THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 675, 27 November 1909, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

"The world's a theatre, tho earth a stage."— Heywood. 1 ' • (BY SYIjVIOB.)* : A New-Leading Lady. 1 The .Marama, ; which :is due in Australia at: the end of the month, • has on .board.Miss Katherino Grey, who. has been eugagcd'by Mr: J. C. Williamson for a tour of Australia. Miss Grey is- an American, and was born in California, , the . native place of so many, oi America's finest: actresses. Her first experience of staga life was .under the direction of. Augustin Daly, in San Francisco. Later 011 she went with the same company to New York, and, for somo years after, she was closely connected with tho -Broadway ■ theatres, during which time she Was in tho casts with. suih talented -artists as W. H.' Crane, and Kichard Mansfield.Curiously enough, at tho time Miss Gray was with tho latter, Mr." Gerard Coventry was the' stage manager. Then followed tours with Charles Coghlan. -'H. E. Dixcjy Nat .Goodwin, and Arnold Daly. With the last-named she appeared in a series of Bernard Shaw plays. Her repertoire is a most extended and interesting one, and embraces a great variety :of .'pieces, . Amongst her outstanding successes may be .mentioned Glory Quaylo in' ,'Tho Christian," Sophie: in' "The Gay Lord' Quex," and : : Helen .Barry' in "Shoreacres." It is interesting to;note that one of her earliest impersonations wiis-'afe Eutli in-."Shenandoah"-the. ipiece'.. in. w-hiclf Margaret- Anglin 'scoredso,heavily;'Christine. Dehring, in '."The" Reel;-' oning,"?.is. one of -,her latest, and greatest characterisations.'-,:; -.'• : The ''Firm's" New Pantomimo. ' • An old, favourito returned to Melbourne last week the ; Koenigin . Luisc.. in tho - person of Mr. Harry Pliydora, 'who is .under engagement to ,T. C. Williamson for the "dame" part in the now pantomime— I "Aladdin." Thero is no* doubt (says a communication received from Melbourne) > about. the' reception , which will he accorded the creator of "Mother Goose" ,and"Martha" for Australia, and, Consideriir that Mr. Phydora has;added to-his store of experience by over a year's ,work in England and America, since he last appeared here, it is highly probable. that his "Widow Twankay" —his : part 'in , "Aladdin"—will eclipse either of his previous impersonations.. Imlc-ed, the comedy element of the J. C. Williamson Christmas pantomime this year promises to bo exceptionally■" strong, for,. in' addition to Mr'. Harry ' Phydora, another comedian, a young American,'known as "Bob" Barry,-, is now on ■ his wayVout from the great continent for the Abanftzar part,- when Mr. "Jimmy" Camphell ivill ; dpn 'malo. attire as. the Emperor of Japan, while. Messrs. ; '! Victor lioydall, Rupert Darrell, and Clyde: Cook will also be included in the cast|;. : .., - f H. A. Jones dn Dramatic Censorship. • 1 In a.letter addressed to Mr. Herbert Samuel, and issued in pamphlet form by : the Chiswick "Press,"' Air. Henry Arthur Jones, tho talented dramatist (who was unable to'give evidence before the Parliamentary - Committee) gives his. views on the dramatic censorship question, and submits a scheme which he believes would provide : a .satisfactory solution for the problem. .'ln his opening pages Mr. Jones dwells, on the anomalies of tno censorship, and declares that the-real evils to be met with on the stage are not in, the written drama, but in the iinmodities, indelicacies, and vulgarities' of - individual ' performers. ,Ho analyses the ,various substitutes for the censorship which have been.pnt forward, and pronounces against' them all.. Ho. then quotes with approval the Bishop of Southward's' statement: "If tho censor is to bo continued at all, let him look upon himself as a policeman, to stop indecency.' Let him not meddlo with morality or ■ 'immorality." x Mr.- Jones then ..arHvos ■ at; his,-own scheme,. which' ho states', as'follows' ..

one , Xnspector-Gencral, ofs'all the theatres-and music-halls in the kingddni. : No more than the ceusor. must ho be brought in before production. No mora than the consor must he be allowed to prejudice a performance by-stopping it beforehand.,' •' Doubtless, it would : be advisablo in many cases'if tho ihspeotar. ; could be brought in beforehand.' ' ,It is, however, impossible, .except'in'ascertained cases of .promised and unmistakable' indecency. " Our safeguard 'is .the fact that no outrageously indecent.' performance " is likely to take place.; No .man-, ager; is going to' 'announce a performance of Eliza .takings her bath. ' If he does he ■will b,e. p,rOmptly"bundled.off to prison by the local police.';. The. cbriimonrlaw of; the. land as to'-indecerit exhibitions, will remain in force, l and'.can '',be put in' operation; . But anything that is not so palpably indecent ; as to-offer: nodoubt ..should .bo. left to .onr inspector... Ho. (SannOt, of course, bo .on the spot, but from any part of;. Great Britain lie can .bo, summoned by telegraph, and can - appear in the vast majority, of cases before ;the-next-per-formance takes place. He shall be'instructed that'he: : shall ; not-'meddle-.with problems of mortality.;- but .only with exhibitions of indecenoy.' f .': 'He r shall ! 'h'ave power to' stop : the . per-fprma'.ncajat.-his discretion, to collect evidence;and-, to brines'. the matter .before the AttorneyGeneral. " -'-The Attorney-General shall - decide .tehetlifer." a ''prosecution shall bo instituted, or; whether' the offenders 'shall bo '■ dismissed with a caution..' In all 'probability the latter' will' be the usual course that - the Attorney-General will take, as it will avoid airing,the matter any. further in public; the defendants will have suffered loss; and tho caution will generally be sufficient.

We are noiv'» in the hands of the AttorneyGeneral. So far. as the matter is one of political expediency it is. obviously in the right hands, and .so far as there "may be political reasons for interfering, it will bo odd if the AttorrieyrGeneral is not' a good enough lawyer to find a sufficient excuse for holding the play over, for a- time if he thinks it Of course,, political expediency cannot pronounce the.final verdict, but the scheme does give .the Government of the day a strong con. trol over the'whole matter.

Let | theatres and music-halls alike be £iven one license, and placed under the Inspector-: General, who can have one or two assistants ;if : 'it is foujid necessary. •

Let plays, bo. legalised. in music-halls at, once,'; plays of, ajl lengths. The thirty-minutes' sketch .must- inevitably ■ be licensed • Mr. ; Cecil Raleigh estimates that 150,000 illegal performances are given every year. Sure I#,1#, iaw-breakirig cannot bo permitted to go on, and to groiyon, at., this prodigious rate.' The sketches must be legalised at once. The Dawn of Better Things. It.is evident that tho.'success of the Asches in Australia will bring about changes ia the Australian theatrical world. Messrs. ' Meynell and Gunn, by their daring,tactics in bringing out a couple of Shakespearean stars, supported ; by a full company, have shown that tho lirrit in theatrical attractions lias not nearly been arrived. at; . Who - would havo ' dreamt 'of Shakespeare setting Melbourne and Sydney alight? Clarke, Meynell, and Gunn must have i known it to bo a big gamble, and must in a measure share ■ tho amazemtont caused by the' colonial success of their plucky .venture. New Zealand is not to seo Oscar Ascho and Lilv Pray ton—it. is the Cinderella of tho States— and however. loyal it has been in support of the theatre (and I say that it has been astonishingly bountiful in the patronage given to' any decent- show).-; tho time is .not-.yet when we are to .'see-; all „tko, best that 'Australia sees. Occasionally we get a good company with plays to'-'interest'the intellectual, but they are few and' far..between. It,is almost invariably the rule "to; subtract , spmething from' a. company coming to New; Zealand from what ,it was in Sydney and Melbourne. Miss Smith's engagement is at an end, or Mr. Brown is kept back 1 for . another; production, and somebody (just as good, of course) is sent instead. So the Tcmark—" All, you; should have seen Jones in the part!" come commonly from visitors'to Australia,' and even from the actors themselves. , We have a plethora of theatrical companies in New Zealand just now. Mr. Knight is ' at the Opera: House, with a fair (only fair) company, and tliero is another Williamson company in the south with, perhaps, tho ■strongest male cast seen in tho Dominion for years. It is good for people to know this about the " Flag Lieutenant Company, which is to appear here at' Christmastide. But wc yearn for the best to such nn extent that the dramatic clubs of tho Dominion are petitioning. Mr. J. C. Williamson to send 'them his best to come—said to inclndo'Sir Charles Wyndlia.niv arid Sir Beerholm-Tree." As testimony that New ZealamV deserves kindly 'considers;, tibn 'in'.this. matter,,, I. wonld ask-:Mr. Wiiliamsott'to glance, over, comparative tables of the profits and losses his companies havo made in'.. NOW Zealand during tho.. past ten years and aSk : liimself ;whethei' such a request should bo . regarded as a favour .'or a right. Mr. Mathc son Lang who is being brought out by Clarke Meynell; and Guntnext year is also not goim; to come to New Zealand ; with the 1 "Pote" production, but tho play will be produce-' over' here. by . a No. 2 : company. New Zealand is a No. 1 money-making field for a high-grade show,..arid in cline it will, kick, at heiiv overdosed with No. 2' organisations-or someone will to.d!*riM. enough to. treat.it as .a No. 1 country, awl others will wonder why .'they had jiot;waked up.earlier. .Theatrical 'business is one of surprises, as instance boom '

in' permanent ' vAudcille, the fairy story of \\ est s Pictures'..< and tho wonderful Shakespearean, revival in Australia. This will surely be followed by an enterprise-which - will mean 1 prbposition every time for New Zealand.

Advicc to Playwrights. • .'/Miss-Lena Aslnvell, according to tho London Chronicle," advises intending playwrights as follows:—"Get a good, simple story. Let it be human'and', appeal to all kinds of people, so that it will be of interest to those-in the stalls as well as in the gallery. Do no let too many things have : 'happened' before tho riso of tho curtain. Centre your interest on ono or two people j . limit the number of your characters as much as possible: Write in simple, colloquial. English.' Read what you have written aloud, and hear whether it sounds natural. Learn to criticise your own work; cut all-un-•liecessary . liiios so .that the action does not drag. Avoid all monologues and asides. Do 110 change your scene in the middle of an act.. Do not have more than four acts;; tlirco -are preferable. Let your acts be no longer than about twenty-five or thirty-fivo pages in typewriting, and'no shorter, under any circumstances, than eighteen pages. Avoid. topics of the hour, as by the time tho play is read and produced such topics are, likely to be stale. Writo on modern life if possible. Study tho best modern English dramatists, such as ibsen, Pincro, and Jones, for construction; Shaw, aud Wild for dialogue. If you read foreign authors, study •Brieux, Donuay, and Capus in Prench, .Slinitzler- in German, Braco, ahd-Gracosa in .Italian." _ Hiss Asliwell lias done an immense amount in encouraging. tho unknown author,' and the advice is.worthy of consideration.

: Irving's Salary. .: 1 "It was on ono:evening during , tho first rendering of 'Tho Bells/" ,says Mr. Comyns ..Carr in- "Some : Early Victorians," "that I found .'myself seated there in' company, with a few genial, spirits including Henry Montague,Toole, and .Torii Tliorne, when 'we noticed that Irving's manager, Mr./Bateman, had entered and-was gazing round the room as though ,in search of someone ho-had . appointed , to: meet. It occurred at once to, tho mischievous spirit of Toole to turn the occasion to account. In a whispered, sentence inado the rest of, us co-consoirators in the little drama lie.had suddenly devised, and as Mr. Bateman,. still scanning the; visitors assembled, advanced, from bos to box, lie and Montague, in tones designedly pitched so that all might hear;, began. an animated discussion as to. Irving's rightful claims to a larger salary than lie was at this time receiving., I believe, in fact,, that ■ Irving's, remuneration' was■ something like ,£ls a 'week,' which' represented a substantial advance upon the payment .he . had received during ~ his ' engagement for 'The Two Roses', at tho • Vaudeville Theatre; but Montague and Toole vied with one another like competing bidders at •an auction in ' loud proclaim of liis larger worth. ',£ls a week!' said. Toole. 'Why, .he's worth ,£2O at .any. ratej' ; .',£2o!' retorted Montague.' 'NousensoY He's worth J!3O if lie's worth a penny!' And then Thorne, topping Montague, said lie would be perfectly willing to give him .£4O if lie would return to the Vaudeville; and as the voices grew louder in-tli.e increasing estimate of Irving's value, Bateman, attracted byi the discussion. drew, liearl-r and nearer to tho box-in which-we sat, until at last, leaning with his elbows upon,tlie mahogany partition, leant, forward with lowering-; brows, • no. longer aMo to contain. the iiiidignation .which -these ."comments had provoked. And then at last Toole,' always incorrigible in humorous mischief, topped all. previous bidders by. tho emphatic announcement' thai''Henry Irving, was worth ifiso a',week* if lie; was." worth a shilling, to which Bateman, now incensed beyond measure, retorted, 'Yes, and you; aro scoundrels who would putliim up to asking.it.'" Notes.; 1 ■ i .■ Sir Herbert Trco, on tyb .occasion of the final performance of the season, at His Majesty's 'Theatre,; 1 London, made-.an interesting' Speech,' -in the,course of.iwhich ho thus'referred to Miss Marie Lolir, of -Sydney, jvho is enjoying, a wonderful 'successful career:..." Our young Lady Teazle, who has -.had .'many ftf.Wumph-'at'.ithis theatre, has:ii6vor. distinguished 'herself more,I think, than sho lias in this -famous'' part. I congratulate .Miss .Marie -Lohr.' on her- success, Her wings have grown in this-theatre,.'and now she is about to take flight to another theatre, thero to reap a golden, harvest in the Springtimo of; her life." ■ Both artists aro to come to Australia under 'Mr. J.'C. Williamson. •'. ; Tho', : Royal Comic ; Opera prodwi-' .tion of " Tho Catch of tho Season " "failed, to .catch,,on,.in Melbourne^. . Mr.-Geofge Willoughliy '-is. .bringing , out q. taracaUjspißedy'. company, jvhich .is to.' tdii't Australia -,and New . Jdpalarid: under tho iuiiii:agemont -of Clarke,.: Me}-nell,' ; . and = Gunn. ! , 'It will. .bo'-leaving London shortly : .witti Mr. jWilloughbj / ...in , control. .; TJie.;.;' principals have Ojeen selected by Mr. Weedon Grossmift, the famous comediaii, v.and author of "The Night •of ;the-.. : Party." ; . Mr. Grossmith himself, is .rehearsing; tho company in London, ' 'at the. present 1 time,- and, i*>t beipg ablo to -visit Australia, at any ■rate ,foi present, /on /account of his English <auS American engagements;' lie is sending out . his old friend George Willoughby, to taknout'tho -Company: andY : produc«>the .play. -The :principar part will -bo enacted : by a leading/London comedian. . It is so long'siuce a farcical comedy company with, this type' ofproduction has' been here .that it will -assuredly'.'meet with Oi hearty, welcome, i , . •_ Mr. and Mrs. Matheson Lang,'. distinguished .English players, •'aro to appear, in iAustralia next year under the Clarke, Meyjiell arid Guitn management. ' \ The Harry _ Roberts-Maggie Moore combination is to, visit New, Zealand shortly. ,'.., ' Miss Mario Loiir lias made another distinct and cortain hit as the name part in: Somerset Maugham s_ latest. play, "Smith," u society c ? n ls d} '-..^ Vrltl r.e the.'now play- the critic ? ( Dranlntic News" philosophised as follows:-. Personally. I ain- sorry that ,in. the set- 1 ■ provided for his hew. version of The .'King and .the Beggar, 'Maid' Mr. Maugham ' has seen fit' to ' follow Sir Arthurs Pinero .and Mr. Sutro in their castigation of: the Jmmorals of Mayfair. I like' him better as I playwright than. as preacher, and I ■ find the I touch;.which is,so agreeably light in", the delineation of manners becoining painfully heavy on'the inculcation of morality. 'No doubt many smart, or ; woiildrbo smart ..people are nowadays wasting over bridge, a good deal of time which they might just :a's well-waste over , something else.' No doubt, too, thero is nil unhealthy objection to maternity on the part of fashionable married women, and there is a tendency towards looseness of touo iu .tho chaff which they allow from tho tame cats who pose, for so many hours and so many, meals a week, as their lovers. But the' attacks upon; this kind of tiling which Mr. Maugham made in his 'Smith' as it was given oil its firsi night seemed to mo sd crudo. and tasteless and unsuited to the general tone of his comedy that I am not surprised to hear of his ■ having' immediately cut out passages of dialogue which—according to tho official manifesto on the subject—'camo out too, strongly ; when spoken beforo a mixed audience.'" .