THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 978, 19 November 1910, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Heytvood.

(Br Sylvius.)

Rockefeller as Dramatist. Mr. Cleveland Moft'ctt's play, "Tho Battle," now being produced in New iork, has been widely advertised from the story that Mr. J. D. Rockefeller collaborated to the extent of having supplied a number of lines. Mr. Rockefeller .admits having given such assistanco to tho author, but declines to allow tho actual lines in question to be indicated. Tho play deals with tho conflict between capital. and labour, and jt is believed that tho dialogue supplied by John D. Rockefeller is that spoken by Gentle. (a 'Socialist; and Haggleton (a millionaire) when they meet. The dialogue is as follows :— Gentle: You haven't been honest! Haggleton: Honest? We've kept to the standard of average honesty in this country, and no man can succeed in business who keeps above it. The faults of America's industrial leaders aro tho faults of tho American people. Gentle: No! Haggleton: Yes,, sir! You attack us and blackguard us, but you knowin your hearts you'd do exactly wdiat 'jo do if yoii'd had tho chance. You know wo are precisely as honest as tho. average American citizen. If we weren't we'd bo in gaol. You say we break tho law? Well, wo do. -But who doesn't? Give the average.American citizen an automobile and watch him break the speed law. Let tho policeman stop him, and seo.the flash of,his ten-dollar bill. That's bribery. Watch the average American woman back from with a lot of new drosses. Does she smugglo thorn in ? Well, w-atcli her. I' tell you the only law anybody respects is custom. What does the averago American citizen do when lie wants a drink in a prohibition, State? . Ho breaks tho law arid' gets it. And the averago American mother when she tells tho conductor how old her little boy is? She's a good mother and all that, but she'd lot Jimmio ride on half-fare until ho had whiskers if she could. : Again Haggleton says: It's not moro capital and plant, it is not tho strictly material things, that make up business, but it's tho character of tho men behind these things. That is ono of the Rockefeller sentiments.

"Salvation Nell." . . Writing of tlie production of "Salvation Nell," the Sydney "Telegraph" says: ''The realism of 'Salvation Nell' is too vivid. The author, Sir. Edward Sheldon, selecting a piece of slum lifo in'the Bowery district of New York, has put it 011 to the stage in all its sordid hidcousness. Hcnco the. dissolute crew of 'toughs,' drinking themselves blind in M'Govern's bar in the first act, are 110 doubt true types of their class. When a brazen woman, who lms escaped from a raid upon a house of ill-fame, sails into the bar in her linery, and talks, with freedom of her own life to a wretched fjirl who has just been thrown out of a situation, one feels that realism could hardly go much further —that, indeed, it has gone too far already. One is compelled, in witnessing this play, to listen to lan{;uago from which, if ho is nghtiiiiiiided, ho shrinks. . Nor is this all. The last scene, wherein prayer is actually offered on the stage, at a street meeting of tho Salvation Army, comes upon the spectator with a shock.. It was deplorablo to jiear tile .half-suppressed laughter of .thoughtless gajleryites, amid calls of 'order' as this scone, proceeded. Many ill tho audience, 'uttered distinct gasps of astonishment as- the • lender of the. 'meeting, doffing his cap, began wifii a fervent appeal to Heaven. Even those who do not endorse tho methods of the Salvation Army will resent this intolerable intrusion upon the sacralness of religious worship."

An Acting Success. There is no complaint ,in all this of any want of sincerity on the part of tho company,.be it observed. Indeed, Miss Katherino Grey, in tho title role, has never acted with greater conviction, and Mr. William Desmond, ' as Jim Piatt, her lover, achieved a triumph. One great scoiio in the second act, undoubtedly impressed the house with its power. Piatt, having served a long sentence, following a row in the hotel bar, has been out, of prison for six months, to find, with' every man's hand against liini, that VOhco. a convict, always a convict" is a. ; truism. Pallid from his sufferings, and broken in health, ho finds his way to the rescue home', which Nell Saunders, now restored from evil surroundings, and a captain of tho Salvation Army, is conducting. He is going to Denver for a new start in life, and she must come with him. Then in his excitement, he blurted out that he is to be a. rich man that night, and thus Nell discovers that lie is in with-a gang of thieves, who have planned a big diamond robbery. This leads to a conflict of tremendous energy, in "which tho woman implores him to abandon his vicious ways, wliilo lie, knowing her love for him, appeals that she will fly with him on the following morning. In a moment of fury, as she tries to prevent him from leaving'tho house to meet tho gang, ho strikes her down, and fearful lest lie has killed her, escapes. This play illustrates tho work of the Salvation Army amongst tho submerged tenth of New York, from the moment when tho kindly-faced "Hallelujah Maggie," entering M'Govern's gin-pal-ace on the snowy Christmas Eve night, on which tile first act opens, carries Nell off in triumph from the clutches of tho.,vicious Myrtle Odell, until the final scene, whero Nell, in an .impassioned appeal at the Army meeting, touches the heart of Jim Piatt, and brings him to remorse as the curtain falls. This act passes in another squalid New York scene, whore the high brick buildings of tho tenement class tower over tho area, and tho occupants como out upon their little iron-railed balconies to scream at cacli other or watch the fight • between two women in tho street below. Ellen Terry Honoured. ■According to a cahlc message, "President Taft, Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan, and tho leading literary lights of New York, attended Miss Ellen Terry's lecture on Shnltespcaro on November '2, and presented tho actress with a Book of Welcome, signed by literary notabilities of tho United' States. Mr. Percy Mackayo read n sonnet, welcoming Miss Terry on her return to America. The lecture on _ Shakespeare's Heroines proved a triumphant success. Musical Comedy Matters. Tho Williamson management have made arrangements with Mr. George Edwardes for the Australian performances of "Tho Quaker Girl," which is to bo produced at tho Adelphi, Loudon, so as not to interfere with the run of "Our Miss Gibbs" at the Gaiety. "The Quaker Girl" is by J. T. Tanner and Ivan Caryll. To form the new Adelphi company Mr. Edwardes will break up two combinations which liavo become a convention; Miss Lily EJsio will bo deprived of tho artistic alliance of Mr. Joe Coyno at Daly's; while Mr. Edmund Payno will no longer liavo Miss Gertie Millar for his partner at tho Gaiety.

So that "Our Miss Gibbs" may have a successor next year at ■ the London Gaiety, Mr. George lSdwardes has

commissioned Mr. Leslie Stuart to .write •ft I J VUS *° t-ho jiow piecc. Tho book will bo by Mr. George Grossmith, jun., and will bo based on a story by M. •pf 01 * entitled "L'Amorcage." 'Ihc scenes, two in number, will bo in tho vestibule of a well-1 mown London hotel and oh the sea front at Dieppe. Tha Next Pantomime Star. 'J'! 1 . 0 Part of tho hero of the J. C. Williamson Pantomime this year— Jack and the Beanstalk"—will bo taken by Miss Sybil Arundale, who is now on her way out to Australia, togetner with other newcomers for the big Christmas attraction. Miss Arundale began her theatrical career- very early, at. the ago of seven, and, from then on till she was about 18, ' she p.ayed children's roles. Then she took "P. Pantomime work, and appeared as principal boy regularly each year, either m ono of tne best productions in London, or in the most important provincial towns. But she has by no means icscrieted herself to pantomime appear11Ci?r She 1 created the leading role m Lady Molly," and has also appeared in other musical comedies,, in-' ,n S "Tho Cingalee" at Daly's, and ei n Peasant" at tho Strand, ohortly after her departure from London to fulfil her Australian engagement, she appeared with great succcss iu a' comedietta called "A Ward in Chancery," and received flattering 110ticos in connection with a clever Hunganan dance, which she gave with excellent eli'ect in that piece. It is to be hoped that the firm ■ has included the New Zealand trip in Miss Arundale's contract. We neither saw tho original principal boy nor girl in last year's pantomime. Business justifies tho firm in only sending tho best to New Zealand. Notes. •iV 1 Anderson Dramatic Company will commence a tour of Now Zealand on tho West Coast at Christmas time. Interesting news is to hand from America irom Mr. Will 11. Barnes, an ox-Melbournian, and Mr. Harold 'Ashton, who is now over there oil behalf +i t r Williamson, Ltd. .It seems that little Irene Dillon, after scoring a, success with the Shuberts, is now married and appearing as a "headliner" I]l ™udeville. Ivy Scott, late of the Royal Comic Opera Company, is under engagement to Henry W. Savage, playing. Natalie in "The Merry Widow," in which production, by tho way, she has also appeared in tho leading role. Quito a little romance surrounds tiio advent of Miss Lilian Myers in America. She carried with her a letter of introduction, from Mr. Williamson to 'Mr. Walter Jordan, and, on arrival at tho latter s office, she presented tho letter to Mr.. Jordan's brother-in-law. Mr. Bacon. Three weeks later she became Mrs. Bacon, and her husband is now making arrangements for her ,to appear m somo of the leadingdramatic productions of the season. Miss .Ireiio Dillon, who will bo rcmembered.'as tho singer of "Grotchcn von Gretchen" in tho "Mother Goose" pantomime of three years ago, has married her manager, Mr. Claudo W. Bostock, of Bostock and Hennessv, Longacro Buildings, New York. *