THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1396, 23 March 1912, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

* (Br Sylvius.) The World's a theatre; tho Earth a stage.—lleywood. "Why Men Love Women." The Allan Hamilton Company, which has given a good deal of real pleasure by its performances of "Beauty and the Barge" during the week, will this evening turn to melodrama. The bill selected is "Why Men Love Women." It is not a stranger lo Wellington, and nil the conjecture in the world will not explain why the play is biijig revived by a rompanv which can make .such an oxce'ileui showing as it did in W. W. Jacob* comedv. "Wliv Men love Women" is a class 'of melttl'ramu that has very little to commend it to a discriminating public, and therefore one must assume that there are occasions when managements consider it judicious to cater tor others less qualified to discrimin ate. That is the p:tv of it, for .<-; i long as garish, meaningless melodrama,' as apart from good melodrama is purveved, there are peop.i that will not interest themselves in better class plnvs. .Fortunately wo have ot late had a taste of plays a.gcocl! deal removed from mekdrnmatic riff-raff, and tho outlook i.s full of promise, so wo should not perhaps complain, but why (his picco "Whv .Men love \\ omen should be sandwiched between "I he Beautv and the Barge" and "A Message from Mars"—two excellent oomedies-ts I rather bewildering. '

"The House of Temperiey." In "The House of Temperiey," J. C. Williamson, Ltd., appear to have got hold of a plnv that is likely to hit the sporting tastes of the average Australian, a strong and intensely dramatic story being worked out in association with the pugilistic craze of the Ecgencv (lavs. The story of the play is told as follows in tho Melbourne "Age":— "Sir Charles Temperiey, the scatterbrain head of the house of- Temperiey, has wasted his patrimony on ring and racecourse and cards, and Sir John Hawker holds his bill for 10,000 guineas or so. 'My Lady Temperley's appeal to her son results in his proposal of marriage to the heiress, Ethel Morley, who is in love with his younger brother, Ca'ptain Jack. The girl"is willing to save Temperley from the hammer, and Sir Charles betakes himself to town, vowing never to touch the cards again, lie i.s promptly found in Tom Cribb's saloon by his brother, just as ho is about to wager with Sir John. Young Temperley's man, Ginger Stubbs, possesses a fine proficiency with tho gloves, and perceiving his chance io win back the Temperiey guineas from Sir John the captain makes a match with the gentleman—Gloster Dick against Ginger Stubbs, 011 'Crawley Downs. Witnessing Stubb's performance against Joe Berks —as successful as Boy Jim's in "Ilodney Stone"—Sir John, to be sure of his win, plans with the bookmaker Jakes for Stubbs to be spirited away on the morning of the light. Debarred by the terms of tho wager from putting lip a professional, the captain himself steps into the ring, and, stripped to tho waist, and with bare fists, he knocks out Gloster Dick in what n convenient drop curtain declares to bo seventeen rounds. But the ring is broken by Hawke's men: hot words pass between the gentlemen; Sir Charles strikes Sir John across the mouth; the challenge is given and accepted. Sir John turns furiously on Jakes, and horsewhips him soundly—an outburst, which costs him dear, for the bookmaker retaliates by placing in the hands of the committee of Wntier's Club the details of 'a shady attempt to rook Sir Charles with marked cards, and the chairman, in a scene which' presents the finest pirro of dramatic writing and the most telling acting of the play, erases Hawker's name from tho club book. In the final scene, before a Spanish fortress, Sir Charles- loses his life by firing a mine, and the moral is pointed to perfection." The acting honours fall to Mr. Arthur Styan, as Sir John Hanker, Mr. James Atholwood as Jakes, and Mir. Cyril Mackay as Sir Charles Temperiey. Notes.

Mr. Robert Greig, Iho talented character actor with tho big frame, who plays Major Smodley in "Jieauty and the Barge," will not be. with us for long. This year ho hopes to visit America where he will try a lliug with fortune. Mr. Greig is well advised, lie is the type of comedian who fill the eye and cm out-size in clothes, and has one of thoso fnll-lleshed, pink-skinned, genial faces round which American farce and cquiedy-writers love to build. I cannot remember Mr. Greig being otherwise than clever and conscientious in his work. Those who saw "The Fencing-Master," when playwl here by the Hugh' Ward Company a couple of years ago, may or will not remember that Mr. Greig's was the performance of tlio piece, a stout old sloppy-heeled Italian restaurant-keeper in the Bowery. Later he played some of Mr. Ward's parts quite successfully in the reconstructed company. Mr. Dob Greig has other intentions beside America. Pretty Beatrice Hollo-way is to he his bride in (he not-far-distant future, probably, however, not before the groom feels the pnlso of theatrical America. If it beats true then Miss Molloway may follow him to the States, and Australasia will be the poorer for her loss. Both player nre very popular in tho business and they will have everyone's blessing and good word. Oscar Wilde's brilliant play, "A Woman of Xo Importance," is in the repertoire of tho Ilaiiiilton-Piinuner-Dennistou Dramatic Company, soon to visit New Zealand. This news will bo cordially welcomed by all true lovers of the drama. Wilde's play was first produced here by the Brough and Boucicaiilt management, and the success it achieved was most pronounced. It is one of the wittiest, and at the same time one of the most artistic, of modern productions. ."It is not his wit, and still less-his knack of paradox twisting," wrote William Archer, the eminent critic of Wilde, "that makes me claim for him a place apart among English dramatists. It is the keenness of his intellect, the individuality of his point of view, the excellence of his verbal style, and, above all, the genuinely dramatic quality of his inspirations." The company appears in Perth at Easter.

The English Pierrots, who were so well and favourably received at the Industrial Exhibition at Wellington last year, nro making an extended tour of tho Dominion during tho present year, commencing at tha Town Hall, Wellington, on Thursday, May IG. The company is under the'direction of Messrs. W. ami 11. Thomas, and Maynard Dakin. Tho programmes consist of musical sketches, operatic gems, society entertainments, eccentric studies, pianoforte recitals, and instrumental novelties. Mr. Maynard Dakin—still the leading comedian of the company—is an artist from tho London Pavilion, and Empire Theatre, where ho was a "headlincr" for many seasons. He has been associated with the present combination for tho past four years, and in conjunction with the other members of the management, own tho Pavilion at St. Kilda, Victoria, with which (ho Pierrots have been associated for tho past eight years. Victor Beck has chargo of tho management of tho tour, which commences at the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on May IG.

Mr. Hamilton Hodgcs's Recital.

Mr. Hamilton ITodges, who has pitched his tact among us for a time, has arranged to give a special song recital in the Concert Chamber on Wednesday next. "Special" becauso ho will introduce to Wellington concert-lovers much that is now in song, including a number by American writers littlo known here. We know of Arthur i'ootc as a most successful song writer with poetical ideas, but so little do wo know that we would fain litar more. Mr. Hodges will sing his "Onco at the Angclusl" Miss Margaret Ruthven-Lfing is another charming writer of ballads, and her "Sometimes" is a very beautiful example of her work. No programme of American music would be complete without the name of lidward Macdowell, whoso song "The Swan Bent Low to the Lily," Mr. Hodges will interpret. Songs of Uonjamin AVholpley and Clayton Johns will also be included. Arthur "Somervell's song cycle written round Tennyson's "Maud," figures on the programme, and among the big men appear the names of Schubert, Kichard Strauss, Victor Masse, and Godard will 1)0 represented. Truly a prodigiously interesting bill. Mr. Hodges will be assisted by Mr. Baxter Buckley, the brilliant pianist. Leonard Berwick, the English pianist ! now on a world tour, made a decided hit I at Carnegie Hall, New York.