THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 781, 2 April 1910, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

The World's a theatre; the Earth a t stago.—Heywood. ■ t ' ' r

(Bi Stlvms.) c

"Peter Pan." . ■ • ' "Peter Pan" has come, we have seen him, and he has conquered. Tho play was not a success in Australia. ■ It makes ono feel sony for Australians; but then they did not like William Collier,, - or Nat Goodwin, or Margaret Anglin, so one can conceive it to bo quito consistent on- their part not to like "Peter Pan." Theatrical managers are too prone to judge New Zealand by the Australian taste. That is wrong. Take the case of the Brough-Boucicault Company alone. ; New. Zealand was .more than kindly in its patronage to that great comedy company—Australia broke. Bob Brough's heart. To return to the suball love "Peter Pan," and look forward eagerly to the next Barrie play "What Every. Woman Knows." Whether it succeeds or' fails in Australia; New Zealand wants it because it is; by the best writer of human comedy extant. . Theatre.and Muslo Hall. .-'. Speaking of the alteration in the relations between'the theatre!;..aiuf 'the music halls, a writer in , the ' London "Times" says:—"The. support, given to the variety theatre by these, prominent actors and . actor-managers indicates a change in the attitudo of the theatro.towards what has hitherto been'corisidored a dangerous rival, but seems now inclined to regard as a valuable ally. Actor-mauagers are no longer una'm--1 mous in attempting to hamper or-to destroy tho 'sketch'; some of them help it to advance in popularity and merit. There can be little question that these are in tho right. The variety theatre, with its lavish scale of payment, can protect many a sterling player against the uncertainties of his profession, while it can never injure the.run of a play that the public enjoys. The rivalry, in fact, is no rivalry. - Theatre and music hall appeal, not to two; different publics, but to the same public in ; two different moods; and the.theatre, is safe so long as it determines to provide its single dish as. efficiently killed, cooked, and dressed.as are tho multitudinous, menus of-the music halls. -Less ..music hall in the theatre, rather than less theatre in the music hall, is the wise, aim." ■ . !■■'..■' ... Misalliance. ' Mr. Bernard Shaw says his; latest play, "Misalliance," is just like "Getting Married," only much more so — which, it may ho remarked, is just like Bernard Shaw. When "Getting Married" was ready for the stage, the author announced it to bo his revenge on the critics for their gross - ingratitude, their arrant Philistinism,-their shameless intellectual laziness, -•. their low tastes, their hatred of good work, and their many other ' cheerful qualities. Tho.piece, herdeclared, would be.indes-.. cribably hideous, ; , an eternity of.:brain,racking dullness,, and the critics.would suffer so horribly and inhumanly that', he had arranged- with the manager "of., the theatre to have an ambulance avail-' able in case of need ' ever, he let them off. very lightly,,.and .perhaps "Misalliance" will not,be' so terrible after all.". , ' .-'■:. The English Theatre In Qermany. : ; .. .The ideath. of. the.wellrl'.nown actress; • Mine.'. Meta Uling,,,has already ; ended tho 'career..,of the :English Theatre.-in: Germany,, since, it'.ha's been, decided that; the enterprise was too intimately-bouiid' up with its.foundress, to .survive..her. Mme. IllingVidea .of.establishing: this theatre in the. German. capital was 'formed about.!three years ago,. when she, as a, 'prominent member of the. famous Les'sing company at' Berlin, realised the opportunities for such a veil-, turb; and, perceiving in > her, English and American tours that German theatres were in existence in London sind many cities -oi ,the .United' States, sheargued, apflytthat. English plays in Germany should.do-equally well. Tho : Kai-: ser took greatjint-erest in the undertaking, . but. therchief reason for its ".sue-, cess was the. indomitable energy, orMme. Illing herself. Accordingly,' having formed her company, she began operations about tho middlo of last year. Her plans provided, not only for a season in Berlin from October.to April, but for tours every year to those other German centres where there are large English colonies.- Just when the enterprise was well founded, Mme. Illing was attacked by pneumonia, and died a few days later. . One of the Jast pieces, of the company,, then appearing at the New Schauspiolhaiis in Berlin, was "The Rivals." Mr. Cecil Ward, who was in Australia some years ago -with the Broughs, was the Captain Absolute .'of the-, cast, while Mr. Borifield,. here in the first Australian production of -'"THe Man From Mexico,",was'the Sir.Lucius O'Trigger. . ."/• !". •■ .; ; ;j '..J.'." '; .!

"La Barricade." . .-.,■:,- .'■•-. . Paul Bourget's play, "La Barricade," recently produced at the Paris Vaudeville, is intended to be a warning to employers of labour in general that they must be firm in their resistance to the ■ revolutionary methods of modern unions if they do not wish the propertied class to be wiped out by the proletariat as the nobility was by , the masses! in the Terror. It shows how 'M. Bre'schard, a Trench cabinet, manufacturer, by presenting a resolute front against desperate strikers, ultimately prevailed, and converted his son and partner from advanced Socialistic to conservative ideas. But its force as a demonstration in a social political sense is considerably diminished by the introduction of a con- ■ fusing love interest. Notes. ;..-. ■:.-■ ■'' :.-: ■•: Under arrangement with Mr. _ Charles Trohman a performance of "The Climax" was to have been given on-the Mauretania,. when that liner'was "two. days out from New York on.- February ■ 11/ Miss3larie Doro, was the ; star of the coriipany, which was proceeding to London. ' ■. "Winifred Emery is the latest-leading actresses on the English stage to try her fortune in the music halls. She is to appear in a one-act play, entitled "The Dressing-Room," by Mr. James Bernard'Tagan. It belongs to tho powder-and-puff period, and she impersonates a celebrated actressof the time. She has also accepted an invitation to go to Stratford-on-Avon during. tho Shakespeare Memorial Week, to play Beatrice in "Much Ado About Nothing." "There is said to bo a possibility that Miss Anglin may abandon—temporarily, at any rate—the. emotional drama with which she has been associatd for so longi A preliminary agreement,has been mado by which she will act under tho management of Liebler and Co., if the ■latter-can provide her with.a suitable light comedy before tho beginning of next, season. It is to be hoped that tho required piece may ho forthcoming, and that Hiss Aiißlin may have an opportunity for displaying another side of her undisputed ability. That actor or actress who can shine in only olio department of .the drama is hut half developed. Miss Anglin has.demonstrated her control:over the sources of tears: if she enn;''"with equal ease.■■compel laughter, her prestige will be doubled.

Formal announcement of the engagement of Miss Eleanor Robson to August Belmont was made- in New York on February 12. Mr. Belmont's attentions to Miss Robson for somewhat more than two years and efforts of their mutual friends to bring them together on. every favourable opportunity resulted last spring in rumours of an engagement, which was denied, but,, in spite of these denials, the engagement has for a long time been expected, and its official confirmation cannot be said to have created surprise. Miss Robson .i-a's to marry in March. She retires from the stage.

Mr. W. Somerset Maugham's new play, "The Tenth Man." was presented at the Globo Theatro, London,'on February 24. Mr. Bourchier's part is that of a modern Mercadct, a Napoleon of finance, tho embodiment of the presentday spirit of commercialism. Politics figure to some oxtent in the play.

The Savoy Theatre, London, was to reopen, under tho direction- of. Mr. C. H. Workman, on or : about March 10, with a, new musical.play, entitled ■ "Two Merry Monarchs." The; libretto has beeii written by Mr. Arthur. Anderson, part author of "The White Chrysanthemum," and Mr. ■ George Levy. Mr. Hartley Carrick and Mr. Anderson, will lie responsible for the lyrics, and. the music is from the pen of Mr. Orlando Morgan. It is stated that the plot is of a somewhat fantastic description, but that Mr. Workman's role belongs to the domain of pure icomedy.—"Draniatic News." ■ : :..:•''..