THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 840, 11 June 1910, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

6Tho World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—lloywood. (By Syi.vios.) Romance of the Stage. Mdlle. Juliette Tlinldy now shares an almost vice-regal throne. Six months ago she was an unknown young actress. The other (lay she was quietly married to 11. Merlaud-Ponty, Governor ot French West Africa. The story of her engagement and courtship was rapid and dramatic. Last September a company in which she was touring was homeward bound from South America. At Rio tie Janeiro the manager decidcd to givo one performance at Dakar, on tho coast' of West Africa, where the sliip called for twelve hours, and lie eablcd to that ell'ect. The beat was due at G p.m., and tlio performance was announced for eight. A storm delayed the vessel several hours, and she stood oft Dakar at midnight. "No matter," says the manager, "we will give tho performance." Blacks row the company off in canocs ■ ashore in the dead of night, and towards one o'clock tho performance is ready to begin. "Whore are the spectators?" "In bed." "Then wake them up," says the manager, and is obeyed. "Where is the Governor?" "In bed, too. "Then wake him also," and awakened ho is. By 2 a.m. the audience are in tho theatre, rubbing their eyes, the Governor among them. Before the curtain rises the Governor gallantly pays his respects to his countrywomen behind the scenes, enters the dressing-room or the leading lady, and "stands transfixed." Ho has beheld in a corner of the room Mdlle. Thaldy, a young colleague of tho leading lady, and it has been the coup de fondre. Henceforth he will lovo only her till death do them part. He never takes his eyes off her during the performance. At the close he entertains the company at supper in his house towards 6 a.m., and at eight lie accompanies them on board to bid good-byo to the lady who shall bo his wife, or he will die single. A month or so later ho can obtain leave, comes to Paris, marries the lady, who had accepted liim by letter already, and takes his bride back to Dakar, where she now reigns with him over French West Africa.—Paris correspondent of tlio "Telegraph." "Henry of Navarre." "Henry of Navarro," to be staged by the J. C. Williamson management at the Sydney Theatre Royal this evening, was given its first London production in January of last year. Previous to that William Devereux's romantic play was toured in the provinces by Mr. Fred. Terry and Miss Jnlia Neilson, with great success. Its period is that of tho massacro of St. Bartholomew, and out of the' welter of savage slaughter comes the Gascon Henry of Navarre to try his wit against the Subtle craft of Catherine de Medici. The J. C. Williamson' management is preparing elaborately for the new piece. Messrs. John Gordon, Little, and Board have for several months been working on the elaborate exteriors of the Louvre, in various apartments of which the scenes are laid. Two huge bells wero cast in England for the drama, and imported at an expense'of £190. Tho Kaiser's Theatres. In view of tiic proposal to increase the Kaiser's civil list oil account of tlio increased cost of the upkeep of his Court, his theatres and tho establishments of the Royal princes, it is interesting to note that the Kaiser spends £100,000 a year—amounting roughly to an eighth of his civil list — on supporting the royal theatres and opera houses in Prussia. This curious fact, the "Daily Mail's" corres|)bndent reports, was revealed in tlio Budget Committee of tho Prussian Diet by the Minister for Finance, Baron llhoinhaben, who was defending his demand for a Government grant of £42,500 for the purpose of modernising the Royal Opera House in Berlin. It was stated that the Emperor devotes £75,000 annually from "his private purse towards the upkeep of tlio three .Royal playhouses in Berlin alone, and his Majesty contributes proportionately to tho support of the .three, w other Royal theatres situated at* Wiesbaden, Hanover, and Cassel. The Kaiser's expenditure consists of contributions equivalent to the annual deficits. The expenses at tho opera houses and theatres have been vastly increased by his Majesty's fondness for lavish productions. The gorgeous revival of Verdi's "Aida," produced under his personal directions in 1908, cost £10,000. One of the costumes worn, by the King of Egypt was embroidered in gold and cost £150. It was announced that the Municipality of Berlin is ready to purchase tho Royal Opera House at Berlin, and it is rumoured that it will bo converted into a naval museum. . If tho transaction is carried out the Kaiser will fulfil his long-cherished ambition of erecting a magnificent new, opera house more in keeping with tho present splendour of Berlin, and costing about £1,000,000.

A Delineator of Dickens.' Mr. Frank Speaight, who is one of the. world's most eminent elocutionists and interpreters of Dickens, has been booked to make several appearances ill Australia, probably commencing in Melbourne, some time in July. The young man, who is under engagement to Messrs. J. and N. Tait, has toured England and America several times with remarkable success, and has become quite an idol as an expounder of the works of Dickens. His repertoire is naturally largely confined ,to Dickens's masterpieces, but, besides including "A Christmas Carol, "A Tale of Two Cities," "David Copperfield," and other popular classics, it contains numerous selections from authors such as Shakespeare, Whittier, Poe, Longfellow, Baring Gould, Wilkie Collins, and ICiplinE. Notes.. The call of London lirs como to Miss Ivy Scott, and slio it going by way uf America, and left Sydney by the Marama on Monday last. Miss Scott has been with the J. C. Williamson management from childhood, her first hit'being in the duct with Miss Carrie Moore. "I don't want to play in your yard." Of her rccent performances, "Nan" in "A Country Girl" was the most successful. By the Marama, Miss Ada Stirling, also for some time associated with the same management's musical organisations, was. a passenger to America. Maeterlinck's exquisite fairy play. "Tiie Blue Bird," reached its 200 th performance at the London Haymarket Theatre last month. Throughout its long run the charm and brightness of the fnnlasv have remained undimmed, and at every one of the nine performances which have been given each week the house has been crowded. Gratitude is evidently one of the good qualities possessed by Mr. Charles Albert, the new member of the new Comic Opera Cnmpanv. He has lately been ringing the praises of Mr. W. S. Percy, with whom in his young days lie was associated in Pollard's Juvenile Opera Company. Mr. Percy was Mr. Albert's senior, and the latter speaks of the kindness he received from the comedian who used to look alter him, and, when he was sleepy alter Ihe performance. wash the grease paint oil' bis lace, and carry him home on liis back —a feat that would be out of the question now ub Mr. Albert is six feet hich.