THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1617, 7 December 1912, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

(Br Stlvics.)

The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Heywood. . The Drama in London. _"Barrie an easy winner; Shaw and Pmero also ran." This ia the sporting phraseology employed by a London paper to describe the result of the triple bill at the Duke of York's last month, when the "Shaw-Barrnero" experiment bocame an accomplished fact—or when, in other words, threo new one-act plays by Bernard Shaw, J. M. Barrio, and I'inero were produced for the first time by Charles Frohman. Barrie, coming on last,, changed an evening of weariness, according to the critics, into one of sparkle and delight. "Rosalind," his Ric™. is of a star actress, supposed to be ,-D, but really. 40 "and a bittock, as they say 111 Scotland." She steals awav for a holiday to ,a.quiet cottage far from london, and there allows herself to look her age, and pretends that the portrait of the actress is that of her daughter. But there, comes upon the scene a young man who is in love, with the supposed daughter;'whose photograph he carries in his pocket. The woman plays with the boy, half in earnest, half in jest, and the scene, between them is exquisite art. The writing, says one critic, is the daintiest thing. imaginable. The humour is Mr. Barrio at- his ■ best—the hoy's astonish- | lnent and wholesome,' if brainless, adoranoil, the . woman's ' explanation that nowadays, all .women on the stage and in-the -stalls linger long at 29; her story 0; \ the tricks 'of the actress, and the charm, that,even stays the hand of Father lime; her little bitter confession of the extent of her experience, and her weariness: and then, when the call back to Lon'don comes to her. the metamorphosis, exit middle age and slippers, quick en-trance-of corsets and fashion and high' spirits—and 29! Miss Irene Yanbrugh's acting of the title role is. enthusiastically praised. Mr. Shaw's play, "Overruled," seems to be a dissertation on love and marriage, and, the critics join in slating .it as prolix and not profoundly witty, while they also agree that Sir Arthur Pi.nero has fnilcd in his "Widow of Wasting Head," described by the "Chronicle'" as "a quite unaccountably feeble and false attempt at a stage ghost storv." "As for these two plays," writes this critic, scathiugly, "it is really, a case of the least said the better."

Death of Sir Edward Moss. Sir Edward Moss, whose death was recorded by cable on Wednesday, ivas a big man in. tho vaudeville business in England, and his firm (Moss and Stoll) probably controlled more theatres in England than any other. He was born iil Manchester in 1854, and after receiving a musical training with Mr. Andrew Banks,. started on his career as manager of p a small travelling company, after which he- assisted his' father as manager of the- first variety show (the successor to . the "free and easy") at Greenock. Subsequently he transferred his energies to Edinburgh, opening, the Gaiety Theatre there in 1877. Later he extended his ventures, and commenced to establish that chain of theatres known as the "Empire Palaces," and later still the Moss and Sloll "Empires," which includes the London Hippodrome, and now the Coliseum, which company's enterprises represent a capital of the largest- in tho world. His charities and public spirit were well nigh boundless, and when in 1.905 lift received the honour of knighthood, it was felt that the distinction was well and worthily bestowed.' He was a .LP. and DeuutvLieutenant for Midlothian. *

Shaw at Rehearsal. .. In connection with the production of Bernard Shaw's new piece, "Overruled," at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, oil. October 14, Miss Gertrude Kingston had' something, interesting to 6ay about ithe .author's-thoroughness-, as the pi'o'ducer of "liis"'own plays. Mim Kingston is in the cast- revival of "Captain •Brassbonnd"-at the -Little Theatres Said the actress :^-"Mr.. Shaw is ' abso-lutely-indefatigable. -Ho works from morning till'night; ' Nothing is left by him to chance.. He selected all the cast most, carefully, arid', even, suggested -a change of hats for me. -At rehearsal.'he sits in front- with pencil and notebook, and lets us go straight through. As soon as the act is over ho is ready with criticism. It is then that we come up for judgment. No one could be kinder in criticising.' He always says what he has ts bo said in the most delightful way. You never feel you. are a terrible fool. He merely t makes you feel that there is another point of view. Nor does he ever dismiss your own ideas as though they were not worth.thinking about, nS do a great many, woll-known and celebrated people. It is '.a great help working with Mr. Shaw, especially if-one wants to get all that is-possible out of a part. So many people are so casual, but he is-al-ways most thorough." The critic, of "The Stage," October 17, was liot enthusiastic over the new Shaw, •play, which formed part of a triple bill at the Duke of York's Theatre. Sir A. W. Paioro's "The Window of Wasdale Head," and J. M. Barrie's "Rosalind" were the other pieces. This is what the critic wrote:—. ■ 7. • ''

.- "In 'Overruled/ which the author calls a.demonstration, wo have a long exposition of Mr. Shaw as a brilliant dialectician. .There aro conversational fireworks and many subtle twisting® of logic, ' all very ingenious, and to a degree amusing; but an hour of - this sort of thing, at great prolixity, and' with no advancement from the _ first position,. brings tedium. Nothing in the play' proceeds farther than talk, and the characters get up only to sit down and talk again. One gets very tired of it all after . a time. Mr. Shaw moves continually in a circle, and covers the same ground again and again. The' characters "have all Mr. Shaw's peculiar cleverness in distinction, but they appeal'to us as very unreal* and much as mechanical\ figures engaged' in the exposition of arguments -. concerning matters general rather than personal/' . Mfe Geraldine Oliffe, who is known to Australian theatre-goers, played one of the principal parts—Mrs. Lunn. •

Drury Lane Celebration. The present Drury Lane Theatre, which, is the third successor of the first playhouse erected .'in IGG3, modestly marked the'occasion of its centenary on October 10 by. an odo specially written . by Mr. Stephen Phillips, The ceremony took place at the conclusion of the last act of "Everywoman." The patent for the first Theatre Royal was granted by Charles 11. The house was turned , down in 1672; its successor was taken down in 1791; in 1809 the third Theatre Boyal v.-as destroyed'by fire; and the present building was "opened to the public on October 10/1812. • Sir Henry Irving's last performances in Loudon were at Drury Lane. On October 10 his eldest son, Mr. 11. 15. Irving, read the centenary verses of Mr. Phillips, reviewing in .'lO lines some of the the•atroV /greatest, names—David Garrick, Brinsle'y Sheridan, Mrs. Siddons, Kemblc, Edmund Kcan, Grimakli, Macready, and Irving.' ■■■... | These lines are from the odo:— Hero . Siddons dowii tils' castlo stairway .stole, . , " Cleansing her-.hands -of -blood, hut not .. her soul, Or, as one drunk with triumph, did she sway, Reeling in glory dowtv Hie Roman way. Here solemn Kenibel. trod; behold him \ stand ' And moralise on death with skull in hand. Whb last of all appears? What holier 'shade Familiar portals doth again invade? See.on Iris brow he'wearost Dante's bays 15nt Heniff Irving 'tis not mine to praise. Here, where men saw. those famous players tread," Let, other's rise' to'-emulate the dead. .A second Siddons-and a second Kean, lie-aniinatc this memorable scone! ■ . During its" history' Hie. nlayhoiiso has been called The, King's House, King's Theatre, .The l'layb'o.use in Drury Lane, I'iie .I'li'oenix, C'ovent Garden Theatre, The Theatre Koyal, and Drury Lane. J.C.W.'s 1913. ■ The J. C. Williamson firm v;ill have a -.bis- list' of attractions to present during ISII3. These will include the" Pantomime Company in "Puss in Hoots," the Royal Comic Opera Company in "Tile Sunshine Girl," "Princess C'aprico," ■ and "The 'Dancing, Mistress"; I he Oscar Asche-Lily Brayt-.m'Company iii "Antony and Cleopatra/' "A Midsummer Nislifs Dream,"

etc., the New Comio Opera Company in ."The Count ' of Luxeaibourg," "Gipsj' Love," etc. Julius lvnight Company in "Milestones" and "Bella Donna"; tewis Waller aud his complete London company in "Henry V," "Bardelys, the Magr nificent," "A Butterfly on the Wheel," etc.; tho Quinlan Grand Opera Company; tho Dramatic Company in "Faust," "The Race for the Dollars," etc.; the New Farce Comedy Company in "Gct-Rich-Quick Wallingford," "The Fortune Hunter," ■"Excuse Me," etc.; the Gilbert and Sullivan .Opera Company in a lengthy repertoire. Play-goers will be well catered for in music, dramn, and comedy.

Notes. _ The English artists who have arrived in Sydney for the production of "Milestones ' in Sydney in which Julius Kiiigrht makes his re-appearance, comprise Miss Grace Noble (who was out here some years ago with the Brough company), Miss Irene Browne (here with Mr. H. B. Irving's company), Miss Mary Gonlden (one of the leading actresses' from Miss. Horniman's Repertory Theatre), . Mr. Martin Lewis, and Mr. Herbert Ford. ' "Milestones" will bo. staged •at the Criterion Theatre on December 14.

"Princess Caprice," at the London Shaftesbury Theatre, had reached its 200 th. performance when tho last mail left London. This musical play is to be shortly, staged in' Australia by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., who have also secured the new musical comedy at the London Adelphi, "The Dancing Mistress," which has received excellent notices in the newspapers. Both of those will be presented by tho Royal Comic Opera Company.

When the "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" Company leaves for New Zealand on the conclusion of the Melbourne season, it will include a honeymoon couple for Miss Beatrice Holloway and Mr. Robert Grcig will be married on the day of departure,aud their tour of the Dominion in "Wallingford" will therefore be both professional ana "matrimonial." Both players have plenty of friends in New Zealand. Mr. Henry Chadwick, the new manager of the Fnller-Brennan Company at the Theatre Royal, is a man. with a long theatrical experience "in front." For seventeen years he has-been fortunate enough to hold managerial positions in England without a day's break. He was for twelvo • years manager of the Grand Theatre at Newcastle-on-Tyne; was- subsequently manager of the. Wilson Barrett "Silver 1 King" Company on tour; was manager of Olvmpia,. the big picture'house at Newcastle-on-Tyne, and occupied the same position at the Public Hall, Erith (Kent), and was in charge of St. James' Hall, Kingston-on-Thames, for three, years. He sought-the Colonies as a new field owing to the state of his wife's health. Mrs,. Chadwick will arrive in Wellington; in the course of a few-weeks.