THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1097, 8 April 1911, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

(By Stlvius.)

The "World's a theatre j the Earth a stage.—lleyw'ood.

Tho Hush Ward Season. Anyone on the attenuated side physically is afforded an excellent opportunity to "laugh and grow fat" when Hugh Wal'd comes along. There is always a lot of " healthy fun, and considerable sparkle/ about- the comedies that Mr. Ward selects for production, and if lie, in his now sphere of activity, does not favour a) policy- of farcical eoniedv oil tho lines which he has worked so successfully, the loss will be the playgoers. One only has to look back over tho ■comedies which ho has produced to he convinced of that. In the opinion of .the .writer two of. tho best light comedies which he has presented were ''The Man from Mexico" and "The New Clown," but, after all, that is a matter of opinion, as others might easily prefer "The Bachelor's Honeymoon," '"Iho Girl from Rector's,'' or the. quaint and original "Seven Days," which has attracted such healthy business during the last week. ' This comedy will bo produced finally on. Monday evening., "The Girl from Rector's" will lie given a dash on Tuesday, and, 011 "Wednesday and Thursday, "Tho Bachelor's Honoymcoii" and that clever-skit, "The Scarecrow," will be revived.

"Bad Girl of tho Family." "The Bad Girl of the Family" has arrived, and has taken the town by storm. There.is much in a name in the matter of advertising plays, and one with a spice of naughtiness is very helpful in getting the public inside. Aucklanders have a canny-way of.hanging off over the first night of a new play to hear tho verdict of the "first nighters," but they made an exception in the case of "The Bad Girl," and greeted her 011 lier first appearance with such a sea of faces as gladdened the managerial heart. It's not melodrama of blood-eurdliug order; in fact', tho humour of tho pieco rather keeps its more sordid features well in tho shade, and one could not help but feel that anything that could so move a packed theatre to shrieks of laughter, peal following peal right from curtain rise to curtain fall, must be fairly held to be a, good thing, of its kind. Some of us prefer more solid fare,- but there— as the manager is reported to have remarked to the "Star" critic, "It's not Shakespeare and it's not Shaw, but look at the house."—Auckland "Star."

Great Protean Artist. Never has tho Tivoli Theatre risen to a greater power of attraction than at present (says a recent Sydney " Daily Telegraph"). The new lode-star is Mr. R. A. Roberts, iir whom tho management have an actor of such calibre that it is safe to say that crowded houses will prevail as long as his engagement runs. He fairly held the audience in .1 tense grip on Saturday night for nearly threequarters of ail hour; Single-handed, 110 enthralled them with a powerful presentment of his-own dramatic sketch, "Dick Turpin," the action'of the. story taking place on the- night preceding the highwayman's'famous'ride from London to Y6rk., s

As a protein' artist Mr. Roberts must be yielded the palm. Not only wore there lightning changes of costume, but the rapid transition from ono character to another —each one being faithfully interpreted as ail individual entity—made it difficult to believe that tho whole cast of-six characters''was prc'Sesitcd"b.y ono"man: As Jacob Sly, the Bow Street runner, he was a weak and cringing oifi.cer; as Soft Sally, who preachbd cleanliness, hut failed to prae-tiss.'if-,'ho was a cunning, -cruel, whining old woman ;.as Jerry Binks, lie was seen as the good-hearted .Yorkshire farmer; but this character gave place to another which must have taxed all hi 3 powers—that of Lady Maud Roniander, a lady of the aristocracy, who had a penchant for a. bold bad robber. But it was as Dick Turpin that he roso to his chief success. Though at times boastful and pompous, the character of this famous highwayiilaii ' w'as modelled by 'Mr. Roberts' with- such. exquisite skill that his more sordid- qualities v vero veiled'by an accentuation of'his bravery and kindliness towards'the pooi l .

The whode production was not merely thrilling, it was an exposition of dramatic art of a higher plane than has probably been seen in Sydney vaudeville,, and there was not one person who did not regard the intrusion as a delightful change. In Mr. Roberts there is, 110 doubt that Mr. Rickards has struck gold.

"The Wanderers" "The "Wanderers," said to be a company of clever entertainers, who, in style, emulate "Tho Scarlet Troubadours," are to'commence a brief season in tho Concert Chamber on Saturday evening, next. Tho company is illuminated by a "star" in tho person of Miss Phyllis Hopwood-Foldi, of whom tho Sydney "Daily Telegraph" writes as follows:— ' "Miss Phyllis Hopwood-Foldi, who won unusually high commendation as a monologue and ' pianologue 1 entertainer in England and the Continent, appeared before a very large hiid very cordial audience at the Y.M.C.A. llall on Saturday night. So warm was the welcome indeed, and so acccptr.ble the new form of entertainment submitted, that the artists engaged have provided anconcert tor Friday next. Miss Phyllis Hopwood-Foldi has specialised very cleverly in the class of work made so popular hero and elsewhere by Mel. B. Spurr. Her stage appearance is decidedly attractive, she dresses charmingly, her diction clear and effective, and wider her hands tho piano seemed like a living'thing." Tho company also includes Mr. Leslie Holmes, Mr. George Winstanley, Mr. J. D. Keenan, Miss Knby Guess, Miss Everil Heggie, Miss Madeline Feme, and Mr. J. Lieth-Harvey. Tho musical arrangements arc .in.the. hands of Mr. Herbert Brahms, the well-known conductor of Mr.,.Geo.. Stephenson's Opera Companies.

"Ths Dawn of a To-morrow." Some passages of thrilling pathos, and many suggestive ideas in accordance with the modern attitude of scientists and diffident believers towards the hereafter, gave interest and significance to 3lrs. Francis Hodgson Burnett's new play at the Theatre Royal. It is understood that the J. C. 'Williamson management staged "The Dawn of A To-morrow" at last Friday's matinee in Sydney more or less for experimental purposes. Tlio reception was so cordial that it will now be placed in the repertoire of tlio lvatherine Grey Company, and this being tlio case it would but bo anticipating events unduly to review it at much length on tlio present occasion. In the first act a group of brain specialists, impressively represented by 3lessrs. Arthur Hunter, Claude R. Bantcoek, and Frank Stirling, are in consultation upon the case of Sir Oliver Holt, and they deplore their helplessness to arrest a state of nervous .exhaustion which threatens to end in mental decay. It was in this science, where-the millionaire overhears the Verdict of the medical men, that Air. Leonard Wiilcv made his mark as Sir Oliver in expressing the agony and horror of the'patient at the awful prospect of. a mind o'erthrown. Determined to commit suicide, but not within the knowledge of his friends, ho slips away to the East End slums in the disguise of-a tramp. It is in Apple-blos-som Court that lie learns of the misery suffered by. the destitute, and it is there

that lie' meets Glad, the "wonder of the •slums,'' iyho.se cheerful philosophy, of hie, helpful enro for others, ami confidence in ti'.-itioiTow, a:> hotter than to-day, ''gives 'him," in her own words, "something to think of." In that way he is saved. Miss lrliy Marshall played with much vivacity and feeling as yiad, and the love-scene between the girl and Dandy, the thief accused of murder, was most tonchingly rendered hy her and hv Mr. Arthur K. CSrconinvay. In this serious contribution to tho drama of the day, the dramatic scheme is founded upon Glad's faith in tho efficacy of prayer —"Ask and yo shall rcceive" embodies the light that has suddenly risen like a beacon to guide her steps. Mention should also he made of a humorous scene between a brutal coster pickpocket and his recently assaulted wife, in which he resents her prayers as "pure eussedness" in view of a thick fog, ill which old gentlemen with watches fall around liini like manna in tho wilderness. "Arsk!" he shouts with clenched list, "and yer'll get it." These two characters wero cleverly shown l>v Mr. Reg. Redo and Miss Leal Douglas (says the "Sydney Morning Herald"). "The. Dawn of a To-morrow" must be described as by far (ho strongest religious drama staged here for some years past.

Salvation Army Annexes "Yip-l-Acidy-1-ay." "Yip-i-addy-i-ay," sung by Mr. Leslie Holland, in "Our Miss Gibbs," has "caught the popular taste." Not only is it sung and whistled all over Sydney, but it can bo hoard wheezing from tho interior of the street barrel organs, and, through these, is likely to be heard for some time to come. That is not all, however. Tho tunc has been annexed by the Salvation Army, and, the bands connected with that body have been playing tho well-known Gaiety number, while the latest issue of "The War Cry" publishes a setting of a revival hymn to the popular air. Notes, The pantomime "Jack and the Beanstalk" is to commence its season in Sydney this evening. It ran three and a half months in Melbourne. Clyde Fitch's clever play "The "Woman ill the Case" was produced by tho AVilloughby Comedy Company at the Criterion Theatre 011 Saturday last. Three hundred clergymen gathered at the City Hall in Philadelphia last month to request the Mayor of.that city to forbid the performance of "La Samaritaine," by Mine. Sarah Bernhardt and her company. Representatives of various societies accompanied the clergymen. Mine. Bernhardt's manager announced that "La Samaritaine" would positively be performed at least oncc during the Philadelphia engagement. The Major of Philadelphia promised to give tho matter due consideration. He said, "As far as I am concerned. I don't want to see it,'but there may ho many citizens who do, and they must be considered." Subsequently, as a result of the protests of clergymen and citizens, the polico in Philadelphia prohibited the production of the play in that city. "The Chocolate Soldier," the comic opera to be produced in Australia in the spring by Clarke and Mcyuell, has passed its two-hundredth performance at the Lyric Theatre, London. This firm, lias just engaged lial Ford, a brother of .Reginald Roberts, as-one of the light comedians in "Dick Whittington" next Christmas.