THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1575, 19 October 1912, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

(By Sylvius.)

Tho World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Hey wood. The Asche-Brayton Season. Tho Asche-Braylon Company have now given us ii taste'of their quality, and the public has found it good. Of course, as invariably happens in siich eases, there lias been a profligate use of adjectives on (lie part of some writers, who would have us believe that Mr. Asche and Kiss Brayton ate the Alpha and Omega of Shakespearean histrionics—a claim they themselves, good players, would not dream of making. Such words as "genius" must be gratifying, I suppose, to those to whom the word is applied, but it is one which will be somewhat embarrassing to live up to. There have been line Shakespearean productions in 'Wellington heretofore. George Musgrove brought a company to New Zealand—entirely En'disli, too—spine ten years ago, -which played Shakespeare in his lighter moods extremely well, and from the standpoint of production has not yet been excelled. I still treasure memories of AV. H. Denny's conception of Nick Bottom, the weaver, in "The Dream," and Maud .Milton's Maria, in "Twelfth Night"; and the juvenile people, too, Miss Kerin and Norman Partridge, were most acceptable. Time is an infamous obliterator of stage impressions,- and tho good players who assist in forming them are worth" a passing thought even when we are being fed anew. And we are! There is no question that Mr. Oscar Aschc has brought a company capable of doing justice to the Bard's works, and in himself and his charming and talented wife (Miss Bray ton} we have players who ero calculated"to adorn leading roles that are suited to their dispositions—temperaments. Judgment next week will wait upon his Fatstair, her Mistress Ford; his Othello, her Desdem'ona—well contrasted characters in both instances which serve as a fine test for capacity in character-draw-ing, weight, dignity, modesty, humility, sublletv, and emotional appeal. "The" Merry Wives of Windsor" is to be played on' Monday and Tuesday evenings, and "Othello" for tho rest of the week.

"Drake." Tho London theatrical year ends in midJulv, and opens with September. The latter point had just been reached when tho mail Jeft, new pieces being announced, every evening for the first fortnight, half of which had been produced. Pride of place must be accorded.do Sir Herbert Tree's production at His Majesty's, of which we read "Drake is so resoundingly, so all-conqueringly a spectacle, that it is'hard to discuss it us a drama." 111 other words, Louis N. Parker's new historical pageant is one of the characteristic Tree productions, splendidly put on. but probably a trifle dull. "Herod" and "Ulvsses"' were so, at any rate, though the truth did not leak out until after they had been withdrawn.

A few days before the production of "Drake," tlie "Evening Standard" critio wrote:—"! can promise von in 'Drake' one of the most: 'original,' thrilling, and tremendous effects ever seen 011 the stage, the ■,fight between Drake's ship and the Spanish 'galleon. Even in its unfinished state at an early rehearsal, when I saw it, it was colossal.". On the first night, however, the "Westminster Gazette" remarked: "The fight against the Armada consisted mainly of red fire and 'bins-banes'. ... It was not very convincing, though perhaps it showed all that can be done on the stage in the form of this sort of thin*." Tho "Evening Standard" itself had so far cooled down that ,in the actual review it praises every sccno excent the fight! _ • • " The fact is that the London press so habitually rallies in supcort of its leading playhouses that a detailed comparison of one criticism with another, all favourable in tho main,, but many condemnatory in detail, is confusing. . "Patriotic inspiration,". the chances of a war with Germany, and "remember p Drake" seem to linvo been managers' war-cries . adroitly employed to work up the first night interest/ But patriotism is a non-theatrical virtue, and the "Westminster Gazette" has thp courage to say that, apart from" ail this, 'Drake' is an ordinary pseudo-his-torical melodrama." Efforts, have been made to avoid, the melodramatic note and catch the romantic drama style, but the result is not quite satisfactory. The piece is in ten scenes, and shows" the -Snanish emissaries working against Queen Elizabeth, and plotting with John Doughty, 11 devout Roman Catholic, to put Mary on the throne. Drake's rough energy and daring counsels captivate the 'Queen, but he falls in love with Elizabeth Sydenham, ousting Doughty from her favour. In the Tstlumis of Darien. Drake and his men defeat the Snanish "nfter a comically unreal combat"; Doughty, once a bosom friend of Drake oledgos the latter in a loving cup ere going off to execution for mutiny, "the best'scene in the drama"; the famous game of bowls at Plymouth Hoe is shown; then the battle of "red fire and bing;bangs"; and the play closes with a splendid .thanksgiving scene by Elizabeth at Old St. Paul's in the presence of her people. There is a chorus oE, press-approbation for all this, bnt the "Westminster Gazette's" disappointment rings true and probably the play will not run long. Mr. Lyn Harding as Drake resembled the piece "in avoiding the melodramatic, without showing any sign of inspiration"; Miss Fjiyljis Neilson-Terry was occasionally eflective, "but in the rather numerous listening passages she seemed wooden." The London "Daily Telegraph," as part of a'long rhapsody on the piece, was able to write thus for her: "Qucenliest of queens holding eye and mind intent by the sheer power of her presence, malting you believe with new conviction in the towering dominant spirit of the preat woman who changed the world's fortune." Notes. Ellen Terry says:—"A successful actress must have a good heart, and three i's— imagination, independence, and industry." Those with a first-hand acquaintance of some of the big dramatic stars will doubt ,the essentiality of the first-named virtue.