THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 698, 24 December 1909, Page 18

THE THEATRE.

"Th» world'9'n theatro, tb«,earth « il»g«."— I Ilejwood

(Br SiLnos.),

"The Cheat"j Dramatic .Company. j? > Thu strongest dramatic company that Mr. •J. C.s Wtlliatftson has sont to . Wellington for varlong time, .is to. .dosimenceva.'season.._at ~the Opera;- House on ) Mondtly next,. opening ;■, in ■wnat is described as a "t-tirung, spectacular; . Anglo-Afghan,, military.-drama," .-ontitled ;"The Choat." The' plot ot this play lias all endy been -with 111 this';Colunm. : Suffice to i--:-:...-; 1 say -i that .-it is '■ a melodrama, packed ' full; of. oxcitmg mci(lettts; from 'th<; rise -to tho. fall of ; the curtain,' and 'giTing iample scopo for. strong -• acting; of-'a claSs-deai'': to.'the.palates of.'local plajgoers., But tho play is not altogether .'• vivthorthtng. 111 tlhs. case. Tho-personnel of tho; ■ , ■ company is peculiarly--unresting,-, in .that: it -.- . . talont enough to, furnish two ,com- .. 'panies, which: would ho well up; to tlio avorago usually sont to. New Zealand. Mr. George 8., wl'lthcradge, ono of the most cnltnrcd ruid effcc- .; v-;ifavo.'. dramiitio*artists~as '■ distinct 7from actors i .■ —who ctm: irml tho. boards of. the Opero.Jlonse, I lis back - once more to charm, : with his admirv; • liable style andiintellectual impresswencss.- . His I ■ .:-ißOn,'?Mr. .- Dion,: Titheradgp,' .who'-gavA; such.; a • jgood ■ perfoimanco' as the toy .in "The: .Thief" v .v.. j with.- -.tho'iiKolkor-Tithoradgo combinatib'n, is i o.nlso - a member,-of . tho company.-■; Anothor head- •: ? . liner -is I>.- Thomas Kingston, who has; toured I :,New ;Zealand a- number of:times, ongjr.ally K .as i ,v;i.:ieadmy .man . with - Miss; Nance: o"Neil,: then I >: ,-with .Jifiss - Tittel -Bruno,;later-still as iropt.,.l ;; --Brewster >in that distracting comedy, "Brow-1 fr,. i'.stor's Millions:"'. Another.- sound.English, actor who-, we -axe to see.-'for. : the -lirst time is -Mr. - . •, Eardley-i Turnei-, .said to bo a capital character actor. .-stngo, does> not'-occupy,, tho whole, of Mr. s Turner's time. He has tho tiick f:; of .writing smart vvorse, .which. ■ never ladm a • . publisher.; Other sound actors in tho cast are: Mossra. Cyril Itackay. Harry.-Plimmer, A. E. >Greonaway, i Grpgan ;Jl'Mahon,'; Lewis. .Watier, : i.vjjuii. (tho son of ...-London's;Lewis. Waller); and. .:;v'i;. .::itho.:husband'..'of:.,tho: leading, lady,- .Miss Ethely : Warwick.■(. 'l'ho -other ladies -of the company in ~'..^aro:'.Misses- Ma'nd. Winfield.- Marjono Murray; •P. ■; nntl . 'Nellio - Calvin. ; ; Dunrig .the seflson the , company -will 'display -its; powers in "The Flag Lieutenant,".-. ''Brewster's Millions"- (seomingly L: „ another* '"E0ya1.,.-Divorce" >to. .thfi firm), .-and ' "Sherlock Holmes."

Otiujr holidaj attractions for tho fostiva , seasgij.'TnJl ibe Hullcr's .Nov?. Vaudeville Com-' ; .-.paiiy .at itha. Tlioatr<i .'Royal,'vWest .-Pictures at * the Town Hall, the ltoyal: Pictures ■ at :KHis. , Majesty's, ,and tho. Star Pictures! Which con•rvw tinuo .to: twinklo .morrily ■ ati Wellington: South; rfS;; y,' 1 ->; :?t: j ; ;: _: :-.vV :' •;;;. » "The Awakening of Helona Richie." Whenvfyliss Anglin' was ; iu Austra- : lia.at th© beginning .of. tho tfresont year a good., ■v..-" . - deal:.was : said' one- way and-another* about the jN: r ";P^n^/<playViix.^:which;; to; her; return-, to'Now.York—"ThoAwakemngofHel- . ■ cDai RichM). J ' , 'Tho play-was l produced, on i Sep-' .1 . tcniber 20, and judging: from the criticism iu the^'"Th^^ : : •;(.:t-. journal—the - play .is, not: judged. to bo; worthy s-J/fij.off.the'^cfr^.'^rf-v^^ 1 - Imth<> course;of iitsi critique: thail paper. says: - ."In Tile -Aivakcning. of. Helena Eachie'. wo .are .asked}- tpTShed' trarsroTCTj.tfe^vanouSV.nnhappy. -- istates- of,.auj-intelleotual: woman who, .in thoso' -Vitally clos o .re 1 a 110 lIS with .men .which lead' to /happiness,. or,iwoe,; has -had ..so •• littlo - divination ■ of character beforo her inarnngo and so little s - -control-owstrihat; -husband's; destiny and- con-; ;.",;.-,;,'duct,-3that.. Bhe ( , :had',to ;waitJuntil fho'sank into .degeneracy through drink, and wilfully mur- ; (leredtheirbabo before she came to her senses; -woman,; : ;who, whilo living clandestinely/ •, ing lier husband's life, with another man and , 'that a youn„ poet, plainly a lunatic, is to 'infatuated' with hor that the slightest v en. i:-. 1 M conragement : .,.is. _ dangerous, aas ' it- soon ' proves .i.vv.'V mhon.i.he puts a.ibullet::through - his. ; head; a .:f !wniAn who\lid ; n'ct have,intelligence enough-to-i posiiigr 'asV-lier - brother,'' : : not.,intenu;to marry -her, and for the'verj ~\i, ';:,-,Toaison :-that/.he:afterwards ■ gives,. because' •- of his young ,'daughtci and his family We aro v: : .asked to sjmpathiso with her because - she , : -- i; BC(>rns. th 6; tame,;conventional, ideas of- a little : country, town in whiehshe is living her immoral- idyl 0f..-love. -At tho' very opening ■of - •• the play:• thiirtove is. proved .by an- amount of * a scene sanctioned by Act of Parliament or -■; the, laws 0£.4h0 Church -or .by,-an. alderman -at • least., Thflro. was. an awakening, but Helena Eichie was i\ot easily roused. ] It .required dis- _ aster and jjtMcombined efforts of'the world, :v ■ ;i v.--,l«d. by-;a;.Jpersistent ; proacher.; to awaken ■' her ■ ■ Perhaps all sinners are fopk, but Helena Eichie was such a perfeot, lady through it all, bo ainiible-, and.such a fountain of tears \rhen agaiujarid %&iii r that wo" pitied her We will not "be the first to cast ®Slvft|stone^atfhbf.;;"!ln;!fMt,'\TO;ji6ryWvhor: : :v foreverythmg,but parading her woes by having a brilliant woman to describe and analyse thefn ;111. a book, another able wom.-\n l to -dramatise'. ,'.-;:/ a -them,-/am! another accomplished, and beautiful- : -fcoman to. act themand. triumph in thein It is all consistently feminine, emotional and lllogical Like many. pla>s J that i will not stand analysis, it mil probably, prosper and restore iff'i.w• audknces'.tho entertainment: of .tears.". • t ,r > 1 ! * Clark and Meynell's Now, Partner, 1 1 ~l - - . -j -.-Mr., Bodo,*. an. English actor-manager, is joming the firm of-Meynell ( and Gunn Ho .-.-,-1-, intonds. to.take, a London .theatre in conjunction .With his new partners, and forward Il[2W pieces aiid. new j artists; to'.-Australin.. from -there.-; . portion of the schemo proposed by. him . IS? tfljproduco . musical, pieces, for .which'at- tho toss.; moment -no < tlieatro is availiblji in London, ■;ns; A first in i Sydney and ?Melbourne,' as ■ho considers - 'fheso'contres important enough to jfivo him a tho. pnmo .-of; lifo,-'i haviDg- hoeii.- born -. at IJir- ' imngnam in -1863,rMr. Bo<le. ha!; produced; over t;-:-. , ,T-;;.»ixty . / pantomimcs ; in.;tEngland,-. . and •r-is co--:v proprietor.imth.'Edward.Compton-: (head of the -.-■.:Hinous ..Compton Comedy Company) of theatres y afj Beading, Loicester (two), .Wolverhampton, Huddersfield, Northampton, Leicester, Chester, 1 'Leamington, and .Brighton.

Music-Hall Impucienco. , \ ;-.- ■ In a I'hihidelphia theatre the oilier.Jay an i Bctor, singing a song called "There's Class to v- .-viiajGirliLifce Xhat," dircctcd.:hisiwords toward' 'the'insolent■ i t ' t now prevailing. t The electrician em:;i'j,':;il)hasised«;.tlio .- insult .';: b- turning, a spotlight Va's.^Jipon;her.?.'Whereupon, lior husband, ;aPhila- . istv-dcfphian^;brushed the; musical director out of :-.v;ii.'4he 'Wayjv.mountcd - they stage:.-with blood'•and 1 revenge hammering m his hedd, and admw- ■ i.starat ■ toi tho o fie asm:- performer a • disfignrwhich •.'.i'v'.-'consciousness.'jthei'.nctor.-causcd -the-'arrest l of .I.,'the. agent: pi > retribution,. thought the. audience ;.svv'- had.'sauctioned : the .punishment with applause/ In-thosl'olice.,Court;-neat day- a:just magistrate V«i:.i-.ißniiled,;ati'.thc,-law's infraction:uid-.discharged' l !.-:-i.iii:th6,;accused iwith :a compliment. imnor episode . of the; .^rccordcd'.'.thns. in-1 detail because it to managers what , ~v-,!;; may-, happen-in-such';cascs;:rather;thanito;spoc-1 > tators what should happen. Peaco in - tho £ <5. theatre is n thing to;bo desired, and wo should* not liko to see an indiscreet songstress 'nian-handled-by - andsato -occupant of ; i a stage' box .. to ; v>honi -she _ had • addressed . tho -. impudent phrase? of a <yLiy ballad. But tho lutimacy S:r^'- : "ffSpihp with- their;du--|;RJ£(li<i!tefej:j?anßgrcsscss& bV : '' : :' A^,: -' f^l1 P : iD^O a o er -^l 1 o l dopencls .updn it; a ? 4 -i wrting i qualities : ! :of /■his >■ enm *i.. tertaiument ,is;.empty and unknowing, for onlyminority > of; 'his'i patronage Vregard< feeling"of- ; CvV Lauder in America. , , fifsin J Kc w/Jork the for: an immoiLse outi. . ..;.burst of- !Several of tho principal :^sSl'^rSSissued;,,specjal ; "after .his Scotdlr dpmedian{!Was :: :be6fegod-;by '' r V,;;,interviewer^;;; Lauder .Tiirhselfappearsto have S;®!i'caught-. thp:iinfeition;^aiid;/: : liko,: ! Boffin's S "ij:?r 1 ®- otJttld. ifind ■ iio..bettor.'outlet*i for. hie.feelv,- v i,mga.,-.than \by : "dropping ~into ■;poetry." ' Thus his;return;to the'land- '}< : :-!)f;the;Stars and Stripes:— * To America I'm back again, j i-Era?. Bonnio Scotland ovcr theunain; ' An' though some places I hao seen, , .fair, tangs';thom' r cleaii!''. | m • Harrr 'Lauder might be a good comcdiin—ho :.w«uld have to bo .to make, somo of the dreadful * verso ho writes go doivn A Phydora Story. 'Mr.;-Ilarry >Phydora ;has.; passed i.on '■ ti good • :-...;itory which lias , travolled all .'the way'from a small ■■ town ui; South America." It-.scoms that" ' ■ a number of homesick, Englishmen -wero • •. ftationcd in Jiat town, and .they camo. to the ; ijimclusion-.that. tho >noxt best thing to boing jjv. : .back, oaco 'aioro.- in, their .own.Homo land was try;Mdvperpi^at6,;soiii();';ofrtho'■ bid; ideas;, -Mid custom prevailing;thero. .. So tlioy doeidcri , to begin by instituting a night wa'tch, and , accordingly. engaged, an irishman ■,to prowl? the ii .'-. Mnti'outs oach'.vniglitrepeating - tho;t! oldlimelionoored ■formula—"All's; woll'V-Oiid giving a v liriof. comment on - the if 0 1" conditions,-For I

n so iho eohemo ucfcd splomKdly, and durinlPspo hoiirs 'that tho ;,"sablo godtfes" rwiffncd'supreme, by n httlo stretch of imagination in" thair walciug moments tho.originators of" the .Echamfl ..lUHiKincd thoinsclvcs- baci; m ;thoir owu coirntrjv but ono night tho wafcctiman had wildly oxcitmg iiowa to impart, and tills E3 how: ho. did rt. "Alt's well! Brown's 1 btwery burnt ■to tho ~ground. ;;All's well! 1 I Thxoo- rami .:ißarty»mnr(lcrod down i by -tho i ! wharWs::i' r !iUl'«'..wrfl! :A fnll galc.and a cyelono in tho:offing.^'AH'6"WclU'" Williamson's Grand Opera Company. ' Musical? circlcs ■'. in" Sydney (says tho "Ho- '■ ! aro 'in' tho' Willjamson ' season of • * r ßrand opora", early uoxt year. Tho event mil l bring back to Sydnoj- Signor Hazon as musical director, and ' with hjm v will: atrive <throo prima 1 donnas—Mdlle. Bdl Sorcl, Mdlle. Eily Barnato, and Jfdloe. llano Pumpari. Two teijors—Joan Zorga and Pi; H. I'Blaney—and a bantoDo-t-Signor ; Antonio Zanel h—are among the other i artistsi.engaged; v.- Aliotablo: feature 1 of: .and,: ono :thatrwill ;givo ; general B'atisfaotioh/.iis ;'the. fact that the operas arc to bo .sunt; in English. Tho ropertoiro will' mclmle "Madame Bntterfly" (for tne first time 111; Australia) and "La'Bobemo;" In Mr. Henry Braor's ■ >esperionbc«i hands,. the t , management j ha?.left tlio preliminary arrangements. . Mr.ißraoy: is_.now organising a chorns worthy of tho occasion. .. r v'V : '-V A, Harom on the Stage. ■ . . From Vienna comes tho. news of tho ap- ■ proaching dobnt at a local mnsio hall of 6even beautiful ladies' belonging to 1 tho harem of the dethroned Sultan, Abdul Hamid. One of these ladies, it is stated, the Princess Ala Sorah Zoraide, was a leading favourite with, the Sultan and of Indian origin. The : iformaiion of "the troupe is due to*,tho;'enter-; iprise of tho ei-Soltati's principal notor, Kiado, who, incidentally, has tho positron:and title of General, and who,proposes to present on tho stage, of . some of .tho Vionnc6e music halls a senes- of-,"episodes from the life of tho harem," always providing, it is cautiously added, that the-censor does not raise any. difficulties. , ' v Notes. ; ;;Mr.'. Howard vVerxton,''vriid .for. 'so-many... years, entertained- the; public! as;.,a .- gifted:..comedian under the J. C. Williamson management, and who is ,now in England, recently. vrroto to a ;.and . referred ,-to tho " superiority;: which hi considered -was. .displayed in Australian •theatrical protluctictoi" aa ' compared" with' English presentations. -"Aftor ■ seeing and hearing Engbsh acting," .ho says,-"I-am more- than , iwcr satisfied^' \ritli -.the . strength : of;. tho Ausitralian .stago.". . ' > .v,When "The.Glimax" is produced in Sydney, the oast; will be■ headed by -Miss Florence Young as Adelina Von Hagen, an operatic student, . while her Italian . teacher will be played'. byj Mr. 'J. IB;. Atholwood, who;- has 'a. part .full of oharacter and tenderness; Mr: Ecginald Eoborts \nll play the opposite rolo toYounfr, thai ol an American doctor, While Mr. Dion-.Titheradge hvill -appear 'as a Vouthfiil .Italian icomposed,, the' author o!, "The Song rof'. the; Soul;" -which:Adelina; >'singsi; .B. Athohroodwill' alsb'' bo .'included iii: .the' east. - : .y_*. ; vr"-.-V'-;rJ-V};■' '..'.Mom,' Sarah..Bernhardt's next; part in Pans mil in all probability be that of Joan of Aro; -in a play written.:. by ' M. Emile.-. Moreau, who' . collaborated,' with: Sardohvin ."Madame . Sans-,: • Gene.") Sarah .Bernhardt, will liavo -full scopef.or,' :her ;:artV,in ; this ..place,. which! ;deals-;with-the last hours', of the maid's martyr.-; • Mr. - Nat; Clifford, .the . well\nown English' oomedian, arrived in Melbourne from London by tlio Orsova: Ho will undertake the part; ot. tho Baron's Fomate > Cook in Miv Wilnani Anderson's Christmas production • 6f Babes. in - ,tha Wood" at the • King's . Theatre. :Miy: Clifford -intends ..to . permanently .reside in Australia 'yl: !.>:Astory" whioh is being "told bohind tho 'soeiies .in the, Lyoeum,'just now. is\one. concern-, mg Eric Mayne, .who plays Hildebraifd in-"Tho Proud.?'PHnce," .and whose.;: athletic .-figure shows' to'iuch, advantage on .the stage. l ;: Coming; out of the stage-door after a matuieo tl» other day; ho ran into a coupl« of urchins:'"That's him!" said-one, excitedly. "That's l tho bloke i what-gets shrivelled up" (alluding, of course,;l to, the manner in which Mayno is changed to'a' ■hideous-looking - jester by the archangel): "Garni-.' said tho other urchin. ;;"That am't Mr:-Mayne; that's Jem Corbett!" '

.: Margaret 'Anglin's manager, - Loklis Nether-: ;Me,sonds;'froi^;;.N©^ : york;;wori':Vf : ith«.. lady's; 6t^e\in : tentions.f'"l've ;beeii:cryihg.' for-:a'livx ;ing -nine: years,"she- says, "and 'now. - ; I waiit. to.inakd;them laogh. If an actress-:has any oonscienco at all: she'.feels - just' r ahit guilty, when. she. looks out front and sees an audienoefi which: looks as ..though' it. had-beoh 'caught .in'iii; showr. • t tourod Australia, and' several other' countries;: and! Vtrajl.ybchiiidi/m'o.i Now I; want'to: get 'a comedy rblo; arid'-shed a' little sunshine. I think I've earned. my rainhow,". So- shoV going to finish her pi-ssent . .part and then sell out hor old 1 .businessj' to J .,Uh& ... : Departmentwiiile ■ ■-IWltraahlodisherup-ashowcr-proofcomedy.-'On.-, the. occasion-of .a banquet given; in Sir Herbert Beerbohm Treo s honour lit Dublin, ■ tho company .was suddouly awed by tho presence in -seat a|:.theyboartv : and - forthwith ,prbooeitled to' I deliver a speech to those assembled: He spoke ' and. ranted - a most .familiar .' fashion, , and said'lievwas .pleased to, meet the girls, bless Uioir dear, hearts,. and: among them were Mrs Forbes' Robertson, and Miss: Viola Tree. -.Sir Herbert waxed indignant at the fellow's familiarity, and, having, ascertained that not a soul •know him; and;that he was indeed an intruder, .Sir,Herbert.roso.vtook him by, Hie arm; and led him-qmetly but-firmly to show hun' tho door, and said, "This,is.aioharming door; I-can recommend it."