THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 280, 7 August 1909, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

■•■■:.■:■ (lisr Sylvius.)

"Tho world's a theatre, the earth a stage."— Hcywood.

. "Jack ami Jill." .'; Williamson's big pantomime company happens in Wellington, on September. 2. . The manager, Mr.'.s. H.i-Smitli, writes:—"The company opened iii Gliristchureh on Friday, July 16, and have.done record business. Wo .-ire playing to-business bigger.than that of 'The Merry Widow' down here, and the latter piece made-one .of tho'most-- successful tours of New Zealand ever known. The strength of the company is 163, and whilst the pantomime is filled with good stuff it abb introduces several: novelties to Australasia which-had not been seen in this.country previously, ■ viz., the Surf Bathers, the Facoograph, the Teddy Bean Picnic. the as- ' t-ounding Giant Family, the Noah's Ark Quadrille, Bees and Butterflies, and the famous "Pony Ballet. The magnitude of the scenery,'tho. brilliancy of tb.c'gorgeou3 and' over-changing spectacle explore flic garden .of imagination to its very limit. Mr.J.M. .Campbell, who ..will be remembered as having . visited New .Zealand with IThe Merry- ■ makers,' plays the Dame'; Mr.' Fred. 1 a; comedian ."whose-: name is. well known . in '■ New; Zealand also—plays, tho Baron; whilst Jack- is in the hands -of .-Miss' Stella Gastelle, from -London (tho : original; doll in "La Ppupee,"'Prin'c6 of Wales' Theatre, Lon■don): ''while' Jill.'is being played by. Miss Betty.Ohls." , \':..'..,. : ; .• \. ■'■ VTho Fiag Lieutenant," On Saturday, July '24, -was produced...for the" first-time'in Australia "The Flag Lieutenant," a "naval and military drama, on intellectual lines; which'-won succcra'when produced, by Mr.- Cyril -Maude '"nearly a .couple' of years.ago in.Loudon. The story is a; good one. It-.goes as 'follows Thesiger, of the Royal Marine Light Infantry, sick -from inaction and want of opportunity.... to' . "win out" in a service described as rather like cab driving,, inasmuch..,as one may bo a long time ontlio rank without being, hailed, -gets: his .chance by, being sent in charge of: a; relief expedition to- Crete. i-'His, chum, Dick Lascelles; ; tho flag lieutenant, a oheerlulop-, timist;. without''.ballast or. ambition; ■..'per r suades' the-Admiral to allow him to-accom-pany the force, which finds-'itself■•■ bailed up in a picturesque old' 1 beach fort, tho surf .roll-, ing up.', almost' at' their - feet, only • a box of ammunition' left, tho enemy sniping.incessantly from'the scnib,'and varying tho programme with, ugly .'.rushes. ... Thesiger; ;conceives'the. idea of : making a half-mile'-, dash through .the enemy to-the cable' station, .dis- ' giiisetl -in. the■'clothes ■• of a ' dead BashiBazouk, ..is -st/ruck in the: head by. a.spent bullet before ho can quit tho. precincts pt tho fort, and^Dick; makes the journey in his .place. : 'In' his .absence': he happens' to ' bo .urgently 'wanted* to. interpret a message' -brought into camp by. a. dying "friendly," but of course'he cannot :be found. When ho does get back, .wounded in tie wrist,' the man js dead. ; Asked!to, explain his .conduct, he, in" a' spirit !of devilment: blurts out that ho• was asleep. -Later, -when having, his- wound at-ta-nded' to, he tells tho surgeon ,tho truth, hbwhe got;tho message'through and hearing tlia't Thesigcr's'injury has produced loss; of ■memory, which -may bo- permanent,;.induces' the'surgeon to write ' a dispatch giving Thc-sigor full credit for. the daring ~ bit', or' -work.-: :Thesiger ha<l oiice done him a great, service; this-is how "lie! will repay the debt.. ■A ;hotattack by the .enemy is. represented -by the burning of much.. powder in a spirited defence of, the force, and when'it is at: its height:-the-scream of. a distant siren, denotes the approach'pf the -British fleet to tho oonifusion'.of tho.foe; ',-..- -i . . ,' ; '. : The.'; two. subsequent: acts ■ illustrate how Dicky's 'sacrifice ■ : .threatens ' to.- miscarry. Dicky, whoso,naraejniight liavo been on tho bill boards,. "a§: if he.had scored a' century," finds himself: in danger :of brandedas a coward. ...Gossips.-: spread , the report, •thab-he. was asleep at .tho': hour of danger, ahd a, court-martial looms .ahead. Thesiger, on the: other hand; who fully .believes:-ho-did what he is credited with doing,' is raised to: the .'rank of a colonel, -and receives 'the 'order'-.'of C.M.G. < Dicky is questioned: and cross-questioned on all: sides, but will .tell nothing: ■:The; li3ppy ending.'is accomplished ingeniously. Dicky .will, not toll; and' Colonel Thesiger.' does not: recover- his lost memory: but,,, on the quarter deck of H.M.S. Royal Edward, on- tho' Queen's Birthday, the telegraphist ■ who took Dicky's -message., on tho fateful' day steps 'into. the breach :by recognising ..not. the man, but ■ his voice. And; then thofine' old British, Admiral,: with;his .splendid disregard for tho opinions of the Lords' pf : the.' Admiralty, makes, tho - an-, npuucenient. at the''-instance of the still insistent Dicky.. ,that. ; he", has 'received l "an entirely of Mr. 'Lascello's whereabouts at Kandia, and in tho' interests of the.'service.Mr.Lascelles'- silence is very, greatly, to his credit."■' N At \which important .moment' tho Admiral and his officers, '. standing rigidly ] under tho frowning inuzzlo ;of-the. great 'guns,': the tars and' marines at , the present, tho Catlings and polished brasswork gleaming in the brilliant •stage-light, a little linot' of other.- necessary (romantic personae in the 'foreground, the guns boom out-a royal salute in',hohour of -England's 'Queen, 'as 1 the. .curtain' flutters "down; ''; "'.".'• .',•'■' ...' .. r ..

..' jThe acting;' says'the-"Sydney Daily Telegraph,',' was admirable, by :the members of. Mr.- Williamson's, "reorganised .company, ,' which includes two English actresses,,,and such old and established favourites as Mr. Thbmas;*-Kingst6n,.-Mr.. G; S. Titheradgo, Mr.' v Cyril - Mackay, : Mr. 6,'. M'Mahon, and . Miss Temple.' ■'•'':'■ ■ .-Since' this was:'written, Her Majesty's Theatro \kas .'been damaged by lire, .and the season,has'had to be suspended for over a week to'effect repairs.-. Round the 'Moibourne Theatres. ■ •■'-,. In Melbourne the Oscar Asche dramatic season continues'to draw crowds.with "The' Taming of tho Sl\rew" at' tho Theatro Royal, where it. is probable that the next.\Meyno)l-. ■• Gunn production will be "Count Hannibal.". Mr. Hugh Ward, Miss. Grace Palotta;, and party are';still . playing- tho "Bachelor's Honeymoon" at the Princess's Theatre, but ■there has been a., change;at Her Majesty's, Where Mr. J. C. iWiilianison's" newly-organ-ised "King-; of Cadonia" company has just ■inado a success of "Havana."' In tho' new cast the Melbourne - press speak in high praise of Miss Olive Godwin as Consuelo. Tho soprano had' not been in Melbourne for spmo time, and is justly.pronounced by the press .to have "made a "distinct, advance in. her art." Mr. Herbert Clayton, tho new English baritone, .was tho'•'hero, Jackson'Villiers, in which character he evidently annexed the dance with tho-supper-girl which in .Sydney- fell to Mr.. Andrew Higginson. The dance was shared with Miss Lottie.; Sargeahb, '' whose part was thus' strengthened, as it still included the parody, on,'' the- "Merry Widow" waltz, danced here Ify Miss Dango.. Mr. Frank Greene, as Villiers's chum, was 'rewarded' with '."pupid's Telephone," as well, as other numbers that were here allotted to Mr. Reginald Roberts as Don Adolfo, a. characfcer.no longer of importance; whilst Mr. Bert._. Gilbert: as the gloomy bo'sun and. Mr. Noble as ;tho boy wero,successful in the principal comic characters;; Mr. Spencer Barry, who "produced" these first two pieces of new com-pany,-sailed for London this week, whero ho will'. rosumo his ■ position as stage director of 'tilts.; Empire , "The White Prophet." Lively times are being experienced in His Majesty's Theatre, London. Tho censoring: of Bernard Shaw's comedy has been followed '.by the talk'iiig-off•of Hall Cainc's new drama ."The/White Prophet," which was to have been Ti'ee's'next big production. As a centre of itheatrical 'activity "His Majesty's, would be hard to'-bcat even-by a National Repertory Theatre. What with tho Afternoon Theatre,.' "The School for Scandal," and-the unusually comprehensive and interesting Sliapospearo Fostival t the stago is hardly ovor left iinociCiipicd. • A feature, by the war, of the festival performances which'is not yet generally known is to be the appearance of Tree's .clever and popular daughter as Portia in. "The Merchant of Venice." Miss Troo is • studyingisinging with a vi\ny'to.grand opera, but evidently she docs not--intend.to.forsake the "legitimate" entirely. Her Ophelia and Viola are so good that' a success as Portia will clinch hex refutation as aa ideal Shakes-

pearean heroine. With regard to "The Whit© Prophet," is is understood that Tree's inability to stage the play in His Majesty's will not interfere with its production in another west-end houso. Nor is it truo that>Treo has withdrawn tho piece owjng to representations made by the Lord Chamberlain's Department. 'The locale of the play is Egypt, and it deals with an Arab tradition thata White Prophet, of Peaco .will abolish kings and sultans and will put an end to all •■ warfare The scenes are laid in tho year 1910 or 1911, and nil the characters, with'tho exception■ of .0110, Egyptian, are English. In America tho play is to be''known as "Tho White Christ."

Notes. •' ; ,Mi\ Frederick Moycs, of the "Nellie Stewart" corabinatioir made his first appearance on tho stage in London with Mr. Julius Knight at the Olympic Theatre. Mr. Moyos walked on then, but gradually ascended until he himself essayed Napoleon—the character which. Mr. Knight played. He was tho French hero for five years, and created the, part of Napoleon in '-Tho Duchess of Dantzic." Not wishing to 'be thought;a..'"onepart" actor, ho "got out," and played anything just to prove, that,/ ho could do something else. Mr. Moycs is of opinion, that, provided an actor has tho exporionco and artistic temperament, ho can act' any role. He is a gi'eat believer in make-up. Speaking of the' stage in England, he" said; that it-was becoming a mania for ladies;'to i drive up to George Alexander's 'theatre in their carriages "just, to walk, on."- ':■ Men did tho, same ; thing;' Tlioy. never meant:to 'really learn to act, they ; regarded it ■ merely as a pastime. The consequence was, a lower standard of acting, ; whilo to those, who had to earn their living on the 1 stage it was ; scri-' ous, as salaries were reduced. Mr. .Moycs. takes the part of Colonel Villiers in,"Sweet Kitty Bellairs,"-Lord Jeffreys in "Sweet Nell of Old Drury," and the Banished Duke m "As You Like It.", /. '/-• '■ v . ~'.'.,'... ... Miss Majorie Chard, tho youngest member !of •■tho "Nolfio .Stewart' 1 Company, is 'tho daughter, of "the beautiful Kato : who Jwon all hearts.in Australasia in comic opera as.long.ago a5.18?3. Kate Ohard was a member "of Dunning's Opera Company which ■ played "Tho King's Dragoons," "Rip van Winkle," "Mauola," and'"Tho Black Cloaks!" The prima'.donna on that occasion was. Miss Annette Ivaiibva.,

On Monday I'received a postcard bearing the Colombo' postmark from Henry Kolker,' homeward bound'by. -the. China.. It is 'not, generally known on this side that the Betterclass Aihe'rican actors (among which; Pin-'; elude Mr.. Kolker) havo' a habit of visiting, tbo Continent, in tho "off season" or the "dead end,?' as I. have heard it called. Mr. Kolker,- though he has never acted in Eng-, land, is quite familiar with all the chief cities and watering places .'oh, the Continent, ;■ and there a lot of tbem think, out: their plans ahead, if they are big enough,in' the business to hav? plans to think of.' It, was the intention of-Mr. and Mrs. Kolker-to. stay' "quito'a While" in Vienna, a,, 'city greatly favoured, by Miss Margarot,'Ahglm.

Tho reorganised Williamson Dramatic.Co.; recently interrupted in a run of "The Flag Lieutenant,", by the fire.' at Her. Majesty's, Sydney, is to four. New Zealand in January, next. Tho repertoire' will include. "The' Flag . Lieutenant," - ."The , Cheat,V ..'"Via Wireless," and a,,revival of .'.'Brewster's Millions." Tho company will include Messrs. Thos. Kingston, G. S. Titheradge, : Cyril Mackay, Harry. Plimmor, Miss '"Dorothy Grimston, Miss/ Ethel Warwick, .and .Miss Emma Temple. /;' /"'; '. -;\ ■'~:'■■/.'. ';,',' Mr. Edwin Geach has sold oufe.his interests, in tho* V'Lured,to London" Company, to Mr. George Marloiv, who will in future carry on tho enterprise under his own name, tho tour starting at Adelaide on' August. 28. The' Theatrical' ,Managers'- • Association recently formed iri Melbourne,,"has,:.been' organised "to deal .with, matters affecting the: interests of theatrical .managers." The members include the -'following firms—J. 0. Williamson, Bland Holt, Clarke; Moynell,. and Gunn, William Anderson, Harry Rickafds, J. Broiman, J, and N. Tait, Allan Hamilton, C. Spencer, West's ; Pictures, ' and -.Hugh ■Ward'.- Mr.'Clvdo Meynell is chairman pro torn.:; Mr. E: J. Tait (J. C. Williamson), hon; treasurer; 'and- Mr. Phil 'Fihkelstein (Clarko, Meynell, and Gunn), hon. (secretary. . ■■' '~;■',■;:"'/ . • ""/