comedy by W. Somerset Maugham the most i Successful of that writer's four plays tfhieli ho had running at tlib same time ill London—has been secured for Australia by J. C. Williamson. The play was produced with success ill London by Mr. Charles Hawtrcy. Margaret Ailglin's younger sister, Miss Eileen Warren, whoSo namo has boeii on tho cast of most of tho star's repertoire, bcg«i her staeo carcer some four years ago in Jsll V.. Esmond's charming comedy "Bilvy's Littlo Love Affair." Last year she had the delightful experience of touring through Frailfio in Sarah Bernhardt's company. "AiJri!. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" is duo tit the Wellington Opera House (text Saturday aftefilboit. The play is a master' piece in characterisation,' and has been reuoivctl with ctithuniMm "varj-ivlioro it> lltife been played and tho book road.