THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1491, 13 July 1912, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

(Br SiLYiua.) The World's a theatre; the Earth * stage.—Heywood. 'Beri Hur." Lew Wallace's fine romance, "Ben Hur," with its ; . scriptural-Quin-, pagan totting, is to be staged at the Opera House on Wednesday next by a largo size in Williunisonian companies. It comes to Wellington with the brand of success stamped all over it, and there is little doubt, that the verdict on the production will'be any different here than in Sydney and Auckland, Its success, as far as one can judge, has been more on account of its spectacular than its histrionic; qualities, for it lends itself to gorgeous treatment by the scenic artist and mechnnist, and as both have done their work well, we may look for sonicthing that will gladden the eye, all this being hitched to a play which cannot offend the iiuer senses of of good drama. The elaborate tableaux., which form a feature of- the -. performance ; of "Ben Hur," illustrate the following features:— Meeting of the three wise men, housetop of tho Palace of Ben Hur at Jerusalem, interior of the Roman- galley -As-1 toroea, tho wreck after the- battle with the pirates and the rescue, tho house ol Simonides at Antioch, tho Grove of Daphne, the Temple'of "Apollo, the Mosque of Eros, the Fountain of Castalia, and : the revels in the grove, the douar in the Orchard of Palms, the supper with Sheik Ilderim, and the meeting on the lake between Ben H.ur - and; Iras, tlie gateway of the Circus at Antioch, Hit arena and the chariot race, Ben. Hur's deserted palace at Jerusalem," the Vale of Hinnon, Mount Olivet, :and the miracle of the healing of the lepers. , The company includes the following well-known artists:—Messrs.' Eric Maxon,' Leslie Victor, J. B. Atholwood; li>oiiard Nilley, Winter Hall, A.-Styan, Jfardlev Turner, T. W. Lloyd, Boyd Irwin, Waiter Gibb, G. Chalmers, Carleton Stuart, also i Misses Dorothy Dix, Gwen, Burroughs, Susie Vauglrajii George O'Meara, and; Alma Vaughan. Mr. J. W. Hazlitt is with the combination as stage manager.

Oscar Wilde Once More. . . - Writing of "A Woman of No Importance, ' produced in- Melbourne last Saturday week by the Plimmer-Denniston Company <( (to visit -Wellington in SeptemW). tho ;"Age" says:—"From among a host of comedies written, during the past twenty years, 'A Woman of No Importance stands out with lustre quite iindiminished.. The author was at the zenith of his powers when he wrote it, and the play combines in a singular degree his two . most conspicuous qualities .as., a , dramatist—ingenuity of plot and brilliance of dialogue. It' is probable tho world of fashion has not greatly altered since \Yilde wrote about it in the early nineties, some of-its details, a. few of its external modes, may have altered, but (hat is all. 'To be in Society,' says one of the characters in 'A Woman of-No Importance,' ■'is'.a bore;.but to be out of it—Hint is a tragedy.' This point of view, there can be no question, is the' point of view cf thousands.of people,both.in England and Australia. It may be unfortunate, but there it is. Lord Illingwqi'th puts it in another way when he says tp. his 'son, If you can,-dominate a'London dinner party, yqii enn dominate tho world.' It may not be altogether true, but it is true enough to Rive value and importance to. the Oscar , Wilde picture of London men and women..of the privileged set. No doubt.he makes them .talk better than they .did.talk.;, no'doubt he makes, them seem • more graceful and . distinguished ■than,tliej-'really;were,.but at.tho. same time his philosophy has a meaning,.and an,'aJHance;with,truth,.just.as his wit' and cleverness are an asset for this us for the previous generation:.. Fo r, these and. other reasons 'A Woman , of No Importance' is a play to be seen.', The crowded !hduse on Saturday—it" was'one of the largest 'houses' seen at the Princess's for a long thought so/ and .signified "its interest' in an' unmistakable way. ■ ' . ■■ ~ ■

The.-Law and the Prophets;' ■ . . y.'/Thfttyth'e. system • ofy-constantly importing :new artists,,froih America';and England .to fill. important roles in' Australia is.opeul to question, is proved.by the success which has attended the .efforts of Australian players abroad of late. ' Miss Elsie Wilson; of the Titian hair and suP, e .r''. fi 8" re >, who played small parts with Williamson.-conipames for years has been touring as leading lady'in "The Crisis" and Princess Flayia, in "The Prisoner of Zendo" in , America. Her husband, Mr. Rupert, Julian- (another sniall-part .mart with Williamson,. Ltd.) has been secured by Mr. Lewis' Waller for his production of M. Beaucaire" in New York. Miss Ivy Scott, who was given very few chances with "the firm" (one was in "The Country Girl") Has actually • been singing prima donna roles with a French opera company in New York and is regarded as a fine artist. Mr. Roland Hogue, who did not "cut much ice", in Australia, was recently appearing iii a profninent role in "Boy Blue" in a Broadway (New York) theatre. Francis Alda (Francis Adler, of Melbourne) , appears occasionally as prima donna at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, and Sydney Bracy is appearing in "Robinhood" recently at the New Amsterdam Theatre (New York).. Whilst small encouragement was - given to the aforementioned few the'firm imports artists (at big salaries) of the calibre of Mr. William Desmond and Miss Hilda Spong, neither of whom have justified the high expectations shadowed in managerial advance "puffs." It. is only by..going, away and stopping away for years that native talent really achieves a chance of raising to the value(in ' salary) of an imported actor' or actress. There are a few exceptions to the irule- 4 - Mis 3 Florence Yoimg and Mr. W. S. Percy to quote two—but they would, have no difficulty in "raising the blind" if given a chance in America or England. - Notes. ; . ' ■ A new auditorium concert hall, which is being built to the order of J. and N.'Tait' in Collins - Street; Melbourne, will be a handsome addition to' that .city's architecture. The front wing, abutting on Collins Street, will, be particularly striking, and will contain five floors in addition to those required for the concert 'hall; : Each floor will be divided into about a .dozen spacious rooms, all of the windows of which will-open on the outer air. There will be ho borrowed lights nor any.corridor ventilation in the , building, arid'a"decided advantage is that the ,uppsr floors will be completely insulated from the concert hall , by 'the 'new ferro-concrete fireproof construction. Each floor will con-' tain bathrooms, lavatories, and other conveniences;, both gas and electric, light will be laid on; and there will be a staircase and two lifts.for the use cf the tenants iii the upstairs-portions. The lifts, it may be noted, will be cf the' speedy push-button tvpe.-and' will be reached- by a specially-constructed en-trance-way from Collins Street. Australia will get acquainted with seme interesting lecturers soon (says the "Bulletin"). Miss Mary Prootor, daughter of Richard A., astronomer, is to happen along.with a bunch.of discourses on the ways and wonders of the planets, , ccmets, and other tourists of the upper air. .Her season 'will probably open in Melbourne about August 5, and tho talks will be illustrated by slides that make the audience see stars. Following her at a respectful distance will be Elbert Hubbard, the American instigator of "The Philistine," who is expected to deliver rhetoric on his philosophy of life. Another approaching, lecturer is John Kendrick Bangs, author of "The Houseboat on tho Styx," who will presumably supply some dissertations in humour. , ■ ■

! "Tho Quaker Girl" has been having an unbroken spell of prosperity. Merry, bright, and sparkling, it fulfils all the requirements of musical comedy patrons, and, lias other attractions in the way of originality and tunefulness. It is in three a'cts, which contain twenty-four musical numbers, including a'waltz" song, Come to the Ball." An additional attraction during the Melbourne run will be the appearance of Grace Palotta with the company, i . Mr - G ?°\ *■ Titlieradge, who was recent* ly reported to be in i\ow York, has made a reappearance in Melbourne with the Hinimei'-Demiiston Company, scoring a most artistic-success in his old part of Lord Illiiigton in Oscar Wilde's comedv mh if"" 1 of No Importance." ihe Do of the popular entertainer is by no means an easy one, as inav be ! judged from the experience of Mi>s 'Margaret .Cooper. She informed tho writer that, including matinees, she had appeared at 8» concerts in Australia'between April G and July 5 last, and that, during that lime, sho had sung no fewer than 1018 sours. Now sho is going to do hard work in New Zealand, visiting a great manv of the smaller towns in both Islands, after, which she will take a well-earned rest at Rotorua. A Harry Riekards Vaudeville Company '!■ ? c ?' um v nco a to,,r of New. Zealand at Auckland on Monday next, and will ?1 n £' 4 ,n? Opera Hous e, Wellington, on July 31. Hie new artists include Einaldo, an eccentric violinist of talent, Will H. I , ox,, comedy pianist and reconteur; Miss Mome Mine, an English souLrette; and half-a-dozen other artists of good standVi ? " it , •' Marcus 's manager, and Mr. \\ . A. Low will be in advance.