THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1289, 18 November 1911, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

(Bγ Stlvius.) Tho AVorid's a theatre; the Earth a singe.—Hey wood. Lewis Waller Coming. Mr. L«'\vis Waller, the eminent romantic English actor, is (.'Oining In Austr.ilin early next year, but, m> far. tlifn , is no advice of his coming to New Zealand. A few days ago, a list of tours for t he coming year w.i.s published in The Dominhix, but there was no miction of Lewis \V:ii>r coming. I'Liygoers would like very much to sen thi; creation of "Monsieur Heaurairc." and a score nf other famous romimlic roles, and famous in many a Shakespearean chanu-ter. but at the sometime, we. will have nn grounds to complain of nesjlei-t during the next twelve months. Tho'attractions commence, with the New Comic Opera Company at Christmas in Wellington, and thereafter we aro (o see 11. B. Irvine. "The Speckled Band," "The Chocolate t-'oldir-iy" "Kverywomiui." Oscar Asche and Lily Brayton,

"The Blue Bird," ami the pantominio (which can stand an improvement on that of last year). Ji.idsjc Tiiheradgp is (the cables ssy] to be 'Ixnvis Waller's leading lady. Sho is the dau?hl*r of Mr. Gcorne S. Tithpradge, 'wst of actors in his day, who now occupies the bulk of his time in the garden he has fashioned on n modest section on tho South Head Jtond, Sydney. Madge made her first nppearance nine years ago in '"The Wntcr Babies," and nlayc-d at the Oarrick and Haymarkct Theatres (London), until she made a success of the Countess of Drumdurris in Pinero's "The Cabinet Minister" (produced in Wellington over a decade n?o by tho Dramatic Students). Next ve-.ir saw her with Cyril Maude as Norah in "The- Second in Command." and in lflOi in "Toddles." In November. 190S, slip appeared as Katbcrine in "Henry \ ." which will most probably bs Mr. Waller's opening play in Australia.

Waller's Favourite Parts. Of all tho parts be ever played. Mr. Lewis Waller prefers Brutus in "Julius Caesar." "Mv reason for this selection,he says, "is that Brutus appeals to me as the most perfect man in the whole gallery of the great Shakespearean characters, on account of-his dignity and gentleness, his absolute sense of right and duty, his tenderness, and the love lie bore to Portia. Were I however, to consider the matter from the actor's point of view, of playing the part for a run,-I should be inclined to select Othello, or Henry V, for the mason that they are greater acting parts. On the other hand, there are certain parts which make a very great npnonl to m«, although I have.not yet had an opportunity to not them. Among tlieth are Macbeth. Coriolanus, and Hamlet, in all of which I certainlv hone ta appear. .. /'Apart from ..thi;. classical drama, M. Beaucaire is my favourite on account of his many delightful oliaracferir-fics, his chivalry towards women, his humour, his wit. arid his general brilliancy, all of which give tho nctor great opportunities for the display of his art."

Mr. Waller makes his .first apr.onrance in .America this month in a dramatisation of Kobert HichenVs well-known novel, "Tho Garden of Allah," in which he wiil play Ar.drovsky. the monk. Next year he comes to Australia.

Bernhardt in Picture Film. A cable dispatch to the "Now York Times" from Paris says that Sarah Bernhardt, has at last been conquered by the tempting offers of a kinemalograph firm, and has-.given the.operators an opportunity of making records of her magnificent histrionic powers. Tho piece which tho great actress selected-was her greatest success, "Camille," a special adaptation having been prepared- for. tho purpose. In order to obtain tho fullest dramatic effect in her acting, Bernhardt spoke all the words as if to an audience.

"The Girl in the Train." "The Girl in tho Train" surprised everyone at the Criterion Theatre on Saturday (says the "Sydney Morning Herald" of November 6) with tho humorous sallies and piquant characterisation of tho "book," and the charm of the. music; nor was the crowded audienco quite prepared for such a strong,- smart; and'"snappy" performance. Tho new piece not only "went with a bang," but with as many detonations as a cracker, and the only pity is that tho J. C. Williamson direction should have put, it up for a "first production in Australia." r,t « time of year whoa it will have no' chance of an Our Jl'.ss Gibbs" run. Not very much had; been heard of "The Girl '"in the Tram' beyond that in the German ordinal by Victor Leon it was known as "Bio Geschiedene Fran," that the music was by-Leo Pall, and that in thf- English version, .-with the interest considerably transferred from "the divorced wife" "to "the P'i iPi. th i° tra , in >." the musical plav had held the boards tor more than a vear at the Vaudeville Theatre, London." The cast depends on its ensemble, and <o many individual successes were made on Saturday that to name them at once would be to review eight different characters. Nevertheless anfjeipatorv menU? 11 ™"?t be made of the new tenor, Mr TV. Tallcur Andrews. Ho has a fine joico o.t robust timbre, both acts and srnss with warmth, dresses the part with distinction, and on every account is certain to become a ereat favourite his stay in Australia. At the end of a jpvous evening Mr. Hugh Ward mado a little speech of congratulation to the ar\V 1 £ luc t, ¥ J"*fia.bly attributed much to Mr. E. T. Steyne, who had returned from. England to produce the piece Ihe stnso-di rector in question was called forward with. the other artists during the final scene of flowery effusions of various kinds.

lie foliowins is the full cast of T)r Fal ? delightful musical eomcdv. "The Girl in tho Train," produced in Svdnev a week ago:—lvarel Van Buren, W. "Talleur Andrews; Lucas Van Trnmp, Victor Prince; C-ornehus Scrop Jack Co motWillen Kronwevliet, Charles -Urert'Councillor Van Lieje, Fnnk fi T ?tue' Coimcillor Van Dender, Edmund Slier' rasj Hen- Van Neck, Albert XpvilJe;P,osideut Un Evclc. A\. S. Percy; Jana Van Buren Pybil Arnndalo; Mnrtj, Km". wevliet.J Adeline, Vivian lalleur; Gonda \ an. der-Leo, Florence--1 OUllg.

"Alias Jimmy Valentine." Another American drama, which i= sr:n. posed to throw additioual light upon the P"Mn discipline and police coerciv«- ' methods" of our cousin? oversea to tint already furnished hv "The Third He-rep" was submitted for approval at the. Theatre tioyal h?rSatun!nv wee); feavs the "Svr ney Morning Herald"), and was undoubtedly received with much favour )>-,• -> large house The new piece if. a drani.v tisation by Paul Armstrong of O. Uenrv"s novelette, "A Retrieved Reformation." and is entitled "Alias Jimmv Valentin-''" The dramatist has succeeded in producing from the original materia! a crisp, wellconcentrated plot, .in which no character "lags superfluous on the stage." and ove.rv inccntivo is offered to individual effort. The literary work, (00, is well ahove the average, and the author, apparently without aiming at exaggerated melodramatic offect, has introduced several scenes that grip tho audience and hold its attention firmly until the donoucment. It is a somewhat new departure, that the male mombers of thp rn-,1 almost monopolise what is emotional in the play, but there is a pretty—if improbable—love story running through the plot which commends itself to the "weaker sex." who are able, to follow the fortunes of tho heroine, and her ultimate triumph, without being unduly oppressed bv the callous brutality of tho villain. Indeed, strictly speaking, there is no villain. "Alias Jimmv Valentine" is. in fact, correctly described as a comedy drama, and the liumour that permeates it was highlv appreciated by a delighted audience. Mr. Cyril Mackay's acting as "Jimmy Valentine" is described as natural anil convincing, and good work is also dono by Messrs. Desmond. Ambrose Manning, J. B. Atholwood, and Miss Dorothy Dix.

"Sixty Years on the Stage." Under tho title of "Sixtv Years on the Stage," Mrs. Charles Calvert, who went on the boards at seven years of age, has written an intensely interesting work, which simply teems 'with names familiar to playgoers of tho Victorian era. Mrs. Calvert claims for her husband (who died in IS"!)) the invention of tho "early door." The United States, in which sho toured with Edwin Booth, Miss Mary Anderson, and Mrs. Langtry,, saw, perhaps, more .of her than did this country. Only during the last twenty

yi'iirs has .she been a piTsnmililv-aud a. unique !)i-r.>fiiinlili--iiii Urn London stauc, her lii-t aniirni-.inee Ijeiii- a> Him (lid J.ady in Sir ]|i. r 1,,.|-i. Trip'-. ■• I >l,,:liii:iU. Mines-." "Kinj; ||~,,n . VIII." Tlim render ill rill veiled in Iheahienl history will v.-iliif i!i>. Culvert's bunk |p«, a.- a. .siuiTliuiiN- of fael (.fur mm It uf *he Kluiind has !n γ-m ciu-ml before) I him »n i'li-miu! nf tin- n-i-ilMi-'s vm- iMinilu in. predion of certain weli-Knmvu nelsons with whom, >hc 1.-us liml In do. Whilo wcidiiK with inoih-riiliiiii she. neverlh.v !<•>*. ni.iko, her likr-s. ami di.-likv cxlrrniey i-lrar. .Jvlirin iJudlli is., "liL-," ~,,,| ~f bun she rt-latcs several finli-ariii',' slinivs. jian-y Siilliv.iii is a il.Hdr.l "dislike." ■iliiii she me! Nt tho Slrall'ord-ou-Avim. IW.ival ~r ISTII, when, l-e plnved Benedict; In Hi,. lhnlrUv of .Miss Ili-foii F.uicil, and she found him unbearable Ailir-ti-I'iilly her objection is that ho "played Hamlet at Inrty-livo exactly as he had played it at l.wcnt.v-eighl,"'aml that ho lii.xiirutc-d to Ibe Inst in all the blemishes of tho old whool of acting. I'r.e has glimpses, tuo, ~f Irvine at. Mnn-f:hehti-.r as tho guesl. i.f herself ami her llliskillrl, all thrco sittinc, lifter 11 Vllppxr of Irish slow, in (he liilelictt witli their feet on the fender; of Charts lteade, with ihr place he always hail 1.-iid at tahlo for (he dead 31 rs Hoymotir; and. to nsmo no more, of one Mary Seylon. This Mary Seyton early played' (Vlia to Mis'. Culvert , !! Itc-salind. Sho was writing a novel, niul her 1,,. ; ,H; Wilt , m> lilt It, in lii-r shiKO work that all slu> leiiriit of her lines were l.lie Inst: three or four wonl>. When retnouslr:-,;od with sho replied cheerfully. "My dear, i gave you all l.h'j cues." The lady is no.v known ns Miss Biaddon.

"Darno Nature." The first produrlinn in Australia of "Dame Nature." will bii given by Miss Kthe.l Irving at the Mclbourno '{'hnntru Koyal this evening. It was in this play that Miss Irving uchicved one of her biggest successes in X/ondmi, and introduced her to independent uiiinnijeiiieiit. Tliii rolo of Lolette is nno to which silo is eminently Miitcd. for in it is i< blend of comedy aud tragedy, and a, lii;lil. and "hade that make tho Vliai-ncVr vivid and lifelike. It touches every iiiiwd, and in it Miss Irving i> able In present, a. cmnplclo study of a real, human character.

Notes, "S." writes disrespoctfully in tho "Bulletin":— "Thoro is n hauuliiiK >anicuefs about the impersonations of Miss Dorothea Baird. I watched her first as Ophelia, ar.d I am siir-o Unit she never put away her Oplu-li-.'ii gestures in playing Mo.ry Cave in "A Maid of Honour," cud the girl Jeanelte in "The Lyons Mail.' The two latter characters also used much af Ophelia's deportment, while the whole lot wore faces of speechless pain. How odd is Jlifs Build's settled expression of suffering. Somelimes it looks finite sculpturesque, and you wonder whether she puts in on hot and allows ih to grow cold and harden."

Mr. Charles? Brown (for so long with Bland Holt) has made a distinct success in Sydney as Captain Barley in a revival of W. \V. Jacobs's charming ccmedy "Beauty and the Bnrxe," under the management of Mr. Allan Hamilton. Miss Beatrice Holioway, Mr. John Fo.de, and Mr. Kenneth Bniiupton are also in the cast.

That ciever American play, "Alias Jimmy Valentine," is to be produced for the first time in Australasia at tho Theatre Royal, Sydney, this evening, with Mr. Cyril Maokay in the name part. It was of this play that Mr. ,T. T. Grein wrote:—"Now, who says that wo critics aro. prejudiced against American plays. It. is a fallacy. Lot America send us plays so good, so witty, ami at times so pathetic, and the eagle will have tiro iwrle's due." The company playing "Alias Jimmy Valentine" is to commence a tour of New Zealand at Auckland on December IS.