THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1085, 25 March 1911, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—lleywood. (By Stlvius.) Hugh Ward's Return. I do not think that any actor has ever held exactly tho same place ill public esteem and popularity as that held by Mr. Hugh Ward, who will be with us again on Saturday next. Away back, wlicn the actor s vocation was icgarded as a kind of licensed vagabondage, New Zealand had its William Hosking—a man wnoso great talent and magnetic personality made him a liost of admiring lriencls. Later, thero came such favourites as G. T. 'J'lthcradge, George Rignokl, Bland Holt, tiie liroughs, Nellie Stewart, and Julius ls.ni' r nt, with occasional special crazes for lleeting visitors such as Aancc O'Neill, and tho Aschos, in Austialia. Theirs lias been almost exclusively footlight popularity—they happened to give tiie public what it wanted, and in the wav in wanted it. In his particular metier—that of brisk, farcical comedy —Mr. Ward not only does this, but lie has the very special gift of being able to step out of the stage-frame at the rHit moment into the hearts ot the people. Ho has the case, grace, and that indefinable spirit of bouhonuo (a sense for which English language has no adequate equivalent), and,he lacks that emotional restraint which prevents so many people from doing what they could do were they not so liandicappeu. So it happens that, when Hugh J. Ward passes into this comparative obscurity of producer-partner to J. C. Williamson, Ltd., a few weeks hence he will not bo remembered by tho mass of the public so particularly for this or that performance on the stage, but as the man who '"did things" when oft it. His fine personal effort was directly responsible for tho fact that, at the present time, there is a Children s Hospital in course of erection here. Others helped enthusiastically, but it ivas the olectrical action of Hugh J. "Ward that j placed the golden crown of success on tho movement. It was his life, his physical vitality, his smile, and personal charm, and his elan, brought to bear at precisely the right moment, which penetrated the indifference of the public, fanned' its enthusiasm, and hypnotised its gold in the sodden drizzle of a certain one of Wellington's worst days only some six months ago. Such deeds cannot be forgotten—they aro stamped on the hearts of the people. Thero was tho leer of cynicism from sonic quarters when I assured _ Ihe Dominion' readers that Mr. Ward s effort was not a singular or single one, but rather tho result of habit. I

quoted this and that from other towns, but "'still some whispered that it was "good for business! Since then, Mr. Ward has distinguished himself once more in Sydney. Where, after the Coogee surfing disaster, ho inaugurated the "Hero Fund," which not only provided substantial rewards for the two men who did such noblo work, but also supplied funds for those who suffered so severely by losing their bread-winners. It is quite possible that just as great a success would have been achieved by any other citizen of solid qualities, but the man,to grip the chanco. with both ■ hands,; and who. knows.,how 'to. make the very best of it, is hot always about the premises." In this case tiie peripatetic Hugh J. Ward—sauviter "in modo, fortiter in re —was making the world laugh with him at the Palace Theatre. He jumped in at once (as he did in Wellington) and did just what Sydney wanted him to do.

Oil Saturday next Mr. Ward and Company! will \bq:;.s?<>n ,herc in Arcry Hopwood's successful corii'cdy-fa'rco "Seven Days," described as ."one big roar of laughter.". Avery Hopwood is only 27 years of age now:" He was a reporter on the '"Cleveland Leader" for a time after ho left the University of Michigan,' but, at twenty, he developed a bent for play-writing, and. in 1906, ho (in .collaboration with .Mr. Channin Pollock) wrote and had produced on Broadway a remarkable play entitled "Clothes." Since then lie has written "Masters of.Men," "His Mother's Son," and "Seven Days." The personnel of tho Ward' Company is'the same as when last in -Wellington, - -

Dearth of Good Plays. The London productions this year, Mr. •J. 0. Williamson considers to have been on the wholo mediocre. The most popular drama was Sir Conan Doyle's "The Speckled Band," which "the Firm" will bring to Australia. There were one or two good American plays, and 0110 of the best 1 of them, "Alias jimmy Valentine," Mr. Williamson secured. "But," he says, "I-did not see any others that I thought would really interest the Australian public. The fact is, there lias been a great dearth of good plays for some time past, and never so much so as at present." It was perhaps hard to account for, but nevertheless was a fact, and was the complaint of managers generally. Pinero, looked upon as the leading English dramatist, seemed to havo got out of touch with the public since abandoning the writing of amusing plays and plays of human interest. Mr. Williamson saw Pincro's latest, "Preserving Mr. Panmuro." It was, ho says, wonderfully cleverly written, and right up to the end of the third act it was very amusing. After that it weakened. The charactcrs were clever, but not pleasant, and one left the theatre without carrying away pleasant rccollcctions. That, at any rate, was his feeling, and probably that of many others. Mr. Williamson has not included the piece in his list for Australia. Mr. Henry Arthur Jones had not made any notable contribution to the stage of late. He, too, developed the Pinero habit. He told Mr. Williamson not so very long ago when asked why lie did not write more plays of the "Silver King" type, that lie was in the happy position of "being able to write plays to please myself." But it had cost him a lot with his public, and, like Pinero, ho would probably like to get back to his former style, but—again like Pinero —he seemed to have found that he could not shake off what had become a habit.

Marie Corelli Writes a Play. Miss Mario Corolli is soon to bo numbered among tho novelists who have, for tho nonce, turned playwright. She recently signed a contract with tho management of tho London Hippodrome to provide that place of entertainment with a one-act piece, to bo produced tliero within a few weeks' time. Tho novelty will be entitled "The Sedan Chair" ; it is 0110 scene, and contains four characters. To its development Miss Corelli has, it appears, devoted a great deal of time and consideration, the plot dealing with a subject in which she is particularly interested. One of the conditions of her agreement with the Hippodrome management is that she shall herself "produce" the piece. Judging by the. class of stuff now considered good plays, Miss Corelli should at least have a good chance of succeeding as a writer for the stage.

Gilbert tli3 Brilliant. An entirely now play from the distinguished pen "f Sir William. Gilbert, even if merely a "onc-nctcr"' is _ an event of.no ordinary importance. When one,considers that lie. lias been writing continuously since the early sixties, his fecundity, quite apart from the brilliant quality of his work, must, says a writer in the London "Daily Telegraph," bo-accounted-little less than marvellous. The new piece to which Sir William is now putting the finishing touches will presumably bo described as a "sketch," inasmuch as its first

performance take; place on the variety stage. U lin.'i been acquired by Mr. .lames Welch, who intends using it for his reappearance at the Coliseum. For the moment it merely bears the title of "A Character Study." Whether this will be adhered to or not is a question which rests with the author to determine. Tho playlet belongs rather to tlio grim order of things, but contains a strong flavouring or tlio writer's characteristic humour. Its production wil[ be awaited with tiie keenest interest. Nobs. "Loaves and Fishes," the new play by Mr. W. Somerset M'aughan, described by him as a satire in lour acts, will shortly be produced by Mr. Charles Frohman at the Duko of York's Theatre, Loudon. Mr. 15. ,J. Fuller, writing on behalf of .John Fuller and Sons, denies the statement thai a working agreement for New Zealand has been entered into with that firm by an Australian management. "Wo have always been, and always intend to be. independent," ho states. Of the 100,001) shares in the Amalgamated liiograph Company, which has taken over the two Melbourne picture businesses of J. and X. Tait and Johnson and Gibson, tho vendors soak up 20,000 and tho public 110,000; the other 50,000 will be sent to market later. Of tho £30,000, a first slice of £11,500 will go into .the vendors' pockets in payment of tho stock-in-trade; the —0,000 free shares aro for the goodwill. Tho second slice will pay for the liiograph Theatre, to be built in Flinders Street', next Ball and Welch's. 'I.lie Taits have an option to lease this little bit of tho earth for 30 years. Violinist Ernest Toy has (says the "Bulletin") become professor of tho fiddle at the Marshall-Hall Conservatorium, Melbourne. Ernest was born in Bondigo, and "topped" bis musical education at Berlin. Ho has travelled over a good part of Europe and Australasia on professional tours, and last year was leader of the .J.C.V,. Grand Opera orchestra. Altogether, ho is a very elever young man. usually surmounted by an absurd little hat.