THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1527, 24 August 1912, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

(Br Sylvius.)

The World's a theatre; the EartU a stage.—lleynood. Pantomime in Evolution. What will tlio pantomime of fifty-years heneo be p. That question must liavo. occurred to many old playgoers who have been dazzled and tickled by "Sinbad the Sailor" during the past few sights. Ono very consistent playgoer who had seen the performance was heard to 6ay: "Now, thirty' years ago n pantomime. was n. pantomime, X remember seeing tilt Voltes Family in 'Sinbad' at tho" Drury Lano Theatre. Ah, that was I 'ft •performance if you like. You did'get something' of tho story of Sinbad, and jolly well acted it was!" Very likely. The Voltes Family must liavo been extremely talented, but . one doubts very much if that g-entloman would enro to sit out that show in preference to tho modern idea of pantomime. Then they had flaring fas footlights and borders, old-fashioned "llats" for scenery, and the dreadful Harlequinade, with 11 fitting of sausages as tho principal joko in an entertainment which concluded about midnight. Tho chief actors declaimed their badly-rhymed lines in the heavy-old tragedy style, and the ballet consisted mostly of experienced dames of uncertain.age. . . If the pantomimes of old were lictter, lie sure the modern manager would produce them, and save the. thousands oi pounds which aro expended on. scenery and glitterintg electrical .effects of. wondrous beauty. Pantomime changes in its character as rapidly as any other form oi stage entertainment, ami it is. delightful that it is so. Could 0110 have placed-such a pantomime as is now being produced at tho Opera Houso on tho stago of tho Drury Lano Theatre thirty years ago, it would have been hailed as a miracle oi loveliness never before even dreamed oi in stage garnishment, and I do not think that tho performers would have suffered so much oven, in comparison with tho renowned 1 Vokes Family. , In the meantime, science gallops on to fresh discoveries, many of which are used to elaborate stago productions, and at the rate the pantomime has evolved during the past quarter of a century, it would need the imagination of an H. G. Wells' to say what the pantomime of 19G2 will bo like.

Another Tltheradge Triumph. Siuco "A Message from Mars" was fivsl played in Melbourne, ' thero hayo been several revivals but none- in which the singularly • Uumau phantasy has been more delicately and- delightfully handled than by the- strong company of artists now al tho Princess's Theatre. Tlio tramp is only an incident of the play, but in make-up, as in acting, Mr. Titheradge gives us a study- that merely adds another to the many proofs of his fine qualities as an actor. Given any character opportunities at-all, "wo tsilio it for granted that Mr, Titheradge, with his fine sense of balance detail, will never play a part indifferently. Tho tramp is another picture to bo remembered in- his great gallery of stage celebrities.—Melbourne "Australasian;"

Chesterton on "Macbeth." "I think tho greatest drama in tho world is 'Macbeth.' I think 'Macbeth' tho one supreme drama because it is tho one Christian drama, and I will" accept the accusation of prejudice. But I mean by Christian (in this matter) tho strong, .sense.-of spiritual liberty and of sin; tho idea that the best man can be as bad as he chooses. You may tall OthoJlo a victim of chance. You may call Hamlet a victim of temperament. You cannot coll Macbeth anything, bujt a victim of Macbeth. The.evil spirits tempt him, lint they never force him; they never even frighten him, for he is a-very brave man. I havo often wondered that no ono has mado so obvious a parallel as that between tho murders of Macbeth and the meninges of Henry VIII. Both Hcnrv iana^'Slacbeth , -were originally, brave, goodliinnoured men, better rather than worse than thoir neighbours. Both Henry and .Macbeth hesitated over their first crime —tho first stabbing and the first divorce. Both found out tho fate which is in evil —for Macbeth went on murdering ami poor Henry went on marrying. There is only one fault in the parallel. Unfortunately for history, Henry VIII wns not deposed."

London Doings. When tho mail left London the two opera seasons yrcro ncariug tho end. At the Royal Italian Opera, Mmo. Totrimini made her last appearance on July 11 as K-osina in "II Barbicre," with Jfr. M'Cormack and M. Stunniarco in the cast. The last-nanied was einging earlier in the year at Chicago with Mines. Snltznian-Stovens and Be Cisneros in "Tristan and Isolde." Mmc. Tetrazzini will now fill Continental engagements, but tho Covent Garden season continues for a while after her departure. At the.London Opera House the season was to close absolutely on July 13 with a programme' of excerpts, the big attraction of which was doubtless tho appearance of Mr. Orvillo Harrold and Miss Felice Lyno in the fourth act of "Borneo and Juliet." Miss Ruth Vinwnt, a favourite comic opera soprano, has been engaged as principal/soprano for tho Hereford. Oratorio Festival—for these things happen in England just as often as anywhere else. Mr. Lewis Waller, duo here next year, has returned from his loog stay in America. In regavd to his experiences, the "St. James's Gazette" quotes the following:—"Yon wouldn'tcatch an American actor-manager surrounding himself with so many good actors. He'd be too zealous of his own chances to score," said a prominent New York journalist to tho English artist, etc. This makes very good reading for complacent, untravelled London readers; who always think all theatrical productions elsewhere beneath contempt, i'o playgoers who have travelled it will bo recognised as the last thing any American journalist would say about his own theatres; and if he did soy it, it wouldn't be true. Mr. Charles Frohman, who is about to stage in America "Tho Honour of Japan," tlip French drama at the Paris Odeon, which it was reported H. B. Irving had secured for London, will produce it with 200 peoplo on the big scene, and 1C novel''sets of Japanese design. Ho vigorously and amusingly attacks Iferr Roinhardt's methods in producing "Tho Miracle" at Olympia and."Oedipus Rex" at Covent Garden. I believe they arose early in his career from a mistake in ringing up the curtain before tho properties were on the stage. The actors and directors were paralysed with fright, hut, lo their surprise, tho audience, said ".Wonderful! At last something new!" and Reinhardt was made! Ho has gone on bcimr "mado" ever since. "Tho Reinhardt system is to me like our own feeling about- tho weather. Wo fay, 'Oh, Iho month of May; tho beautiful, wonderful month of May.' Then it rains 30 days in May, and when tho spring comes round nsriin we rejoice in the Iwautiful month of May." The Rcinhardt system givos tho public next to nothing, and the rest is done by the imaginative talent of tho press. , . Now Barrle Play. , - The London "Daily- Telegraph" announces a new three-act play as coining from the pen of Mr. J. M. Barrie. Mr. Charles Frohman it is who pledges his word to its production, to take plneo in the West Knd next February. Just upon four years have elapsed since Mr. Barrio contributed to the stage a work of similar importance, and no bottciiMiews could bo forthcoming than that of a real successor to "What Kvcry Woman Knows." Tlio piece, doubtless, would have been ready earlier but for Mr. Barrio's acceptance of Mr. Frohman's invitation to unite with Sir Arthur l'iuero and Mr. Bernard Shaw in the making of tlve unique programme with which tho Duke of York's reopen , : Into in September. During tlie coming eenson Mr. Frohman will also present n new comedy, now being written for him by Mr. Haddon Chambers, who has retired to a lit tip riverside cottago in order to concentrate his attention upon the work. All that need bo said of the picco for tho moment: is that it will lm of somewhat stronger texture even than "Passers-by," although tho comedy element will prodominate.

I Miss Aria Sterling, wife of Mr. Frank : Sterling,manager of the Adeiphi Tlieatre, ! in Willi? Street, who was for sonic time. in the Royal Comic* Opora Company, has made a success in America.- On Ki'ptember '.' she is to appear as Mrs. HmniHouT?ex in a big wh-al of "A Country Girl," \m a ]3roadffpy.-Tkea,tr<i,