THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 592, 21 August 1909, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

"Tho woi-ld's a theatre, tho earth a 6taco."Heywood. . . (15y Stlvids.) "Sweat Noll of Old Drury." This delightful . old-world comedy, ir which. Miss Nellie- Stewart made so pro nounced a "hit" throughout Australasit some live or six years ago, will be revivec at the Opera House this evening ; The plaj takes us back to the pleasure-loving days oi tho gay King diaries 11, and introduces u; to'the'little, orange girl of Drury Lane, whe subsequently became tho leading actress ol that theatre, the mistress of the King, and mother to the first Duke of St. Albans. Another famous character who figures in th« ! play- is tho terrifying Lord Jeffreys, the judge of whom all England was frightened. This character will bo assumed by_ Mr. Fred, Moyes, whoso" Colonel Villiers ia "Sweei Kitty Bellairs" won him so many admirers. Mr. Claude King will naturally bo. the.King, and-Miss Stewart will,once more flit through the ..-scene as. Nell Gwyrine." Sweet Nell" will bo. played, up to Wednesday, and on Thursday playgoers,.will bo afforded an opportunity of renewing their acquaintance with Shakespeare's pretty .comedy, ".As You Like it- ..•- ■ .. ; . ■... -' All Through tho Firo. . Some changes in the movements of three of the' J... C. Williamson companies have been rendered necessary in consequence of the temporary closing of Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, during repairs and- renovations. ' "The Flag Lieutenant" had " only just settled down to a fine season, when its career was summarily cut short .at that house, and, instead of enjoying a long and continuous run there, it will have to change over to Melbourne, where it will play for tho first fortnight at Her Majesty's' Theatre, from August 14, changing over to : the Princess' Theatre on August 28, in order that the Royal . Comic Opera , Company (which was originally to havo opened in Melbourne on August 21) might take up the running at the J. C. WiHiamson Melbourne headquarters. In consequence of these alterations the season of the,new Comic Opera Com'pany will have to he cut short by a week. This will have the effect of ' their giving Sydney a week longer .than was originally mapped but for them. They will -appear in Sydney;for.the first time on the occasion of.'-the reopening of Her Majesty's .Theatrethere on August 21. , " . Charles. Wyndham Stage-Struck. ' James Douglas, in his new book, "Adventures' in London," relates that one of those long speeches, for the delivery of which in later years Sir Charles- Wyndham became so famous,! brought about his downfall in tho early days. It tormented and tortured l tho young actor, making his days miserable and his nights sleepless. . He was'playing a.hero who was desperately, in ' lovo with' 'the heroine, and who apologised for his infatuation in an' interminable ' utterance; which commenced'with the words: "I am, drunk with love' and enthusiasm." Paralysed by stage fright, he hroke down. "I am drunk," he and thero ho stuck, while tho audience" tittered. Tho young actor was dismissed for' incompetency, hut, just as Disraeli - avenged himself' on. the ■ House of Commons for laughing at his maideii" speech, so Wyndham persevered in the teeth of hisearly, failures. .-.' ;. - Tho .''-Millionaires' .Theatre..- V -. The "New"- American Repertory Theatre —which -has been facetiously .. nick-named ■'ffhe; Millionaires'■: Theatre"—is" to bo., open'ed in New York in October or November with Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra." ■Mr. William Archer, the well-known Loncbn critic, recently, stated:—"lt will undoubtedly be,, architecturally, tlio. finest theatre in the English-speaking world. It will have a stage that will not only .revolve, as'at our Co , '- seum,, but that can.ibe elevatedj and lowered. The stage; room is so. spacious that a horse and-van coming hi with a load of scenery from'tho'O.P. isido can leave at the opposite wing. Different programmes, will b> submitted two or -three times a .week. ■ J lhe. leading, players will seldom \," appear .moro than three times , in a week, Uius enabling them to go more into society and. to! keep themselves fresh,for their work. The ; actor who- is playing every night in the, run of a ■ piece, is bound. to get''stale,' whereas the constant changes of programme keep him' alert ' and' fresh'. Every good, practir cable play that comes along will-have a chance; So long'as both ends are made to meet, the directors will bo satisfied. A largo number. of private boxes have been secured in perpetuity at-the price, of. £5000 :apiece," raising a. sum -of- about ■and .so, long as the -theatre exists their, owners will be able to occupy them at two performances a week,". ■•■ . A Cqod Record. ; . Mn R. A.'.Cane, the well-known leader of the Royal ..Coir ic Opera Orchestra'at the Theatre Royal, has a remarkable record to •boast of. He has been with Mr. J. C. Wil"lianisoh's companies for just" over twenty years,'- and has never missed a single performance, • which.- denotes not only, exceptionally good'health, but' sundry other- virtues not' usually;- accredited to dwellers in the theatrical world. -, Mr. .Cane received, a telegram, of "congratulations from the management upon his unique achievement. Mr. Cane is a well-known member throughout 'New Zealand in the theatrical, profession; He was leader to the late Monsieur-Leon Caron, the musical director of J. C. Williamson's companies following under Mr. A: M'Cunn, Mr. Geo. .Hall at present with Mr. Carr. He< is very popular wiibh all who come into contact . with him.—"Adelaide Register." , . ■-,;,' Stage-Struck Royalty, 'The habit of becoming "stage-struck" is as cpmoion ■ amoug youthful Royalties as among less exalted -.''persons. Tho Queen of Holland, once confessed that if she were obliged 'to'.chposo a profession, it-would bo; that.of an actress. During her girlhood 'she took a great interest in amateur theatricals,, and the little private theatre which she : had erected at the palace was often the scone of her own dramatic triumphs. Queen Alexandra was at one time a clever amateur actress, and her love of acting is shared by her daughter, now Queen' of Norway. Princess Henry of Battenberg is. another Royal actress of great merit. One of tho , last performances she ever gave. was, in tho part of "Miss Neville" in Gold-smith's "She Stoops to Conquer," at a representation of that play before'the late Queen Victoria at Osbonie. . ' New Light on " Hamlet." Though , the character,.of Hamlet may be clear to us,' the problems of the play are not , therefore exhausted (writes William Archer in a London contemporary). For one ■thingi itswholo form isja puzzle/ Why did Shakespearo make it a sort of commonplacebook in which to jot down" any ideas that occurred to 'him, whether they were germane to the subject or not? , And, having done,so —having, stuffed it with matter for which there wasriioroom 'in, the. Elizabethan theatre, any moro than in ours-r-why did ho take no trouble to ensure its survival as a-piece of literature? It'.presents,- in fact, the extremo instance of a problem which meets us not , infrequently in Shakespeare. Why did lie write so much that cannot possibly have been' intended for acting, and yet leave, to others and to chance-its publication in bookworm? Put Down tho Lid. I heard of a pathetic little incident happening in a barn-storming town during tho playing of a blood-and-thunder tnelddrama (writes a London gossip). The young hero's old mother was in front watching her son playing his : part until ho was killed in the fast act, having an effective dying speech and scene. In. those tiny -towns there is usually no orchestra, but a piano is used for tho incidental music during .*thb pathetic "scenes. It was being played softly during tho hero's death, and when ■ suddenly tlio pianist felt α-trembliiig hand on hisshouk der. lie • turned round and :faced. a. sweet old lady, with tears ■ streaming down .her face. "Would 'you mind, putting down- the lid of the piano?" , she asked,in a , choking, voice. "My -son is playing tho I, 'can't see him properly lying on tho around oatL" ■ . .' "

Notes. "The Arcadians," to be introduced to Australia by the Clarke-Meynell-Gunn firm, is in tho midst of assured prosperity in London,' ~ where seats to tho substantial value of £10,000 were booked. at the libraries for weeks ahead after the first night's performance—si fact which shows how emphatically tho new piece has hit tho taste of the Londoners. "Tho Arcadians" frill bo seen either j n in Melbourne or Sydney in March next. It will be produced by tho new company now ;' being organised in Kngland H not only'for this '! piece, but "The Gay Gordons," "The Belle [~ of Brittany," and "Tom Jones." Mr. Clyde Jc Meynell, who. speaks well of this repertory, .„ compares "Tom Jones" to.a musical sotting , of tho comedy'"Sophia,' , produced in Aus.f. tralia some years ago by the Broughs. Mr. i O. A.'Wenman, whose production of "Cinderella'-' and tho Clarke-Meynell-Guim imi- ," sicaL comedies have made him favourably knowji to Australian audipnees, will go •to , : London, probably by the Orsoya or the boat j. following,, to bring out the liew company. ;t According, to tho "Era," Miss Daisy 3. Seudamore, daughter of the, lato F. A. t, Seudamore, and Miss Olivo Wilton, aro to h leave for Australia under contract' to Mr.' " William Anderson, to appear in. his jicxrlf,n organised, dramatic company. '■• . . ' ?- It is expected ,that the sum of over £250 *• will bo realised from tlio ■ Brunton nieniorial ■u benefit, which took place on 'J'hursday. of last week at tho Theatre .Royal, Sydney. . Miss Olive-Lenton's sketoh, "Harvest Time," has been heavily booked by Mr. Ose wald Stoll for , bis circuit of the English e music-halls. Miss Lenton is the daugiiiur if of the late Mr.'Lance Lenton, an Australian s journalist, and is well-known on the stage L- in this part of tho world. Miss Lenton. y travelled New Zealand under tlio Dix, Fuller, s and Riokards managements at different t. times. .'-. ■ ' ■ d . The stage is the .temple of forgetf ulness— o of .oblivion through laughter or , through r beauty. It takes us away from tho foblisTi- !, ness and the troubles of our daily life. —"Lo i- Temps." .■ ■ .