THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 13, 23 December 1911, Page 15

THE THEATRE.

(Bi Stltius.) The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Heywood. A Beauty in Terror, So far I havo never seen Misa Dorothy Dix otherwise than in a state of a.ssumed terror at tho impending death which the fiendish Dr. Rylott is itching to bestow on her in that queer drama., "The Speckled Band." 'Iho part does not extend- the new lady's dramatic capabilities, as it is her somewhat monotonous mission to strike one and the same noto right through the play—terror. This sho SU un iln conveying with conviction. W hat strikes the casual theatre-goer more than anything else in respect to tho new leading lady i s her beauty. Miss Dix is certainly tho most beautiful voung actress New Zealand has seen for years, sho is a brunette, slight, medium tail, with a pale, clear-skinned oval face, refined sensitive features, luminous blackbrown eyes, and clustering black hair. Miss Dix does not set herself up for a oeauty. bbe does uot mince or trade in any way upon her personal charms, but is quite natural and utterly without selfconsciousness. Before passing judgment ou her art, one would like to see her in pother than Enid Stonor in "The bpcckled Band.' The Irish Players. PJ a . T ers are vieing in public Wi u : L th D, the Scotch Actors '» New „-i u lue Players areo talented company «ho have earned more than local fame by drf™, n? of S enuine « r 0 A bbt > v Th eatrc, Dublin, wr lht d >™<*o«h,'p of the poet-play' mm. J '', lU ' ,?• Cata - '-Tho comY°rk season in ,hu N. Synge's "Shadow of the Glen." ine play contains an admixture of almost farcical comedy, along with its grimly tragic note, that tho ordinary American audience, accustomed to the travesties ou Irish life, which constitute tho mainstay of "vaudeville," is likely io spoil the whole thing by -lauphjng in the wrong place. Even in Boston, the toldom-heard hiss had to bo callcd into requisition in order that tho more enlightened of thoslo present should bo aulo to enjoy tlio play in the way the playwright meant. Boucicault consciously aimed at guffaws when he made Con tho Shaughraua sit up at his own' wake and pavtako slyly of whisky. But only tho crude and cruel mind jrould .see comedy and not tragedy in the resuscitation of a hard, unloving llUsband whoso supposed death has enabled his young wife to glimpso for the first time tho possibility of getting away from the shadowy glen which for many years haa so maddeningly oppressed her. The setting of the piece is a kitchen ill the cottage of Nora Burko (Sara Allgood), a young woman consumed with loneliness and haunted by wistful dreams of what life might have meaut had she married a man young liko herself and become Ihe joyful mother of his lusty children. Instead of which she has been tied, to a jealous old tyrant and condemned to life imprisonment with him in tho last house of a lonely !?len, a placo which is always cither drenched with rains or sodden with mists, and where the chief evidence that there is a sun comes from tho shadows that it casts upon the adjacent mountain side—and upon her brooding spirit. Sho thinks, however, that now at last she will bo free, for has not her husband died in his bed?" To the tramp who happens rin for shelter, as one of the inevitable showers drench tho roads, sho unburdens her sou! of the weight put upon it by the grim figure lying motionless on the bed.

But Dan Burke is only shamming in order that he may spy upon his wife, and, at the psychological moment, frighten her neariy to death by rising lip in his shroud and pointing an accu,v ing finger at her! Disappointment that the psychological moment is so slow in coming, added to an uncontrollable desire to sneeze, combine to make the mean trickster burst upon-the, scene nil too SM>n; and since he can find nothing tang-' lnle of which to accuse Nora, he vents las fury on her and turns.her, in all the storm, ort of his house forever. Yet mi i '©o alone. The tramp will bo her comrade and friend. Pullin" her eagerly by the sleevo he says: "Come with me now, lady of tho house, and it's not my hluthermg you'll bo hearing only, but you II be hearing tho herons crying out over tho black lake, and you'll be hearing the grouse and owls with them, onu the larks and the bf# thrushes when ;?y s c ar « "'arm:,and it's not from the like of tliein you 11 be hearing a tale fimi lf S ? • re Gavanagh and, lo.mg the hair off you and the liuht of your eyes, but its fine songs you'll hear them singing when the sun troes up. and there 1[ be no old fellow iheeziiig the Sn th» t a Slcl \ shee P closo to your ear." bo the two poets wander together out into hnrd nirPT 1 ! md Itho1 tho storm, while the thni?-' wliir I 1" i crony clinl{ viiiks y glasses and exchange sly Madame Simone in America. ■ Madame Simone, tho popular Parisian Yor r k SS in m n t v. er fi - rst a M° arM ee in New Thf.f / October in a revival of "Tho it m Wellington by Miss Ola Humphrey). One New York paper describes her in tho following language — .ume. kimono is an artist with a thoroutfh knowledge of the rudiments of the < rs lS not a big P° wer ' with the capacitj to grasp a momentary situation and carry it to a supreme effect. It is hoi method to make intelligence and suggested vigour take the place of an emStional climax. Her by-play is always illuminative; but much of it is lost by the constant way in which she looks at tho audionce, as if to see that she had their approval. While, even allowing for tho vivacity of the Ireuch. her gesticulation , is requentlv redundant, awkward and without significance.'" Albert Gran, the original lord Jeffreys in sweet Nell," with Miss Nolli« otowart in Australia and New Zealand was m tho cast. Disraeli on the Stage. In, reference to his new plav, "Disraoli (produced in New York in' September), .tho author, Louis N. Parker, takes ho precaution to note on the programme that he has taken liberties with historical accuracy, but has tried to present the portrait of a great statesman, with a picture of lus times, and the prejudice ho conquered. No one will cavil at his historical anachronisms. They are not serious and none but a person deeply interested will probably recognise them. The critical will merely insist that his play is a piece of conventional workmanship in which standard situations have been utilised, but turned out with a certain technical cleverness and literary veneer which make it pass for something better than It really is. As is well known. Disraeli played a long and important part in the Victorian history of English politics, find from 18.W, when he became a Chancellor of tho Exchequer till the timo of his death this aggressive imperialist, described as a Tory in politics and a Liberal ill practice, shone conspicuously in the limelight of statesmanship, society, and letters. It is ditficult, however, to recojjui*n the real man us his numerous biographers drew him, proud, imperious, pedantically eccentric, end caustically witty, with the verv theatrical personage who struts the boards at i\ allock's as Victoria's favourite Premier. As, the above briefly describes, "Disraeli" is a comedy drama of political intrigue of- which "Diplomacy" is one of the best examples. But its intrigue in ingenuity <md susnense is not to be compared with the Sardnu piece. Tn fact .it is rather childish; the effect of the play is really, obtained by the pictnresoueness of the _mise-en-scene. the artificiality of the .period and _the theatrical, theatrical not real notentiality of the title role.— "Theatre." Richest Woman on the Stage. Mile. Pavlova finished her engagement at C'ovent Garden recently with the Russian, ballet, and another of the most widely-known artistes on the stage in Russia then made her first appearance in London. This was Mmo. Mathilde Kchessinsku. famous as a dancer, tho possessor of a. fortune in jewels, infinitely the richest woman on the stage in the world, and a great political personage. She is, perhaps. the most remarkable woman in Russia. She holds a salon that is frequented by royalty and diplomats, aud Ihe leading Government officials. She is n woman of exceptional personality, :and carries herself. with remarkable His-

tinction. She began licr public caroor as a (lanccx at tli© Imperial Opera, Ft. Petersburg, and occasionally reappears there. The directors of Covcnfc Garden havo arranged io put on three ballets for her that am now to London, and one of tlioiu 1 Diou Bleu"—has never yet been yywhere. The composer, Keynaldo Hahn, camo specially to London to conduct its rehearsal. The other two novelties were "Narcisae" and "Las des Cygnss." Moving Theatro Fails. One of the most interesting theatrical exxionments of late years, tho Theatre Ambulant Gemier, or the Gemier Travel- ? iheatro. is, fays tho Paris correspondent of the "New York Times," about j*?° an ' n its present form, and the company is going into liquidation. M. Gemier, tho enterprising actormanager of the concern, formerly of the Gomedie Frnncaise, states that, although trom the point of view of the receipts, averaging 600 dollars a day, the new venture has been a complete success, it is impossible to continue the present method of tugging the heavy theatro, scenery,_ properties, dressing-room, caravans, lightning plant, etc., along tho ro i?- 1 v. " 7 , meaQS °f a traction engine, which, when working properly, gets up a speed of throe miles an hour, and, at other times, falls into ditches, dashes down hills into churchyards, and otherwise complicates matters. The founder, therefore, thought it best to go- into voluntary liquidation; but he has not the smallest idea of giving np this portable theatre. He will still take it around the oountry, pntting it np in town afteT town as he arrives; bnt henoeforward all tho vans will be transported by rail in a special train. This means "that the transportation will be much more expensive as regards the actual freight, but the gam to the whole enterprise will bo enormous, since the company very fre quontly wis unable to keep engagements owing to delays, and this, of course, damaged the prestige of tho ooneern. In fact, poor M. Gemier seoms to have hull nothing bnt trouble ever since ho started. Another setback was that at a number of towns booked ho was linablo to give performances owing to the dearfood riots. Notes. Celin Ghiloni, who has always been a great favourite with playgoers in Australia and' New Zealand, is to make a welcomo reappearance in Melbourne. She will have the part of tho Prinoess in the .T.C. AVilliamson pantomime of "Sinbad the Sailor" at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne. Edward Pcple, who wrote that anaemic comedy, "Tho Prince Chap," has scored a success in Chicago- with a war play, entitled "The Littlest Rebel." Dusti'n and . Win. Farnum are brought together in the cast, and a remarkable performance is accredited to Miss M;iry Miles Mintcr in tho title role. Mr. Henry Kolker, hero throe years ago with Miss Ola Humphreys, is starring on Broadway (New York) in "The Great Name." "Bought and Paid For" is'the title of George Broadhurst's latest comedy. ; "Inconstant George," which is to be produced by tho Plimmer-Deniiiston Co. ' in Sydney this evening, is billed as "the ; great pyjama play." Nicola was at latest playing at tho 1 Palace Theatre, Sydney. j Mr. Cyril Mackay, who played Dr. Wat- i son in "The Speckled Band" and tlio I name-part in "Alias Jimmy Valentine" ] with the company now playing at the i Opera House has had an attack of I "nerves," and has been forced to take a i rest. ; i