THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 834, 4 June 1910, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

Tho World's a theatre; tbo Earth a stage--Hey wood.

(Bv Sylvius.) Tho Hamilton-Maxwoll Company. The Allan Hamilton-Max Maxwell Dramatic Company is to commence a season of melodrama at the Opera House this evening, when there will bo produced the broadly-conceived play "Women and Wine," which was mado familiar to local playgoers by Mr. and i Mrs. Bland Holt over a decade ago. If ' I remember aright, the drama is alivo with action, and the scenes include a.j graphic murder scene in a Parisian flower market, a fight with knives between two desperate women, a thrilling racecourse scene and a ballet. With tho play illuminated by the skilful brush of tlie late Mr. John Brunton, tho production should be a notable one scenically, and as the company appears to be a carefully selected one, an enjoyable performance should result. "Pate," ' * . Mr. Matheson Lang, the distinguished London actor, who has come rapidly to the front during the past two years, made his, first appearance in Australia at the Criterion Tlieatrc, Sydney (under the. Clarko-MeyneH management), last Saturday week' in a new dramatisation of HaU'Caino's novel "The Manxman," entitled "Pete" (to be played in New Zealand by a company headed by Mr. H. 11. Roberts). Of the play the critic of the "Sydney Morning Herald" wrote: "The drama, as presented at the Criterion Theatre on-Saturday last, is full of power and force. There is a com. plote absence of anything joyful—unless it bo tho sight that enchanted every woman and most men in the audience, a wee baby playing its part satisfactorily—yet it will probably compel, as it did in London, large attendances nigkt after night. Comedy can do this without great difficulty; with the lachrymose play it is not so easy, and it is proof of its inherent strength when it does so. "Mr. Matheson Lang and Miss H/ntin Britton achieved an instantaneous success. Mr. Lang is made for the part of tho Manx sailor. He has a breezy manly style that carries with it tho ■ atmosphere of tho ocean without any stretch of the imagination or any feeling of exaggeration. It would bo difficult to' conceive any figure more suitable. There are in the various phases of Pete's infelicitous career abundant opportunities for overdoing the situation ; there are, in fact, one or two in which tin. most experienced actor could be pardoned for falling into the trap. Mr. Lang could not bo found fault with in any one of them. Ho carried tho scene in the first act, wlien the country folk gather to give, him a boisterous welcome home, with all the verve' possible, consonant with the peculiar incidence of tho situation. His great trial came in tho sceno when in tho cottagi, the wifo was prompted "to leave her home, and from then on he had the greater part of tho burden of the story on his shoulders. He. instilled ineffable tenderness into scenes with Miss Uritton, and when the similitude of gaiety was being kept up with sailorly clumsiness—tho deception of the letters written by himself to himself, purporting to come from the absent wife—it was most skilfully portrayed. Tho ultimate admission to tho father that it was all a lie, and the stricken man sitting by his,fireside alone, were pathetic pictures carried out with artistic completeness. "Miss Britton'u task was one of the most trying that an actress could havo been asked to undertake for a debut. No brightness is given lier at any time. Sho has nothing but 'a woe-begono wnmaii to personate, und hor othei abilities wore for the nonce' suppressed. There, was just ono brief gleam; before tho long horror began, when sufficient was seen to- warrant pleasurable anticipations of the lady in a more cheerful setting. It was when she knelt at the side of Philip Christian's chair, and a few lines, allowed to be spoken, almost blithely, made ono wisb for more of the same kind from her. She has a petite figure, with a strong, interesting face, under a mass of glossy dark hair. Standing at the head of flic steps, listening to the dictation of the letter to Philip, she mado a charming picture, framed in the .doorway. Niobo dissolved in tears excites commiseration to the disadvantage of all else, but Miss Britton has natural abilities which enable her to raise herself above tho level the character would bo made to run in in less capable hands."

A Conan Doyle Thriller. Sir A. Conan Doyle has written for the London Adelphi, as a curtain-raiser for his own "House of Temperley," a "thriller" quito in tho stylo of the Grand Guignol. Tho sceno of this oneact play, "A Pot of Caviare," is in China during tho Boxer rising. A small party of men and women have found shelter under tho protective roof of Professor Mercer, -a septuagenarian, of gmzled aspect and odd manner. The old man had been in a Boxer rising before, and had seen captives put to death; so when, in the present crisis, tho ammunition gave out and it was found that tho Boxers wore sure to loreo an entrance within an hour, he just invited the company to share his suppor-baskot. Mo was particularly emphatic about handing round the pot; of caviare. Ho had poisoned the caviare. Ono b'y' one—just as happened in that cheerful farce of a few years ago, entitled, "In tho . Soup"—they all go off to sleep; but this time it is the sleep, of death. Last of all the professor himself is succumbing. Shots! Drums! The door burst open. Of course, it is not the Boxers at all, but an English relieving force of "handymen." "Don't touch the caviare!" shouts, the professor, and dies. . Mr. Hurray Carson played the professor when this exciting piece was produced tho other day, and Mr. Claude King also had a part. The Shakespearean Festival. One of tlie most interesting revivals of the Shakespearean festival nt His Majesty's in London was Mr. Benson's production of "Coriolanus," which enabled Miss Gcnevievo Ward to give further convincing proof of her talents in the role of Ynliimnia. "Miss Gcnevieve Word." writes the "Daily Chronicle" critic, "remains the ideal Voliinmiii—far severer, of course, than Miss Kllcu Terry was at the Lyceum, with more of the Koman matron mid loss of the smilo-nnd-tenr woman. In her gold circlet and blue robe she made one understand at leiist how it was that in tin; hands oF Mrs. Sicldons Voliminia became the greatest tragic part of tho greatest tragic-actress.'' An actor well known in Australia, Mr. Cyril Kcightley, was amongst those who appeared at this festival, playing the rolo of Macduff in a performance of an act of ''Macbeth" by Mr. Arthur Dourehier's company. "Twelfth Night" was notable for a new Viola, Mr. Fred Terry's daughter. Miss Phillida Terson, who has received great praiso from the critics. Notes, Kiiceo Human, the fasting man, recently completed a 10-days' fast in Adelaide. He is being rim as a showman bv Jlr. William Anderson, Neman has since been challenged to contest the lasting supremacy of the world. Could iiiiything be more bizarre in an iige of reason: , — il is just us ridiculous as lit|imr-driukuig and pie-consuming contests.

A kinematograph picture- of "The Squatter's Daughter" .is now being taken in Melbourne. It will be shown within a couple of months.

William Anderson, of melodramatic lame, has gone in for vaudeville. His company, headed by Messrs. Nat Clifford, .Foreman, and Fannan, and Miss Lillian Lee, is doing wonderful business at the Standard Theatre, Sydney. It is undoubtedly the strongest vaudeville company that Sydney has seen ior some time.

The Ckirke-Meynell Company, which is to play "Pete"'and "The Hypocrites" throughout New Zealand, commence a reason at Auckland on Monday next. Mr. 11. It. lioberts, who has given Australian audiences convincing proof of Ins attainments as an actor, will play tho hero, while Miss Beatrice' Day will bo a powerful Kate Cregeen, and the cast will also include Mr. Conway "fl'ingliekl as Philip Christian, and Mr. John 1 , . Forde as Caesar Cregeen. Mr. Walter Monk, the representative of Hugh J. Ward's Comedy Company, will arrive at the Bluff on June 5 to arrange preliminaries for the forthcoming tour of "The Girl from Hector's,", which commences at Invercargill on June 20. During its New Zealand tour, Williamson's Grand Opora Company are io rehearse Mascagnrs opera "Cavalloria Rusticana," and Leoncavallo's dramatic scena "I Pagliacci." with a view to their production during tho coming season in Melbourne. A piece called "The Naked Truth," by "George Paston" and William Maxwell lias been produced in Wyndham's Theatre, London, with Charles Hawtrey in the principal character. It seems to be founded on an exceedingly old idea. The person wearing a certain ring is compelled to speak tho exact truth, but is, nevertheless, often dishelioved. Mr. Hawtrcy, who has enacted nil kinds of liars, is now to bo exhibited in this predicament. Miss Margaret Anglin, who visited Australia last year, is to appear in Sophocles' tragedy "Antigone" at the Greek Theatre, Berkeley, Cal., this month at the invitation of the University of California.