THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1079, 18 March 1911, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

Tho World's a theatre; the ly.irtli a (Stage.—lleywjud.

; | (Br Sylvius.) ; "Via Wirelsss." "Via Wireless,:" now being plavo.l by "The Whip" Company in Sydney, u; a thoroughgoing melodrama involving several new ideas dealing- with up-to--1 date inventions, one of which is, cf course, a wireless plant at work on a sinking vessel. . The story is acceptable enough. Marsh, foreman'of the I)m----ant Steel Works, lias invented a nciv gun. Pinkncy, the manager, notes its vajne, and, to work his own evil emis, represents to March, that, he, Pinkncy, should be the agent of the inventor whom, for their own purposes, they should represent as a German, amusingly pointing out that if Marslv admitted having invented the gun whilst in tho receipt of wages, it would be the property of. Durant's. This is agreed to. Another gun has been invented by Lieut. Sommers, and it is being cast at Durant's. Sommers has mot and fallen in love with Miss Durant. and subsequently they meet at Madeira, where. Sommers's ship has called. There he learns that, his gun had burst, and killed several men at its trial —a pretty piece of villainy which had been arranged by Marsh and Co., who bad "queered" the gun in the .tempering process in order to prevent it competing with his own gun. Durant's yacht lies at . Madeira, and Pinkney .is with' the party, an aspirant for the hand-and heart of Miss Durant. .Sommers desires to proceed.home.to be present:, at the investigation. into the, cause of the explosion, and, after Pinkney is silenced, by Miss Durant, ho is . granted a passage. Tho yacht becomes wrecked, and is only saved by the arrival of a steamer which has been called up -by wireless. Sommers covers, himself with glory at tho wreck, and, at tho investigation. Marsh breaks down under cross-examination, and exposes the perfidy of Pinkney. One of the sensations of the pinv is n representation of the cpstinq: of a nine-inch gun. The actiiw honours are said to be borne off bv Mr. Ambrose Manning as Marsh, and Mr. Lionel Atwill as Lieut. Sommers. French Contracts. A married artist' cannot sign an engagement in France without the consent of her husband. A tacit authority is not sufficient. So long as they are legally man and wife, without judicial separation the husband must also sign. That is the law, but one of the French Courts in January took a more sensible view. Mdlle. Lina Ruby, it appears, is married, but few knew it. Alexander Hoff, tho director of a theatre in St. Petersburg, was among the number, and when Lina signed a contract he accepted it as in legal form, particularly as this artist had previously fulfilled an engagement at ,liis house. For somo • reason Mdlle. lUiby did not go to llussia, anil.when sued in Paris for the amount of stipulated forfeiture, she declared the contract to be illegal because it was not countersigned and approved by her husband. The Court decided the lady had deceived tho director in not at onco telling him of her domestic standing, and condemned her to pay damages. Vogue in Viennese Opera. The remarkable success ot "The Chocolato Soldier" in England as well as in America has induced the London manager, Fred. C. Whitney,, to go to 'Vienna, and liiako contracts for no fewer than'four new comic operas by tho most popular Viennese composers of the day, for America as well as for England. Two of them are by Oscar Strauss, the composer of "The Chocolato Soldier." The first is entitled "Mein Jungcr Herr," and was down for .production in Vienna about Christmas. The piece is ill three acts, the period of. 1830, and the action takes place partly in Vienna and partly in Paris. "Die Kleino Freuiulin" is tho title of the second opera, composed by Strauss. It is still just a little in tho clouds, inasmuch as its first performance cannot take place until the close of this • year. But the names of the authors, Leo Stein and Dr. A. N. Willner, arc considered t sufficient guarantee that the story is planned on dramatic lines, that it is of an "interesting nature,- and well adapted to musical treatment. Mr. Whitney has also secured the rights in "Die Sirene," an opera in three acts, the book by tho authors of "Die Kleinc Freundiu," the music by Leo Fall, composer of "The Dollar Princess." This was expected in Vienna towards the beginning of tho New Year. Tho principal character is the Empress Josephine. Fouclio also plays an important part in the story, the action of which takes place in tho reign of Napoleon, although tiie Emperor himself does not appear. Finally there is Lohar's new opera, "At LastAlone." tho title being suggested by tho adventures of a young man who. after many vain endeavours to obtain au interview* with a lovely maiden with whom he has fallen in love, finds himself tete-a-tete "with her in a lonely hotel on tho Simplon Pass.

Notes. Towards tlio end of 1910 it was stated that Mr. J. C. Williamson would return to Australia before Mr. Hugh Ward took up the Sydney management of the big theatrical firm. Coming from England by the '11.M.5. Otwav, Mr. Williamson readied Frcmantlc on March 7. In the course-of a chat the returned manager said: "Ono result of my trip was the engagements for the Melba grand opera season and the TI. B. Irving Company. I made my headquarters in Dresden, and from there I visited all tho leading cities of Europe, including Paris, Vienna, Munich, and Berlin. When 1 left London Mr. Irving was preparing for his Australian tour.!'... Miss Beatrice Holloway has completely regained her health. Miss Maudo Pluukett, one of Adelaide's amateuractresses, has joined tlio Max Maxwell Dramatic Company. Mrs. Robert B rough is appearing once more with the Plimmcr-Deiiniston Company in Sydney. Mr. George Stevenson's company of entertainers,. "The Wanderers," is about to -tour New Zealand. Miss Alice Crawford returned to the London stage on Monday-,• February 0, when she appeared at the. Palace Theatre as one of tho supporting artistes m Mr. Granville Barker's interesting venture with a "sequence of dialogues," by Arthur Schnitzler. In a couple c-f months' time Miss Crawford is to lie seen-in a Dew play at one of the West End theatres. Other artists engaged with Mr. Barker for the Palace are Mis 3 Lilah M'Carthy. Miss' Gertrude Robins, and Mr. Nigel Playfair. Mdlle. Golda, tho new soprano appearing at the London Hippodrome, is an Australian, and "The Sunday Times" says that- she was living in a remote township when her abilities were discovered. She has liecu studying ill Paris under Melba and Marchcsi, and lias been a great success in her present engagement. Miss Addie Hino, one of Miss Jennie lireniiau's pupils, and well known as a dancer in Australia, went (o London not long ago, and was immediately engaged by George Eihvardes for tho trio dance in "Tim Quaker Girl." Miss Hino was such a success that a second dance is being introduced for her benefit. ft is an interesting testimonial to Miss Broil lien's skill as a ballet mistress to learn that- so experienced a manager as Mr. George Edwardcs forbade hi:; now dancer to take any new lessons in London, leit she should lose her iudiriduality. ■