THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 846, 18 June 1910, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

The World's a theatre; tho Earth a stage.—Heywood. '(By Sylvius.) The Next Dramatic Season. hi addition to ■"Peto" (tho latest version of Hall Caine's novel "The Manxman") and Henry Arthur Jones's problem play "Tho Hypocrites," the Harry Roberts-Beatrice Day Company, now in Auckland, will, during its Wellington season, stage "Tho Case of Rebellious Susan," which comedy has not been staged in Wellington sinco tho days of tho Brough and Boucicault Company. "The Case, etc.," is by Henry Arthur Jones, and is allied to the most successful period of tho author's writing career between IS9O and 1900. During that period, Mr. Jones produced sucli comedies as "The Dancing Girl," "The Crusaders," "Tho Tempter," "The Bauble Shop," "The Masqneraders," "Tho Case of Rebellious Susan" (1894), "Tho Triumph of tho Philistines," "Michael and His Lost Angel," "The Rogue's Comedy," "The Physician," "The Liars," "Tho Manoeuvres of Jane," "Carnac Sahib," "Tho Lackey's Carnival," and "Mrs. Dano's Defence." A New Star, \ "Just now I seem to be in the rub-ber-shoo business!" This was Miss Toby Claude's metaphorical way of suggesting that she found herself arriving in Sydney by subtle stealth,' instead of, with the flamboyant announcements that more or less properly belong to a bright soubretto actress from America ! The newcomer has been engaged, in fact, to create for J. C. Williamson's Company an important farcical character in the next new musical comedy at Her Majesty's Theatre, where Mr. Bert Gilbert will play Jeremy Joy to her Tilly Day in the American picco, "A Knight for a Day." Owing to the success of "Tho Dollar Princess," however, this production will bo deferred for some weeks. Miss Claude is a littlo fair-haired lady, .endowed with a very vivacious wit, who talks in smart "head-lines," and tries to impress the credulous with tho idea that she is an American of tho Americans. This is merely her fun. Her first visit to New York dates back no further that Christmas, 1900. Miss Claude was born at Dublin, "where tho jokes como from," was educated in Germany and in Paris, and made her first appearance on any stage at the London Shaftesbury Theatre, in 1899, as Fifi in "The Belle of Now York," in succession to' Miss Phyllis Rankin (daughter of M'Keo Rankin), Edna May being the belle. Tho inoxporiencod girl offered to,play tho part in London at £2 2s. a week, and did so, .wearing none-the-less £800 worth of clothes, but when the company returned to the Casino Theatre, New York, slio was paid £15 a week, and after'tho press notices came out, her salary was voluntarily raised to £25 by the management. After a yeai as Fifi tho English' girl starred at the Herald Square- Thoatro with Dan Daly (the original Ichobod Bronson) in a Dnteli comedy part in "The Cadet Girl," and then, strangely enough, ' played another Fi-Fi, tho down-at-liecls "slavey" in "A Chinese Honeymoon.," This tour lasted 70 weeks, and then Miss Claude was "featured" in "Fantana," and this involved another long tour. Miss Claude, in between her musical-comody experiences, has appeared in vaudevillo at Keith and Proctor's, and other noted music-halls, "just so as not let the dollars run to waste," as she fancifully expresses it; and after a long tour in "A Knight for a Day" has come over to .Australia for change of air, and possibly to import, a few stage ''notions" from the other side. She is a very bright and amusing talker and 'should her actiug bo on a similar plane, will readily please.—"Sydney Morning Herald." English Players on the Continent. The- result of the in -London to organise a company of English players to present English plays in English on the Continental stage has proved so far a gratifying success. Ail honorary committee has now been formed, under tho presidency of Lord Esher, which includes the names of a sufficient number of diplomatic representatives, Ambassadors, Ministers, and Consuls-General in London and tho

foreign capitals to show that tho English players' would receive tho friendliest welcome abroad. Capital is now being raised to givo the experiment a fair start. "One of our friendly critics has expressed tho opinion that tho sum of £5000, for which we now appeal, is much too small an amount to give tho English players a chance of success,' , write Mr, J. T. Grein and Mr. W. T. Stead to tho "'Westminster Gazette." "But the.limited amount indicates tho modesty of our first effort. We only propose' in the first instance to mako, as it were, a trial trip with a couple of plays in tho foreign watering-places during tho summer season—say, !As You Like It,' and either an old comedy or some typically modern play such as 'The Importance-of Being Earnest.' '.'There is no notion of squandering money in engaging stars. Wo want a small hard-working company of artists who bring enthusiasm to their task of presenting their country's drama as well as they can beforo our foreign neighbours." Mendle's Marriago. For some time past, tho dramatic branch of the Wellington Catholic Club havo been busy rehearsing a three-act comedy entitled "Mendle's Marriago." It is their intention to stago tho samo in the Town Hall on Monday and Tuesday, Juno 27 and 23. The club have, been very fortunate in securing the services of a first-class coach, an Australian actor of very high merit, and ho has expressed himself as being agreeably, surprised with tho merits of the performers. "Smith." A successful comedian in London is known to the public merely by tho name of "Smith." He was the result of a shrewd idea. The management required a good comedian and a now face for tho production of a new musical comedy entitled "Tho Two Merry Monarchs," to bo produced at tho Strand Theatre, and advertised for one. Hundreds of applicants turned up, and wore dulv "tried out," amongst them Smith, a CncUnoy signer and dancer from the East End. He was selected, and "made good." The "Standard" says that hia methods aro unforced, ho can sing better than most low comedians, and lie dances capitally. Great are the uses of advertisement! "Chantecler" in English. The difficult task of translating "Cliantecler" into English has been accomplished by Mr. Louis N. Parker, whose version will be produced in London by Mr. Frohmnii. "I think 'Clianteclcr r reads as an exquisite poem," Mr. Parker said to an "Express" representative. "There are some wonderful purple patches in it. I, have not rendered the play in rhyming couplets, as Rostand wrote it, but 1 have written it in English in blank verse. I have turned into English rhyme, however, the great lyrical verses of tho play, such as the 'Ode to the Sun.' and the duet in the last act between tho nightingale- and the toads. Tho .most difficult character to translate wau

the blackbird, for, you see, his Jiiics iiro composed of topical allusions to French literature and passing events, and they arc full of puns." It is evident that Mr. Frohman intends to take the piece- not only to London, but to New York; for it is now announced that ho has selected Miss Maud Adams —famous as Peter Pan—to play tho title role in America. Notes. A pleasant surprise awaited ■Mdlle. Bel Sorel when she arrived in Wellington (says a communication , from Sydnoy). She received a letter from a .lady who turned out to bo an old friend who had known her when she was n litilo girl in Franco, and who had been one of hoi , mother's dearest friends. As Madame Emma Sorcl is travelling with her daughter, they wore both able to •■onew the friendship, which had been interrupted by long years of separation. Mr. Matheson Lang and Co. aro to appear in Joromo K. Jerome's symbolical'play, "The Passing of the Third Floor Back," in Sydney this evening. When Mr. Lang was at the Now Theatre (the- Millionaires') Hi Now. York, early this year, as Charles Surface, Mr. Forbes Robertson and his .vife (Miss Gertrude Elliott) wore drawing crowds with the picco at the Maxinc Elliott Theatre. Tho popular belief in regard to. the play is that the Pnssor-by is intended to represent Christ, but the author lias written to ..ho Rupert Clarke, and Meynoll management leaving that argument an open question, and replying to theninquiries as to tho lesson intended to do convoyed in the words: "I would rather let the play speak for itself. Its message should make itself felt in both heart and mind. When it does this, it will accomplish its object. I have tried to write a play that should say something direct to every man. and woman."