THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 811, 7 May 1910, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

The World's" a theatre; tho Earth a stajje.—Hey wood.

(Bv Sn,vics.)

"When Knighthood Was in Flower." Says tho Melbourne "Ago" on tho recent first production in Melbourne of "When Knighthood was in Flower," by tho Nellie Stewart Company:— "Mr. Paul Kestor has very little superstitious reverence for historic records or authorities when lie is busy constructing a' pageant of the past. ■They can all go hang tho while he weaves a romantic drama, such as 'Sweet Nell of Old Drury,' or 'When Knighthood was in Flower," his latest achievement, in which he has helped himself liberally to Mr. Major's novel, dealing with it in that vivid imaginative way that makes facts look tame arid commonplace when recorded by such an ordinary historian as Hume. His rummage bag of romantic happenings never seems to be exhausted. At each dip there is something fresh, roseate, spicy, and sugar-coated. Ibis time, between his finger and. thumb, be holds lip the bashful Charles Brandon., the turbulent 'Mary Tudor, the sister of Henry VIII, and as minor bonbons the treacherous Buckingham, the lecherous Aiigoulome, and the murderous Judson. By way of added piquancy they aro all in the. fashion that Holbein's famous paintings have so well detailed', when cloths of silver and. gold and damasks were favourite fabrics, distended by the loop, and adorned liberally with ruffs and ribbon, and Tudor roses. When 'every man showed like a mine, and madams were clinquant all in gold like heathen goddesses.' The piece belongs entirely' to tho stirring, highly-coloured, artificial, serio-comic order of romance, distinctly interesting with its travesty of tho tone of the period. It is well produced arid dressed, and acted entirely in the amusing semi-serious vein in which it is written.

"As Mary Tudor, Miss Nellie Stewart has ono of those showy'parts that suits her exactly, a curious compound of coquetry and shrewishness, of noisy petulance, reckless modern high spirits, and Tudor, dignity, 'in order to realiso the mutable nature of the Princess, the actress calls up all her resources, on every inflection of voice, and every trick' of gesture, which are seemingly none the less spontaneous for tho air of obvious experience with which they are allied. She goes through the role from first to last as if she loved it, and with that unflagging animation which indicates her appreciation of a medium for the display of her histrionic ability, whether she be archly encouraging her bashful lover, or threatening to jump out of bed before Henry # and his attendants; or routing the tailors and maids of honour who have come to prepare her wedding toilet", or throwing slippers at the head of the King and Queen, or. attempting to disguise iioiself in page's clothes, so that she may accompany Brandon into exile. .. . . Mr. Harc'ourt Bcatty is better as a soldier than as a lover. He is a good fire-eater, but strikes a cold note when consumed by the grand passion. . . . Mr. Eardloy .Turner's make-up as Henrv is jthe Hamilton Court Holbein to the life, and within the four corners of the book he gives the bluff, ebullient King Henry VIII some personality.. At times the approaches very closely the. confines of comic, upeni, but j[r. Turner manages dexterously, to switch him off, and Henry in a trice is once again the boisterous, squeamish, forgiving monarch of comedy. Of. the treacherous, cunning Buckingham, Mr.. J. B. Atholwood makes a clever and consistent study. His courtesy and suavity/would doceivcf'tbe .•most 'expcrienced, and little wonder, that Mary Tudor believes all he savs, for; his words have the : ring of sincerity and truth." ~' .'• ■."■" ... .. -

"Madame .Butterfly"—A Criticism. A ■Wellington, resident has. received a letter from Sydney giving a personal impression on "Madame Butterfly" and its production in Sydney. The letter goes:—" 'Madame Butterfly ' is satisfying—a', big ' go' over here. People rave over Sore?, the prima donna. I don't— she is just fair, that is all: The opera lias a great theme, and Puccini is a wizard. Did you read Marshall Hall's notice, written for the ' Argus' ? He writes of the opera, itself right through, carefully avoiding any. extended-notice of tho performance of it.. It is a notice of Puccini in this particular opera. Ho likedSorel—she was the performer ho deemed worthy of notice. No other names but that of Hazon, the conductor, were mentioned. Barnato is a good actress—poor voice. Amy Castles sings round any of them—no question of that. Tho orchestra is tho star feature —simply tremendous. . Note well the end of tho second act. Zerga is a decent tenor. Tho baritone "ot too good, but the orchestra, great. Re ' Boheme,' which I have not yet seen, all papers say that, present production doesn't disturb the first cast—Carlo Dani, etc."

"La Boheme". In Sydney. "Iti this opera (says the "Daily Telegraph" in criticising tho first production of "La Boheme" by Williamson's Grand Opera Company) one recognises, as.iir'Madam Butterfly,' how effectively Puccini' ca'ri employ music to paint tho .!utuatioii,.reprosented upon tlio stage. There : is no- overture, barely a few bars 1 "'sufficing to introduce the Bohemians', who chatter briskly in their garret,, and'group round the stove to gather what; warmth they may when the manuscript' of -Rudolph's drama is thrustyiii.tp feed the flames. Here in tlio singularly rapid musical action, tho varying, moods in--the 'carc-freo life of 'these bold adventurers', 'are vividly illustrated. - There is the reckless airi of abandonment in tho tripping melodies'for the violins, and quaint little figures.;to' typify the jubilation of tho company as Schaunard unexpectedly enters with, food and wine, and scatters his recently-earned, gold about with the savoir fairc of a Croesus. Then in humorous contrast to all this, timorous agitation is expressed by the strings when Benoit, the old landlord, announces himself, and presents the bill for the last quarter's rent. It is all typical of 1 •the new school—very rapid and -energetic, with continually successive interests and constant changes of rhythm. "When Schaunard tells his story of the welcome fee he earned by singing and playing to a parrot for three days in tho-effort to terminate its existence, until at last he choked it with a piece of parsley, the song' has a continual obbligato'in the gay chatter of his comrades over . their newly-replenished, larder.- This interweaving of themes is conspicuous all through the opera. Tn the vivacious street scene, the cries of the crowd, the eager shouting of the children over Parpignol's toys, tho gossip -of Schaunard. and Colline, the love-making of Rudolph and Minii, the coqnotry of Mnsetta, and the jealousy of Marcel arc all included in a remark-able-ensemble, closely resembling opera bouffc, and yet very far removed" from it by the uncouvcntionality of its treatment. One of the most effective situations in the opera occurs in tho snow scene, at Mimi's' sad recital of her separation, for while tlio duet of farewell with Rudolph proceeds. Marcel and Musetta appear, quarrelling violently, and thus the two motives of pathetic, despairing love and furious anger, are wonderfully'contrasted, nm ' yet. so skilfully handled that tlio quartet actually sings a passage in unison before the storm clears witltj the disappearance of MiiFotta and her/ ienlnus lover. Signorina Pampari, Mr, 'Vdcrick Blarney. (Rudolph), Miss Eilj

Barnato'CXlusctta),-and Signer Zanelli (Marcel) emphatically scored in Ibis telling climax,-V ■•'• '•'

, "Signorinii evidently nervous in her Australian debut, did not appear to realise tho character of Jlmu in the, earlier scenes, whoro her acting lacked distinction. She gained confidence as-tho opera, went.oil, however, and exhibited considerable spirit in the third act, where poor little" Mimi, de-' : sorted by her lover, comes to the tavern at the Han-iero d'Enfcr in search of him. The music of the death scone, in' which Mimi's fate suggests that of Camille, is overwhelming in its pathos. Every section of tho orchestra is brought under tribute by Puccini in his gamut of tragedy, as Mimi recalls her first meetinij with Rudolph. Here again Signorina Pampari, whose voice is strong in its upper ranee, sang with telling effect. Though the artist was unablo to speak English when ' she landed in Australia, she has memorised tho part so well that her diction proved olirprisingly clear. Mr. Blarney, while not animated enough histrionically, contrived to impart decided sentiment to his music, and in the final scene hit the proper effect in the alarm of Rudolph when, exclaiming, 'What's tho moaning of this going and this coming, and these (dances so strange?' he suddenly realises that Mimi is dead."

Miss Olive Lenton Returns. Miss Olive Lontou, who returned to the Sydney Tivoli on Monday last, is a young Australian, daughter of the late Mr. Lanco Lenton, journalist. Three years ago, after appearing with tho J. C. Williamson musical companies, she went to England, and has been, well received at leading musichalls. She was engaged by Sir Edward Moss for the big circuit of music-halls controlled by the Moss-Stoll firm, and opened a tour at Shepherd's Bush, where she gained such success that she was immediately transferred to the Coliseum, London. After engagements in London and the provinces, she toured the Continent, appearing at the Theatre Bouffes, Moscow; Winter Gardens, Berlin ; and Folios Bergere, Paris; as well as in . Copenhagen, Brussels, Odessa, and Kieff. *sWhen she leaves Australia, on completing her present engagement, Miss Lenton will appear in America on the Keith-Proctor' circuit. . She is re-engaged to appear in Russia and Berlin at treble her present salary in 3914, and is also booked for 36 weeks with the Moss-Stoll-firm, 26 weeks on the Gibbons-Barrasford circuit, and 16 weeks at London musichalls. _ "One. has to work hard to get on abroad,", she says, "but the experience is worth it all." Miss Lenton is well known in New Zealand, having mado her first appearance in tho old Exchange Hall in Wellington under the l)ix management.

Barrio in Australia. An ex-Wellington , resident writes from Sydney:—"l'm glad our Jittlo homeland appreciates ' Peter Pan.' What a man is Barric! Ho couldn't write badly, if ho tried. There has never been a Barric success in Australia. What a commentary on our theatrical taste. What a list of brilliant frosts—' The Little Minister,'" ' Quality Street,' 'Admirable Crichton,' ' Peter Pan,' and now 1 hear the bottom lias dropped out of the business with ' What Every Woman Knows,' .in Melbourne. The other day 1 read'an interview with-.-Frohman. Speaking of 'What Every Woman Knows,' he said ho thought that it would run for ever. Barrie wrote to him:—' I don't know what next 1 will write, but Maude Adams (the New York ' Fetor Fan') is dancing all over my desk." Noto. .' At' latest advices, Mr. Arthur Ballanco, formerly of Wellington, was tour ing as the principal baritone of Geo. Danco's principal musical comedy company, playing the clashing bandmaster' in "Miss Hook of Holland." A Bar-row-on-Tync paper says of jliis performance:—"Mr. A. Ballahcc lhakes, a. gallant, bandmaster lever. He. acts his part very artistically indeed, and is'possessed of an excellent. baritone voice, which ho displays to advantage in his solos and duets." •