THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1419, 20 April 1912, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

(Br Silviub.) Tha World's & theatre; tho Eartk a stage.—Heywood. "Miss Lancashire, Ltd." Miss Marie Baiues, sister of the volatilo Miss I'lorenco Haines, who was here a.couple of years ago. is to appear in 'the musical farce, ".Miss Lancashire, Ltd,," at the Opera House, on Monday evemng. This is the same farce which Miss Floreneo Haines plaved in Australia and New Zealand. T'he new Miss Baines is said to be a bright comedienne and mimic, and a specialty she excels in is that of imitating children. Charles Brookfield-Censor, One is apt to wonder if Charles Brook--1 in Y'T ] ' oint ccnsor Ivittt Alfred Benuam had any notion when ho wrote his Random Reminiscences" that he would over occupy the position which ho does today. He must have been millions of miles ri'.°! I V,! ll ' ca " nn S it when ho wroto "Dear Old Charlie," which comedv has just had the acid of criticism applied to it by the Loudon press. The comedy appears to have- been a malignant excreseonco of Brookfield's literary youth, which, like early sins, return to tear and rend the matured man. That Charles Brook-field was violently opposed to any interference with his work is admirably illustrated by a random shot in his "Reminiscences." It was about a short story, which he had written, entitled "A Superior Animal." This appeared in "The Bristol Times and Mirror." "It _ had originally (writes C.8.) a most artistic, unconventional, and thrilling finish, of which I was duly proud. When, I saw it in the West Country paper, I found an entirely unauthorised, commonplace, and impotent conclusion, which annoyed me excessively (note the annoyance). I wrote accordingly an icy letter to the office, asking how it came about that the termination of a story appearing over my namo had been altered without my sanction. I received a curt note from the sub-editor saying that he did not know who I was; that file only individual whom ho recognised in the transaction was Mr. Colles a (syndicator of stories); and that ho had put an end to it because it did not seem to have one. I wroto back and said:— " 'Dear sir,—The village editor has no more right to adulterate a story than tho villago grocer has to sand the sugar, though 1 am aware that the custom provails in both cases.'" Now tho chances are that that sub-editor ill question rather thought that he was sugaring the sand—sub-editors never, well, hardly ever—see eye to eye with a writer, and Brookfield's thrillingly unconventional ending must have borne a distant resemblance to a way-station rather than a terminus. In the case of a censor, a liberal supply of both sand, and sugar must bo kept on the premise's, but, bless you, Brookfield's new position is altogether too high and mighty to lie nssaulted by such saucy missives as the ono he credits himself with. Censor ,Wanted. Personally, I do not think that the ofI fice of censor is one that could with safety bo dispensed with. It is all very well for dramatists to cavil at tho alteration their plays are submitted to, and for them to proclaim that the best censors are tho police and the public is pure and unadulterated nons?nse. As a matter of fact, they arc the worst. Tho police would bo bound to make vast blunders (unless they employed skilled censors with a reasonable,idea of what was healthy and what unhealthy in stage literature), and tho public en ransso is not a judge of anything. Like the law, it is an egregious ass, and is u,s easily taken in as tho washing on tho lino. There is no call for a censor in New Zealand—the plays which we get usually filter through the theatres of London and New York, and are, as a rule, innocuous successes. We. got more than our share of garish, shoddy, and meaningless melodrama, in which littlo harm exists save that it lowers the taste. What is needed, however, is someone in authority who will sco that picture show managers do not present at children's matinees that class of picture which embodies a series of torrid lovo scenes, or something worse. Nino-tenths of the spectatorate at a recent matinee in Wellington were children, and nearly lialf the programme, was tho picture "Vanity Fair," in which Becky Sharp's numerous conquests arc unblushingly depicted. A splendid picture, but over-stroug meat for youngsters. / Every matinee programme is starred with lovo enisodes that, though harmless enough to adults, are, to say the least, unsuitable to children of tender years. "The Blue Bird" in Sydney, Across the ever-widening horizon of the Australian stage the "Blue Bird" winged its way in rapturous song at the Criterion Theatre on Saturday night (says "Sydney Morning Herald" of April 8). Maurico Maeterlinck's fable of the two children who wander in a golden dream through tho Land of Memory to the Kingdom of the Future, by magic power releaso the souls of Animals, Trees, and Things, and finally awake to find the coveted symbol of Happiness by their own humble fireside, has been read by thousands hero as elsewhere. The story of the play needs no retelling. It is probably destined to rank with tho legends that become tho common property of all nations. In theatrical representation, however, it proves to be much more elaborated than are the simple fairy tales in question, and for that reason forms, without tho intrusion of jarring elements, a perfect, because poetic, pantomime. Tho literary merit of the piece as a whole is due to its consistency of atmosphere. A spirit of kindly affection, of humane tolerance, marks the touches of wisdom which imbue the action, the keenest observation upon animal-character is manifested in a very sympathetic humour, and if the poetic fancies of tho story are sometimes too laboriously far-fetched, tho defect passes unnoticed in the spectacular, colourful charm in which they are illustrated. Scenos_ of exquisite beauty, now of the homeliest nature, and again of classic magnificence, are allied with captivating) music, very daintily scored for the most part, but sometimes as explosively effectivo as the latter-day Russian composers' at the dramatic climax of their most complex symphonies. Tho paintings are by Joseph Harker (London), Leslie Board, and William Little; the incidental music is by Norman O'Neill, and was especially composed for the production at the ffnyinarket Theatre. It is ably conducted at. the Criterion by W. Jacobson Byles, whose orchestra was potent in maintaining tho atmosnhere of the whole production. In this way an art-achievement of no small imnortance may bo credited to the J. C. Williamson management. In Paris, St. Petersburfr. Berlin. New York, and London "The Blue Bird" has brought two or three hours of happiness to millions. Australia is seeing tho work so rapturously lauded in London under the same conditions. Mr. Norman Potc, (he producer, (he Dog, the Cat, Night, the Oak, and several minor characters, now in evidence, are all from Mr. Frederick Harrison's Haymarket Theatre cast, ami much of the scenery i« from that illustrious playhouse. Indeed. Saturday's pronounced "success could not have been moro legitimately won. A Word About Ada Ward. Miss Ada Ward, the actress-evangelist, who has been inveighing against her coreligionists for their coldness and nncharitableness, and has threatened to return to her "dear, noble and generous theatrical people," can hardly be taken seriously. Only two or threo years ago she was describing Die stago as a huge sink of iniquity, and making capital on the Solvation Army platform of her experiences in the "sink." Now sho is turning round on her evangelical friends and lauding up stage-folk to the skies. Her varying attitudes are theatrical to tho last degree, and as she only deals in vague generalities—whoever she is lashing with her activo tongue—what she says or docs is hardly of importance. Miss Ada Ward played a season of drama in Sydney 2."> years ago. Her chief part was the dual role of Lady Isabel and Madame Vino in "East Lynne." Some of the older actors concerned in the performance remember the occasion with crystal clearness because the fact that they received no salary burnt into their memories. Miss Ward must now be in tho vicinity of fifty years of age. New London Productions, From a dramatic standpoint, tho montl of Usee]) tooou to h&n b«u mods mw\_.

orablo by the production of ".Milestones" at file Royalty Theatre, and some of the critics predict a yor's run at least. The now play is by Arnold Bennett, novelist, and the Kismet-crowned Knoblauch, and it hits tho peculiarity of covering three periods in the history of two inter-mar-ried families. There seems to be a genoravion tor each act, 1860, 18S5, and 191::. Ibis arrangement has obliged the first night reviewers to wrestle at eoiLsidernble length with threo plots linked together by effluxion of time. Thero is a touching, but subordinate, character in the person of Ortrudc, who breaks off her engagement with tho man she loves because he reluses to "argue wilh a woman," is seen in. middle life lonely and regretful; «ml in old ago joins two young people together by persuading their millioimireparonl.s to mark happily their own golden wedding day by conceding something to romance, and love. Gertrude (.Miss Jlaidoe "right) satisfied that her thwarted womanhood has accomplished 0110 real task, sings with a trembling voice to the old people as they all sit bv tho light of a nro on a dark winter's dav—and so tho curtain falls. The artists are all warmly praised. This charming play is said to illustrate tho text, "each genoratlnn » of itself, and understands no u ■,„ 10 y ol "'K man of progress is the. Middle-aged man of standing-still, the relormer of to-day is the Moderate of tomorrow, and the Immoderate of the dav alter. Only, somo high and steadfast souls superior to Time, stand immutable in their serenity," On March 7, .Mr. 11. ti. }; m £ nl ? (!e lns ,ic,M,t as "■ dramatist at the audeville Theatre, where he utilised 'in collaboration with Mr. Hosier) his popular story of "Kipps," .tho Folkstone jtmiKT, ami produced it under the same title with a competent cast. The reviews suggest that the. aroma of tho original has been lost, but tho fable of Kipps's rise to fortune forms a brishh amusing iarcc, and was welcomed with laughter. Notes. " The news that Carrie .Moore (Mrs. P. I. logwood) is iii New Zealand created considerable interest in theatrical circles. -Uiss Moore was one of tho brightest musical comedy girls Australia ever produced, and she has been accepted in England as an artist of considerable talent. W hat she intends to do in Now Zealand remains to bo seen. The riimmer-Denniston C'ompanv, which opened its season in Perth during Holy Week, opened appropriately with "Tho Village Priest," with Mr. G. H. Tithcr™S<> '." ! »s old part of the Abbs Dubois. Mr. litheradge is said to have completely regained his health, and is acting with nil his old-time artistic graco and conviction. Miss Lillian Myers, who married a wealthy theatrical manager in America a couple of years ago, passed through Auckland a lew days ago, on route to Melbourne, where her mother lies seriously ill. .Mks Myers .appeared in Wellington somo timo ago in "The Little Breadwinner" Company. Kubelik, tho famous violinist, injured one, of his lingers at New York whilo using a manicure file, and several concerts were postponed. His ten fingers are insured for .C-17,000, and his managers stated that a tenth of that sum will bo claimed from the underwriters. Mr. Julius Knight is now one of the leading members of Miss Darragh's Repertory Players at tho Gaiety Theatre, Manchester. Ho is appearing in a repertoire of dramas, including "The Notorious Mrs. Ebbsmith," 'The Walls of Jericho," "Arms and tho Man." Mrs. Clifford's "The Likeness of the Night," George Calderon's "The Fountain," and a \ww effort by tho prolific John Galsworthy.