THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1366, 17 February 1912, Page 11

THE THEATRE.

(Br Sylvius.) The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Hoy wood. Allen Doone To-night. Mr. Allen Doone, the Irish singing comedian, who, with his American company, open their season at the Opera liou*o i'j ls under the management of i- I ''i Marlow, Ltd., has toured tho Imtcd States and Canada as a star, with liis own company. "Sweet County Kerry, 1 the piece with which Mr. Doono has pleased Christclmreh and Duncdin audiences, has been played by him over 1800 times.

Such newspapers as the "Xovr York Herald," York ''Sun," New York "San Francisco Examiner," and "Chicago Inter-Ocean," point to him as one of the front rank of America's many first-class musical stars. Mr. Doone possesses the true artistic temperament, and, besides, he is said to bo genuinely Irish in his characteristics. Mr. Doone is a vocalist, instrumentalist, and actor who has an extensive repertoire, but nono of the pieces depart from tlio true traditions of tho land of which he is a native. Disillusioned. There is one remarkably clever scene in Somerset Maughan's brilliant comedy, "Lady I'rcderick," which will captivate lovers of clever comedy. Lady Frederick is a dear, clever, reckless Irisli woman wearing on towards middle age— a woman with a heart of gold, and a delicious Dublin drawl that appeals to tho sterner gender. A young man moving in her set—tho son of one of her friends—has fallen in lovo with her, and naturally her mother is indignant at the discovery, not solely on account of the disparity in their ages and "other things." Frederick likes tho boy, and is half inclined to defy everyone, and marry him, despite the battery of protest against the match, but her better sense prevails, and she resolves to break with the infatuated youth. Hut how? llcr Irish wit. suggests the only way. out, whilst avoiding a scene. Sho invites him to visit her at 10 a.m. lie is shown into her boudoir, and, just leaving the youngster by himself long enough to feel uncomfortable, she appears in flagrant deshabille, entirely cleansed of alt those little artificial aids to beauty which is part of her charm. Iler hair is "all out" and tousled—there she is, the woman, middle-aged,. ordinary to the last degree. That is shock No. 1 to Mr. Lover. Then scaling herself at her 1 dressing table in the full glare of the morning sun (which women of -i 0 know so well how to- avoid) sho commences to "makeup" for the day—a little paint, judicious dabs of rouge, black pencil for the eyebrows and lashes, powder, a touch of carmine for the lip s , and then the Jiair, which she remarks is so expensive, as she throws him a switch to examine. There she stands revealed as the woman, he knows. As she clrJltters away at her toi;et, one can see disillusion' breaking over the young man. He says little, and in a gentlemanly way, renews his vows halfheartedly, when she talks to him like a mother, sends him away, and bursts into tears. To sec Miss Ethel Irving in this scene is to see the perfection of comedy play. Some might only seo fun- in the scene, but there is a fine note of. pathos behind it all—that induced by a woman 'with the soul and heart of eighteen admitting her age to one whoso devotion she appreciates. A Notable Cast. The Plimmer-Denniston management sccni determined to do big things (says tho "Sydney Sun"). Within the. .past lew' months th-ey have produced for tho first time hero two delightful comedies, "Xobody's Daughter" and "Inconstant George." These were followed by two notable revivals, "A Woman of No Importance" and "A Village Prisst." This last-mentioned play was most enthusiastically received last evening (February 3).

Karlv in the first act it became evident that Sydney .Grundy's adaptation of "La .Secret dt la Terreusfi" would be unfolded by a splendid cast. Indeed the company, headed by Mr. Geo. Titheradgo and Mrs. Hobertrßrougli, wero particularly in their element, and the various characters; oven the..least important ones, w«r® ably" sustained. Mr Titheradge, whose fine impersonation of the Abbe Dubois is well remembered by the playgoers of this city, has lost none' of his old power and subtle nuance. His fino shadings ill tho characterisation of the kindly Abbe, weighed down with the burden of the terrible E-ecret it is his uuhanny fate to carry, were exquisitely in evidence. Eight through his work was remarkable in "atmosphere." His art was always delicate, and thcro was no suspicion of 'over-emphasis in even his most tense moments. Ho was accorded a ereat ovation.

Mrs. Kobert Brough ■ acted the role of Comtesse de Tremeillan with her characteristic naturalness. Miss Lizette Park"s, who with added experience has of late bcconifl somewhat more reposeful in her methods,' was convincing as : Jeanno Torquenio. Her : agony of spirit , when she meets her unhappy father' for the "rst time was finely suggested, .and lier scream of horror as she rushes away from him was one of the most dramatic.

incidents of tho evening. The vole of Madame D'Arcp was sustained with dignity by Miss Beatrice Day. Mr. A. E. Greennwav was forceful as Jean Torqutnio, the imbappv and much-wronged convict; and Mr. Harry Plimmer has done few things better than his impersonation of Araiand D'Arcy.

"Mind-the-Paint, Girl." The Australasian stage is sadly in arrears with plays by A. \Y- Pinero, aiid though this is largely due to a want of complete success on" the part of that famous dramatist, yet it must not bo forgotten that playgoers here have not yet seen "His House in Order," which enjoyed a considerable run. "The Thunderbolt" and "Preserving Mr. Paumure" were not supported by the London public, and, accordingly, hone now centres upon the author's "Mind-the-Paint .Girl," a four-act comedy, to lie shortly produced by Mr. Chas. Frohman at the Duko of York's Theatre.

The title is said to have boon suggested by a comic sous made popiilar by Vance a generation ago, with the exhilarating refrain, ".Mind the paint, mind the paint, oh, mind the blooming paint! Was it the paint on (ho door they meant, or the paint on a pretty girl's cheek?"'ln this case the allusion is obvious, as Pinero's new heroine is tho leading actress of a AVcst End musical comedy theatre, who has captured London by her spirited delivery of "Mind tho Paint."

This production will bo an important event amidst much that is mediocre just now, including sucli contrasted subjects as the "Alcostis" at the Little Theatre, and the German musical farce, "Nightbirds" ("Die l-'ledermatis"), composed by Johann Strauss, at the Lyric. Tho masterpiece by Euripides seems to have been poorly acted, whilst tho chorus v;as so inaudible that "they might as well have been speaking the original Greek." Tho scenery, on tho other hand,. is warmly praitud. When Mr. Thomas Bcecham conducted "Nightbirds" at His Majesty's Theatre in 1910 it failed, but the new version at the Lyric is said to be screamingly funny. Miss Constance Drover, Mr. Maurice Farkoa, and Mr. Workman furnished the successes of tho cast .

Williamson Enterprises. At tho head of the various enterprises just now controlled by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., stands Mr. M. B. Irving and his English company, who aro now nearing tho close of their successful tour of NewZealand. Mr. Jrving's farewell to Australia will be at the Sydney Criterion from March 23 to April 4, when tho pieces from his repertoire will lie "Dr. .lekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "Tho liells." Mine. Melba's farewell to Australia will l)e on February 20, at His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, at a matinee in aid of tho new concert-hall for tho University Conwrvatorium, under Professor Peterson, 'i.'ho departing diva will sing the Mad Scene from "Hamlet," and the "Willow Sung" anil ".Ave Maria" from "Otello." Miss HiUl-v Spong, whose reappearance here at the Theatre lioyal next Sal unlay, after many years' absence, will possess a strong personal interest, will afterwards tour New Zealand as "Bvorywoimm" in tlio musical and spectacular, morality play of that name. Jladilon Chambers's new comedy, "Passers-By," with Harcourt Boatty as leading man, is now in the nilda Spoug repertoire. "Tho Girl in the Train" Company, which cloeed in "Tfca CSflgalee" m tiu) TWtin Oojil

opening, will next open at Newcastle, and will appear at Adelaide February U, and in Melbourne (where "The Balkan Princess" and "The Cingalee" will also be staged) on March '23. An Australian Playwright. A remarkable little volume is "Three Short Mays," by Louis Esson, published by Fraser and Jenkiuson, of Melbourne —remarkable because it represents tho pioneer effort of Australia to tako its part in the revolt against literary convention that has already made itself manifest in the older civilisations. A realist of the most intense order, Mr. 15s.son aims at doing here what Galsworthy has done in England, Sygne in Ireland, and llauptman in Germany. His plays are not pleasant reading; they must have been distinctly unpleasant acting. But they are full of tremendous power, and depict with photographic fidelity the phases of life they deal with. Relentless os the old Greek tragic authors, Mr. Esson spares neither his characters nor his audiences in the pitiless way in which ho carries his story to its inevitable end.

" I'lio AVoman Tamer" is not merely a slum play; it is a'play dealing with tho very scum of the slums. The heroine it is not well to describe, but she is infinitely preferable to tho hero, who wins her scorn for his fear to step boldly into the arena of crime and battle with society for its prizes, lho man who dare,? to do so conies in at the end, and is rewarded with the einiles of beauty. "Dead Timber" is a play even more painful. There is a cynical humour about the outcasts of '"The Woman Tamer," but neithw cynicism nor humour find a suggestion in tho pitiful story of an outback dairy farm, wherein the farmer, broken by hopeless fighting against odds, commits suicide when he finds his favourite girl, goaded to despair by loneliness and poverty, seeks solace in an imitation of romance with tiie usual result. In "The Sacred Place" -Mr. Esson relieves his readers of tho tension forced upon them by the two earlier plays. It is a whimsical incident in the lives of Hindu hawkers of the Melbourne slums, touching lightly upon the Mussulman faith. Both "The Woman Tamer" and "Dead Timber" are plays which would certainly fail to pass the English censor, yet they were plaved in Melbourne by the devoted band who are trying to raise the (lag of national drama at the Melbourne repertory theatre.—"Sun." Notes. Mr. H. B. Irving does not intend to rely on his "Hamlet" as his solo qualification to. be considered a Shakespearean actor. Whilst in Wellington he spent many hours at "Richard III," which character he hopes to play in London at no distant date. After his performance in "Louis XI" one can imagine the actor being signally successful as England's crooked king. "Tiny. Town," now in Sydney, will have its mayoral election on February 1" next,, when Tlayati Hassid, the venerable present chief magistrate, will be opposed by Arthur Huhle, a 21-year-old German of 31 inches. There is a rumour that Constable Armstrong, the SB-inch policeman, is likely to contest the election in the Labour interest. Hayali Hassid has been reelected Mayor of Tiny Town no fewer than six times, and his Worship will take some ousting.