THE THEATRE. — fr-

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 864, 9 July 1910, Page 11

THE THEATRE. — fr-

The World's a theatre; tho Earth a stage.-- Heywood.

(DY SVI.VItJS.)

Henry Kollier Writes. A very interesting letter, camo to hand by the last American mail from Mr. Henry Kolker, tho popular actor who was out here with Jlargarct' Anglin. On.his return to America Mr. Ivoliter was associated with tho great Russian actress, Nazimova, and at tho conclusion of his season with her ho was engaged to appear at the New Theatre, New York, of'which, iio speaks in tho most glowing terms. It was financed by thirty millionaires, who each contributed £20,000 to tho scheme. It is a magnificent building, the finest of its kind ill the world, and amongst the very .■ la-test facilities for the expeditious and laboursaving handling of the productions is a revolving stage which admits of six different scenes being set at a time and in readiness ere the curtain rises. Mr. Kollcer is now playing in a repertoire which includes "The School for Scandal" in which he appears as Charles Surface, the title rolo in "Don," and Leontes in "A Winter's Tale" in this connection. So far lie has not made any definite plans to follow this season at tho Now Theatre, but it is just possible, that ho may throw in his lot permanently with that up-to-date theatre.

In his letter- Mr. Kolker mentions Margaret Anglin, whom ho has seen, several times. She is still continuing her marked success in "Helena Ritchie,' and is arranging for a tour across tho States, during which die will appear in a Greek- tragedy at tho University of California.

Oscar Asche as Falstaff. Mr. Oscar Ascho's performance as Sir John Falstaff is one of tho ■events of the week in Melbourne. "The Merry Wives, of Windsor" was received with great enthusiasm on Saturday night at tlio Theatre Royal, and at tho final curtain the whole company, with Falstaff in the centre ami the merry wives at cacli side,-linked arms, and to tlio strains of lively music danced several times from the back <it the stage (set with'the Windsor Park scene) down to tho footlights, finally grouping to receive tlio flowers' handed to tho actresses. Mr. Asche appears to have scored as Falstaff. According to tho "Argus," his make-up and personal decoration constituted a tour- do. force. Tho voice was that of a swiller, and' it was accompanied by a continual moistening of tho pursy'lips that sug-. gested tho hardened toper., "These woro. lloticeablo externals, but Mr. Ascho has probed very deep into tlio poet's creation, if, .indeed, lie • had not touched its heart. . Tho- splendid arrogance of tlio man, his • fatuousness, cunning, and invincible'- bravado, were given or suggestively hinted at by, richness'of facial expression and side actions that made the study so far an ideal.

A New "slum" Play. Miss Ada Jhvyer, who played lire. Wiggs in Australia, is in tho cast of the new American piece at tho London Garriek, "The Da-ivu of a To-morrow." This is by Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett, who wrote; "Little' Lord Faunlleroy," awl has be&ii 'a"greAt 'success in tho United States'. It" is described as a- touching. Dickons' play; 'which' -would havo gained great favour in London had it ..been produced at any other timo than tho period of mouniMig. Tho story is that tit-it .timuiiskM, Sir Oliver Holt (Mr. Herbert Waring), .who,.suffering from nervous breakdown, aii-d - threatened with-'.tho-.worst by' specialists, puts' on rags and] goes into tho-East-end with a. view to suicide,. ti-s aJi obscure person in some lonely garret. As- good, luck orders-it) however, in a filthy alley ,'h-o falls across. a slum-girl called "Glad" (Miss Gertrude Elliott), her namo being not only short for Gladys, but true to her character. "Glad"'is tho sunsliiiio of the alloy's populace of thieves aji-d uiicniploya-ble-s, and nlie puts new life and hope into the financier. She introduces Jiim to her friends, and at a wonderful "swarry" quite in .tho Dickens .vein, shows .him that ho can still. do,_.good, to'! .others' >!iid' forgot' .his <jwn. fl;orriw..-. .

Rabbi and Stags Jsw.'

Mr. Percy G. Williams has, promised the Rev "Joseph Silverman, a prominent Now York Rabbi, not to allow any niore offensive caricatures of Jews in his theatres. The Itabbi' said in a recent address that the ■ stage Irishman had been banished from- the vaudevillo stage, and the so-called Hebrow comedians ought to be similarly treated. Enlarging on the subject, lie 'remarked: "The imiuiio'us effect of- ridicule is hard to overcome. It is a great weapon in tho hands of clever and unscrupulous mon. ■ > The character of. Barnabus, by Christopher Marloive,' was 'an'insolent misrepresentation, and Shakespeare's Shylock was but .an imitation of Marlowe's Barnabus. Because it was more cleverly drawn it is more pernicious. It was a <prostitution of Shakespeare's talent. He played to tho gallery. The character of Shylock as portrayed .by Shakespeare was a reversal of tho real character of tho historical personage ho set out to picture. He made Shylock demand the pound of flesh to win tho plaudits of' the audience, and in doing scf violated all tho canons of truth and justice. It is against public policy that "The Merchant of V.enicc" should bo read in tho public schools. Among the English" writers Carlyle, Thackeray, and Dickens were particular offenders in their misrepresentations of tho Jew. It was done to curry favour with their readers.

"Tho gross cariejiture of the Jew as he appears in some of the magazines, in some of the newspapers, and on the stage," the Itabbi went on to say, "is an injustice to the Jewish ■people. Tho stage Jew is a stench in our nostrils, a disgrace, to the country, an insult to tho Jew, and a discredit .to tho stage. He is merely used to cater to prejudice and to tho box office receipts. Tho aim of the stage should be to uplift, reline, and educito—l> hold up a mirror which will reflect tho truth, not a trick mirror which reflects a monstrosity."

"The Twe!vß-i)ound Look." What is the "twelve-pound look?" Mr. J. 11. Barrio gives the answer t.o this question in a. one-act play • recently produced at Mr. Charles Frohman's Repertory Theatre. It is, it appears, according to Uarrie, a significant look wive;; often give their husbands, and it means that if only they dared they would go away once anil for all. The play is the story of Harry Sims, a wealthy merchant, who, 011 the morning of his knighthood, sends for a typist to reply to the innumerable letters of congratulation, only to discover to his consternation that she is his divorced wife, who 14 years before walked out of his house, leaving a lottor by the docanior;;, where she know he would find it. She is undisturbed by the meeting, quite without bitterness, humorously reminiscent. She rehearse:; the scone when the pompous husband found that his wife had left him. She hurts liia pride 'most dreadfully by telling him there was 1111 other man. She just could not stand hi 111. So she bought a typewriter, and when she had earned £12 she felt she anild'stnnd by herself, and wont out in the world to live wi.ih people who strunclo and' strive and fall. As she talks Sims feels meaner and meaner, and becomus' angrier, and angrier. Wives. she tells hnu, often give their husbands "the twelve-pound look." Then sho "acks up her typc-

writer and hurries off. Sims's second wife in her coiirt gown' aji'd jewels envies her.-appearance of content and half wishes sho could buy a typewriter.

Nates. After'her London Coliseum engagement,, upon which sho enters early in September, Madaino Sarali Bernhardt will begin her seventh tour of tlio United States. "I am sorry to say that this will bo my last visit to America," wrote tlio famous actress to 'a friend, not long since; and then she follows up this statement with the reminder, which will como as a surpriso to all who aro cognisant of her remarkable vitality, that on October 23 of tlio present year sho will celebrato , her sixty-sixth, birthday. For her American tour, which begins on Octobers3l, Madame Bernhardt has prepared a repertory consisting of no fewer than fifteen plays. . . 111'. C. Carton's clever comedy, "Mrs. Prcedy and the Countess," was produced in Sydney by tlie ■ George Willoughby Company last Saturday. '

."The Parasites." M. Emilo Fabre's dramatic version of Balzac's "La Rabouilleuso" has had. a groat success at tho Odeon in Paris. The French play was adapted by Mr. Paul M. Potter, and made an equally great success in America, with Mr. Otis Skinner in the chief i part. Wlie--ther "Parasites" will have . tho same success hero (says the London ' 1 Daily News" of May 3) depends largely on whether tho London public will fully appreciate Mr. Bourchier's exuberant .impersonation of tho chief part. Last night the actor made tho audienco laugh. It was the most curious blend of farce and sordid' realism ever seen on tho London stago. I must confess to ignoranco of this particular story of Balzac's, but it _is. most probably a witty and bitter picture of how a poor, old man, Jean Jacques Rouget, is preyed upon for his money.. Ho lias adopted a girl of the people, Flora Brasier, for whom he apparently'- entertains a' senile passion". Sho. lias a lover, Commandant Max Gilet, who plots with'her to obtain tho old mail's money. Gossip concerning this comcsto the cars of his sister, who has two sons. One, an artist, disappears after the first act, having accepts ed a number of Rembrandts from liis uncle, who .thinks they are worthloss. The other nephew, Colonel Pliilippo Bridau, is.-a notorious duellist, soldier of fortune under Napoleon, and 'general scamp. The success of tho piece depends on tho playing of the ■ principal part. Colonel Bridau checkmates'■ the plans of tho Commandant and tho fair Flora by sheer audacity and bluff.' Ho picks a quarrel with tho Commandant, kills him, sends Flora out in the street, and, with Balzacian irony, begins his reign as parasito.

Tho part could be played in a variety of-ways, but it seems to call for tlio art of Mr. Georgo du 'Manrier. In Mr. Bourchicr's bands, Colonel Bridau is a burly, bullying,'; sarcastic, comically cruel master of. bluff. Ho appears dressed in a uniform'-half-hidden by a brown overcoat of tlio fasnlon of tho early twenties, and on his head'a'battered' top-hat of somewhat anachronistic shape. Hp glares at Flora; cajoles his uncle with grins and sudden" changes of voice; and his general manner has a blustering : "herc-wc-are-again" geniality. Mr. Bourchicr's smiles are bewildering, and lie makes curious clacking noises resembling the drawing of corks. J

All this last night's audience "fouiid oxtremely diverting:' Personally I'; felt' Mr. Bourchier sliould have jumped' h'ead first through the window- to. complete his picture of a Napoleonic soldier "of fortune, who means to, batten-on the pantaloon's riches: It may'bo the right reading of the part, but not even Mr. Bourclyer's . low. comedy could; really cover up tho sordid and miserable picture of those parasites. It is in essenco a thoroughly unpleasant play, acted as farec, and possibly London audiences will accept it as burly, knockabout farce. ' i