THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1758, 24 May 1913, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

[Bt Sylvius.] The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—-Ileywood. The Dandies—Red, Wellington ivill gratefully welcome back the lied Dandies at tlie Concert Chamber on Monday evening. These clever people, who have been basking on the silver samis of Glenelg (Adelaide) during the greater part of the summer, were exceedingly popular when last in Wellington, and the one regretful feature concerning tlioir reappearance at tlio Concert Chamber and Opera House (they are to appear in both houses) is that tho season is limited to five nights only. As before, the. company is headeil by llr. Claude Dampicr, an admirable comedian, with brains behind his work and a lively sense of good stage business. Hiss Ir<?ne vere is also with the "Reds," as are Miss Hilda Lane, Miss Evelyn Ward, Mr. CieoTge Morgan, Mr. Oliver Peacock, and Mr. Gavin Wood. Mr. Leonard Griffiths (formerly of the Scarlet Troubadours) is the pianist, and Mr. Leo de Chateau mil graco the "front" as manager. Later on, the Pink Dandies will play an extended season at the Concert Chamber. They ara said to present an entertainment quite distinct from, the "Reds" or tlra "Greens," and certainly not at all resembling the "Blues," the "Puces," or "Magentas." It is only the colour blind that will not bo able to perceive tlio difference.

Pictures and Vaudeville. Mr. Vincent Beebe, who has been making his first appearance in Wellington during thra past'week as a manager o; vaudeville companies, is of opinion that there will bo a big revival in this class of entertainment in the near future. Pictures, he stated, had settled down now into a steady groove, and nothing surprised those who visited them regularly —the public were used to the best of picture actors, actresses, and the most ingenious "fakei." Tliev would always command a certain patronage, and the perfection, with which tlfcy were presented deserved it, but sooner or later the public would cry out for "real flesh and blood," and for thoso who wished to be entertained brightly, without having to think hard, vaudeville was the ideal show.

Later in the year llr. Beebe intends to bring through Now Zealand a now company, several members of which have already been engaged, lie ventured the opinion that some of the picture theatres would before very long be .devoted to vaudeville performances.

Speed on the Stage. Mr. Charles Froliman, who has been watching developments closely m r'j.'giaud and in the United States as a tnoatrical manager, recently expressed the vvinien i'hat speed was now of more importance than anything elso on tho stage. , "The art of acting jn the next twenty years," said Mr. Froliman, "will develop chiefly along the lines of pantonine. Plays with a maximum action m.d a minimum of language will be tho thing. Just as the wireless systems to-day need 110 wire to reach, across great distances, the day will coino when tho actors will need 110 language except signs to'talk across the footlights to their audiences. The law of speed will demand the induction to a minimum of every obstacle that will yet remain between supply ml demand, or thought and understanding. Ia the theatre this rule will opeiate chiefly against verbose dialogue. Expression will be economised, dialogues-ill be so whittled down that only the body of a play will matter, not its clothiug; stylo will become subordinate to matter.''

"Open Windows." The "Open Windows" of A. E. W. Mason seams to bo a success at the Loudon St. James's Theatre. The story do°s not appear to be entirely reasonable, but is well told and furnishes excellent opportunities to George Alexander and Irene Vanbrugh. ,'i'hey are -Mr. and Mrs. George llerrick. The lormer is a Cabinet Minister, a supremely able and fortunate man. happiest of all in the Iov:* of his wife ami beautiful daughter. Presently lie gets a new private secretary, Philip Brook, and it soon appears that between the lptter and Mrs. ikrrick there is a secret. In fact, they had been lovers before llerrick ever came upoa the scene, and when they were separated, it -was to save her geo'd name that she hastily married the man to whom she has long been devoted. But her daughter is Brook's child, not Uerrick's, and the sccivtary takes care that the truth shall bo-told. But when it comes to the pinch, neither Herrick, who loves the girl too tenderly to infect her with the taint of disgrace, nor Brook, who is smitten at the last with compunction, can summon courage to Tovcal tlio shame, and, in the end, both men learn, to consider tho case with broader mindsthrough "open windows," as it were—to let tho dead past be buried and to lay hold on present happiness. A. B. Walkley says, in his Toview of tliq play:. "It is, of course, the commonsense conclusion. 'The call of the blood' is obsolete romance; facts, habits, are the things that count. Anybody could liavo found the conclusion; but not everybody could have Teached it with Mr. Mason s simplicity, sobriety, and elegance of handling. He" makes 110 pretensions; offers you no sudden glimpses into the deeps of human nature; has no philosophical theories about parentage to startle or amuse you with. He just tells his plain tale, as wo said at the outset, in a straightforward way."

Shakespeare Festival. Tho full programme of this year's Shakespeare Festival at Stratford-upon-Avon has been issued. F. R. Benson and his company will perform the following plays: "King Richard II," "King Henry IV" (Part 2), "King IJenry V," and "King Richard III," "Hamlet" (the only tragedy to be given this festival); and four comedies, "Much Ado About Nothing," "Tils Merry Wives of Windsor," "The Taming of the Shrew." and "As You Like It." Miss Violet Vanbrugh will play Beatrice, and Mrs. F. R. Benson will return to the Stratford Festival to play Kalhorino, Doll Tcarshret, and other parts. The festival will last from Monday, April 21, til! Wednesday, May 1!, anil the last three days -will l:c marked by the appearance of the Elizabethan Stage Society, under Mr. William I'oel. to give the "Trains ;nj)l Cres-'ida," performed recently in Loudon; while the buys of the King Kilward VI School at Stratford will perform "King Henry V" (with Miss Nancy Price as ihe Chorus); and the Oxford University Dramatic Society wiM, give Dekker'i "The Shoemaker's Holiday." Of old English comedy, the oniy play arranged for is "The Rivals"; while tile* modern drama is to lie represented by Mr. Minefield's "The Tragedy of I'omppy the Great," Bernard Shaw's "The Devil's Disciple." and Mr. Galsworthy's "The Silver Box." Notes.

Writing from New York early in April, Mr. Clyde Meyncll, of the Williim.son firm, speaks very highly of tho effect of

"Within the Law," as played "'n America Tho prevalence of graft and corruption in police circles, especially in the Stales, gives the story special point. Even politics cannot happily supply a parallel in Australia. Mr. Mpvncll adds '.hat ragtime, music is still the craze in America.. When Genec, the great dancer, appears at Her Majesty's. Melbourne, 'n June 21. the first part of the programme will consist of au operetta, "The Secret of Suzanne," by Wolf Ferrari. Then rill come the dances of Genee, Mdlle. Stl'i.iclz. M Volinini, and the Russian mpeii.il Ballet. Mr. Claude Baiitock has just finished his eleventh year of continuous work with the Royal Comic Opera Company.