THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 693, 18 December 1909, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

"Tlio world's a theatre, tho earth a stago."Heywood. -

(Ml SYLvins.y

A New Management .-'.": ,1' Lovers-of drama throughout Australasia have doubtless felt regret at tho announcements recently made of tho retirement of Bland Holt—but though that regret must still exist, it. is gratifying to noto,.that'the gonial actor-miiuager's work will be carried on. Mr. Allan Hamilton, tho well-known theatrical manager, has ■ entered into partnership with Mr. Max Maxwell, for somo years loading man for the Bland Holt Company,-arid by arrangements with Mr. Holt, the new firm will produce the following well-known and successful plays-.—"Woman and Wine," -"In London Town," "Itovenge," "Lights o' London," and ■ '■Woman's Revenge." They have also secured scenery by the late eminent artist, John Brunton, together with complete wardrobe and effects, such as were always distinguishing features of the Holt management. Preparatory to opening at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, at Eastertide, the. company will appear -at Bendigo on Boxing night for a season of 15 nights, theiice overland to Brisbane, and, after , the Easter season, , in Sydney, a tour of tho principal cities of the Dominion follows. Besides securing the principal members .of the Bland Holt Company, the organisation has; been strengthened by the. addition of several of the leading members of Mr. Allan Hamilton's Dramatic Company, and will comprise the following-.-Misses Jennie Pollock, Lilian Myers, Muriel Dale, Violet Canty, Mabel Kussel, Florence Potts, and Messrs. Max Maxwell, Leonard Willcy, C. R. Stanford Charles Brown, Harry Halley, and Charles Wheeler. Mr. George Buller, manager, and W. G.-Eeid treasurer. ..

Pantomime Beauties': V '.The principal boy for the J. C. Williamson Christmas pantomime—Miss Lily Iris—lids arrived in Melbourne, and in '.. physique she is even finer looking than her. photographs would lead/one to imagine. She is tall and fair—a typical Englishwoman—but one of her chief charms is to be found in her bright, vivacious expression and in her. colouring, which cannot be reproduced to perfection in a .mere'photograph. She is very enthusiastic, about her work, and spent the greater-part of the morning on which she landed in Melbourne at the theatre with Mr. Coventry trying over the songs;which had been set aside as likely numbers for her to'select from—and getting aujdea of her part. -Miss Iris dates her stage experience from the'time sho was twelve years old; when she 1 appeared chiefly asa'dancer. Sho has seen much of the world, having, visited South America, South Africa, Europe, Egypt, and the whole of the British. Isles. '■•• . Miss Clara Beck; the Princess Badroulbadour of the forthcoming production of; ''Aladdin" at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne; arrived with Miss Iris, and, like the latter, got to., work'at onco. She is a dainty little lady full of verve and vivacity, her expressive face, crowned with.its wealth of dark brown hair, changing and sparkling with every mood, that takes her. She again, like Miss Iris, ■ has in the six.years she has beon on the stage , (sho isonly '21 now,! and she does not look it) mado her, mark both in-musical comedy and pantomime. . i ...'■'•• ■ :, '> - .- .''.,■. .; - ... ■ ',-• : ..-'■ '

The Real Cha;;ies Wyndham. I: see .'that; that J.C.W;- has' engaged Charles Wyndham for a season in Australia (writes, a ."Bulletin" correspondent). Ho will, up doubt,' have'a'-success of curiosity, but I warrant that that is all ho will have. As with; women, so with actors;' if we. have loved them when they were young and beautiful, we go on in theoltl.wayj more or less, when they arc aged and worn and tired: Londoners have known 1 Wyndham all their lives. I don't 'supposo : .there is.any,regular,playgoer 'of Bullopolisuwho hasn't, seen','. "Wyridham's "David Garrick" .half-a-dozen ■' times at.jtho, least. -.Londoners never,tiro of /'David Garrick," -with Wyndham in-.the: name part. "Garrick" is to 'WyndhamVf'.Co&bany.' what .''The ■■": Belle of New lork".' is; to : a'-'musical comedy : cbmbin'at'ion—a' thing to bo revivpd business gets slack,, and an absolutely certain'draw whenever-and wherever it 13 staged.', But Australians .'will see Wyndham .play ' this : romantic role stripped, of . tho glamour of years.'■-. .They will see ,an old, old man (68 and beyond his years), with. a face furrowed withca , : thousand wrinkles; and' the gait and voice:of patriarchy (excuse tho word —I ; :ma(le it.mysolt').': He 'doesn't'convince.'any more as the debonair, chivalrous young mime, whd mado.a ipublic exhibition of himself to, ■.prove, his groat love. ; Wyndham'' plays, middleaged characters '■ gonial, : good-hdarted worldlings with ; stacks 'of excellent advice to offer those ,of the company'who meditate a false social stop.- In'speeches of -admonition to these foolish'ones, his .curious booming voice is heard to great advantage. Mostly,' in' the: pieces he ■ affects, he winds up, afters spilling much wise counsel upon the bowed heads of all parties, by: himself .marrying the most- attractive female present. . But he is now too advanced -in'years oven forrth '. impersonator of/middle ■ life, and :■ the' portrayal : ,?f extreme ago' is out of , his line. As' afore.said,- ■■ :I don't ' think * those Australians, who haven t known him in his prime,' will bo much impressed with. Wyndham- f6r all his'newlygatnerod ; knighthood. ' . :■ '■■'■■> -.■-••:■

Notes. ': /.,;' ■-.-. •■/; !, : '■;' ,-, ~-: : ., -,'";'■ ; I We (writes Mr. Geo. Tallis : from. Melbourne) have now-entered upon the month of December, and with the approach of Christmas the stay of. the-Royal■ Comic Opera Company at. Her Majesty s Theatre,".Melbourne, is rapidly' neariiig. a ..termination. ■"The Lady Dandies" is'proving a.fine send-off piece, and with its .many ' attractive' features of. excellent niusic, guy. and sparkling humour and elaborate setting, is more than holding its own as a,strong diw; with Melbourne playgoers. At the conclusion of their Itolbourne season the company will}': go'■'.to-Sydney, where they will open with '.the "Catch- of the Season." For."the Sydney production of- the piece,: the cast will be materially ■.strengthened. For the part of Lady Caterham , (the Clara Clifton part) Miss Florence Vie will be included. Miss Vie is coming out from England under engagement to J. G.\ ; Williamson -'specially to fill 1- these' roles.- Then there.: will be: Miss. Lydia Mopp (Miss Fanny Dango's. sister), and Mr. Fred Leslie, who has had apart specially written | for him, which will give him scope to introduce one or two of his;iuuch appreciated dances. V.' - : .-' : •'• :"The Whip,", Srhich :; has .created' such ■ a faypurablo impression in London at '.the Drnry Lane Theatre, has been secured: for Australia by Mr. J.' C. Williamson. The London critics speak of it as one of the best pieces ever'staged in/tho/.well-knbini-.playhouse.. As -its name implies,'it is a. racing piece,,with plenty o£ exciting incidents,-and a' well-told 'story of happy consummation. Amongst.the effects which-"are" most; striking 'are - the great race at. which the' outsider succeeds , in. winning the Two Thousand Guineas' Prize, .the great; railway: smash, '.and tho'ficeneat thoßoyal Horse Show. -The piece will be produced-in, Australia in the: near future. "'l/ ; ' '/";■ '; ■■ ;.':',''•'.■■'■"■"'.■/;:' : ■.-:■■■-. One of. 'tho : fineet touches o£..;character-act-, ing New. Zealander Harry Plimmer. has yet' given"Us;(says-the , "Otago.Witness"), is'in"the; third act of "The Cheat,".in which fa graphically describes the tortures 1 he has had to sub-; rait .to .at'thb hands of'the Afghans.:. , lt is not too : .nluch to say: that the ..standard of! the whole act ..is ■■'. raised by.: ; the:, excellent ; perfonnahce of Mr. Plimmer,,-.whoso clear-cut work 'etands. out in an exceptional cast.: : V Mr., George H. Clutsam, the well-known composej;,formerly.:,of Auckland,'bnt who: is-now in Great Britain, 1 according , to London advices, has been engaged ok two important works. ,:On! October.2B his symphonic 'idyll,.."The, Lady -of Shalptt,"v\va9 -to have .been!,played, .and■••on November.2 his cantata, "The (Juest : of. Rapunzel." iThis 15,-written- for. three voices.. I have to acknowledge the leceipt of a! copy of "Nicholson's Christmas Musical Magazine, published - : in Sydney. The number is well worth ;the shilling charged.. It: contains fairly easy.-sottings : of," Haydn's' "Gipsy Rondo, Liszt's [ "Liebestraum," Mendelssohn's "Bee's Wedding," a fantasie on "Nearer My God to •Thee" ;by T. P. Ryder, and other musicianly pianoforte pieces, ■ ..- . .. ... ..A--.re'brgdnisation' oE' the Williamson Dramatic Companies is pending, by- which eovoral members will bo drawn into ono .company; which will be headed by Mr. Julius Jvnight' and Miss Kathcriue Grey, (the latest importation from America). Tho first pieco (Under the new order of things will be "Henry of Navarre," and hencp. Miss Grey will make, her. Australian debut in the drama early ir. the. New Year. ,;' . •' ; :. Though the censorship inquiry may be said to have provided ■ a certaiu amount of' public amuseniont,.as well. as. a;fair measure of instruction, there is no raason, on tho whole, to regret that it has come to an end. The.'desperf' ate attempts ; of various authors and others to "pose in the limelight," and the-laborious fir-ing-off of epigrams by literary and theatrical humorists, with ono eye on tho reporters' table, wero bsginning : to render tho : whole business more;. than a little irritating and. wearisomeLondon. "World." -: • v '.-: .'• ;■ •-■ Mr. -Alfred Hill, tho composer of "The 'Moorish;': Maid," lias been advised that there, are. ( strong probabilities of-!the work" being staged .in, Xondon; in Match next. '■■■.''. r. :■-