THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1734, 26 April 1913, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

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The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Hey wood. London Productions, _ Productions at tho Londo.i theatres dur5,' k8 » (![ ending March 14 include A. i'. \\. Masons "Open Wiirlo.vs" at tho >.-t. J lines s' 1 lieatre. This deals with the discovery by Herri-k, a Cabinet Minister, ill 1 / V'k ' liut studied painting m taris, and that their idolised daughter i i 1 1"', ' Mlt cl'i'tl of Philip Urook, and that, in a word, evervthing seemed temporarily upside dcw-i." Sir ueorgo Alexander is highly praised, but: roamn" between tho lines ones surmists Hint he was cold, repressed, awl preachy. Miss Irene Vauburgh prea fino study as tho wile. Tho novelist drama was, however, too level, e i if™! passion and climax. m • !l? Jnuco of Wales's Theatre, Miss Alarioi lempest has produced William Gor-i-i\ va s s new play, "The Handful." J.he_ title 'efers to Lady Wetlierall, a 'ascinating woman of fashion, radiant with tho triumphs of nature, art, tho arcssmake-, who.se quito eclipsed son- and daughter, Tom and Joyc?, porsuado her to temporarily rctiro- to Devonshire—in s pecticles!—Miss 'JV.uipest was delightfully amusing as the "mater," and tho press find nico -things to say of the two bright young people, Miss Margaret tm 'PS n "d >'• Stsft Macdonald. .Inn last-named is the well-kumn Sydney- basso, for £omo years past devoted to acting, an<l lie writes that he has a, fino part as To.-n, and has a two years' contract with Miss Tempest, during which ho hopes to visit America and Australia with her. Ihis statement opens up an agreeable prospsct for oil- playgoers.

A Woman of Impulse,

lta> bydney press give whole-hearted praise to the Hamilton-Piimmer production of Victor Widnell's fine play, "A Woman of Impulse," which is described ? s . Sa "' on es f |ue in its strength and polish. Ihe plot is thus described by tho Sydney "Herald":—

"Tho story of the play deals with tho extravagance of Lady Langford, who foils within the power of Carl Navourac, an unscrupulous Albanian diplomatist, through tho traitorous behaviour of her father, Colonel Challace, who has stolen plans from tho Foreign Office, and handed them to Navourac for .£sooo'. More than one emotional .situation is adroitly contrived beforo tho fine third act, in which Lady Langford, to save Navourac from aTreat by the Government, consents to tako his keys, open his safe at his chambers, and destroy his papers for him, at the eamo time securing a letter which incriminates her father. This letter, should it full into tho hands d£ Sir Matthew West, would divulge the namo of the traitor, whose theft of tho plans of the Malatanga Expedition iliad led to the disappearance and probable destruction of the wholo party, including his own bclored son. Now, although it Is midnight, > important business has taken Sir Matthew to Nnvourac's rooms. Thus, ivlien Lady Langford lets herself in witili the owner's latchkey, her husband's old friend, horrified and amazed, confronts her. The false explanation she gives; the refusal of tho valet to allow her' to opon tho safe; the arrival of tho intriguing Mrs. Dudley, seeking proof that.will lead Sir George Langford to divorco his venturesome wife; tiio sudden appearance of tho police on the track of (he spy; tho complication caused by tho incoming of the 'husband; the breathless excitement of tho opening of tho.safe by tho detective-inspector; and Lady Langford's declaration that the letter found by him is a love-letter to save tho exposure of her father over the Malatauga affair; constitute tho rapid developments of tho clov-orly-worked plot. At this point all the principals wero recalled with the utmost enthusiasm,"

"A Florentine Tragedy," Lovers of Oscar U'ildo's brilliant stylo will be interested to learn that his "Florentine Tragedy"—a one-act pi-ay in blank verse-is snurtly to bo done hero in an amateur way, ' Having stated so much thoso who know Wellington and its folk will not bo hard pressed to know who is taking such u bold step. Such an idea could only be conceived and carried out by Mrs. Jas. .Hannah (nee Miss Sybil Johnson), who has as hor chief encourager and helper Mr.. J. 51. Clark, who is not unknown as an elocutionist.

Wilde is not' a simple dramatist to interpret. The brilliance and polish of his language actually require brilliant auil polished people to speak it witji anything like conviction. But if his comedies aro difficult to enact, how much mere so is his blank verse. In "A Florentine Tragedy" there is an opulence of descriptive lauguago that is positively dazzling yet never extravagant. It is, too, a remarkable playlet, inasmuch as really the work of two men, tho copy in the possession of tho editor (Mr. Robert Ross) lackcd a beginning, as did also tho copy in the possession of Mr. Willard, which induced the editor of the Methuen edition to say that it was characteristic of tho author to finish what he never began. It' was Mr. Thomas' Sturge Mcore (one of the members of the Committee of the Literary Theatre' Society, London), who took in hand the task of writing tho introductory scene, i whose great gifts enabled him to acliievo with brilliant success that which many another author might have shuddered to attempt. His poetry does not suffer in the least from comparison with Wildo's, and some of tho lines are steeped in tho beauty of rare, poesy. . ■' '

"A Florentine Tragedy" is a sordid love tale, idealised by genius. It is of the love of Prince Guide Bardi fou Bianca, the wife of Simonc, a Viennese merchant. Tlio fair Bianca listeus to tho talo of love, and its development is only arrested by the utterance of-old Simone, T.'ho, pietending ( to l>e hoodwinked, discourses on the richness of his wares to the Prince until tho latter, growing weary, makes to leave, when Simone conducts the conversation into an argument on sword-bludesj induces the Prince to cross swords with him in play. 'Chen, and not till then, docs Simone's intention to kill become apparent. The Prince is disarmed in the fray, but Simono rushes upon him and strangles him. As he dies, Bianca comes towards Simone as one dazed with wonder. "Why," she says, "did you not tell mo. you wero so strong?" "Why," replies Simone,"did you not tell me you were so beautiful?" In the Wellington performance Mrs. Hannah will impersonate Bianca; Mr. J. M. Clark. Simone; Mr. Vivian_ Rhind, Prince Guide'Bardi;'and Mrs. Williams, Maria (a tirewoman). The performances are to take place at the Concert Chamber on May 15 and IG. An Author Annoyed. Mr. Fred. Melville, the author of "Tho Monk and The AVoman," did not con-! ceat his feelings of surprise and annoyance when he heard of the ecclesiastical condemnation of his play in Sydney. A Loudon paper published a statement by Mr. Melville on February 13.

The author said: "There is absolutely nothing anti-Teligj,ons in the play, ami certainly nothing immoral or in liio least suggestive in tlie diameters sustained by tho'monk or the.priest. On the contrary, 1 think the play shows the triumph of right over wrong. Eespectiug the marriage of the monk to the girl in the play. Catholics should remember that he is represented as a novice, and has not taken the vow of celibacy. The whole of tho dialogue is absolutely clean and tile monk is a man of very high character. Large numbers of clergy from all denominations have seen the piece, but I have never heard any unkind criticisms from anyone. To my own knowledge, many Catholic clergy and prominent Catholic .laymen witnessed performances at tho Lyceum Theatre, in London, and they agreed that people might bo prejudiced beforo seeing it, but could not possibly bo so after attending a performance. I think the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney has spoken precipitately and without a knowledge of tho dialogue. If lie had seen the play ho would, I am confident, have taken 110 exception whatever to anything in it." . 1 The Dramatic in Vaudeville. Mr. George Bryant, who is producing a fine dramatic sketch, at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, has seen service, both 011 tho legitimate vaudeville stage' here and in Amcrica. He had a few words to iay on the subject to a "Sunday Times" reporter recently. "Of Vourse, it is very easy to say 'I told you utter the event," said' Mr. Bryant, as he proceeded to transform himself into the aristocratic cracksman in "Stung"—the tkeleh he is playing in; "but I did icallv sec "lie tremendous part

I vaudeville was going (o play in tho theatrical worid. , Thiv influx of legitimate filago artists in vaudeville lias taken place, all oyer the world. Australia is now fa 11in.'f into line. So long its the vaudeville stago was confined to the gentleman with tho funny make-up, the juggler, and tho lady who sang pathetic songs, it was not a variety entertainment in tho true sense. Tho public wanted real variety. Thoy aro getting it now. Tho modern vaudeville programme contains a littlo of everything. It has drawn on tho operatic stage, tho comedy stago, the dramatic stage, tho circus', the ballet. ■ The result is that vaudeville commands a respect and attention that it never had before,

"The sketch has come to stay, becauso tho people who go to a vaudeville house nowadays aro the sort, of people who want sketches. Sketches have to be clever; they have tn contain all tho essentials of a play compressed into 20 minutes or half sin hour. What tho magazine is to tho reading public so the vaudeville is to the theatrical public. I preached this doctrine years and years ago. I was laughed at. Tho mere idea of a sketch at a musical hall seemed ridiculous to many people. But it's there now, and it has dono much to tho character :it' the vaudeville audiences. It has done that, too, without affecting tho legitimate stago a bit. On tho contrary, tho rivalry—if there is any—lias served to sharpen up the legitimate stago, with tho result that wo now have much better material there." Wm Anderson's Activities, "The Grafters," that l'unny musical burlesque which has been keeping thousands of Mclbourno theatregoers in a state of laughter since tho first production some six weeks ago, seems to show no waning in its popularity. Under tho guiding hand of Mr. William Anderson, this company will by arrangement with tho Oriental Amusement Company of U.S.A., make a long tour of Australasia. Engagements are now being made in America and England for Mr William Anderson's' production of "Tho Land of Nod," "The Wizard of Oz," and other extravaganzas, which will form the repertoire of the company .which ho is shortly to import to Australia. His agents in both countries have been indefatigable in their efforts to scouro the best of novelties and songs, together with tho moot up-to-date specialities piocuiablc. "Tho Land of Nod" is described as an Amerir can extravaganza of tho original order, and has caused a stir in America. "Life's Shop Window," a {dramatisation of a novel by Victoria Cross, is to bo shortly played by the Anderson Company in Melbourne* _ The World's Greatest Dancer. When Geuec, tho world's greatest dancer, supported by tho Russian Imperial Ballet from St. Petersburg, comes to Australia, tho opportunity will bo presented, for the first time in that country, of witnessing tho true typo of classical Ballet. This typo differs from the ordinary form of the ballet, as a rose from a lily—thoy are both flowers but of different varies ties, and wide apart. The true classical ballet is in the form of a story without words, th« dancing, scenery, costumes, and actions of thoso taking part all helping to tell the story, and tho motif is as easy to understand as if it were transpose*! into speech. The dancing represents tho emotions so clearly that words appear to bo superfluous,- for these world-famous dancers have brought their art down to fiuch perfection that it can take to itself the function for which danoing was primarily invented—to depict phases of the emotions. Some of G-enee's famous billets will include "Coppelia," "Tho Arabian Nights," and others, exactly as they have been presented recently at tho Metropolitan Opera House, New York.