THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1830, 16 August 1913, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

[BY SYLVIUS.] The World's a theatre; Ilia Earth a stage.—lleywood. G. B. Shaw in Wellington. Mr. Ilarry Musgrove convoys tlio welooino nows 'that the Julius Knight Company, which is to commence a season at tho Upora llouso on Thursday next, will produco Georgo Bernard Shaw's remarkable play "linn and Supermini," a play which has evoked much discussion for years in all sorts of queer circles, and which has been referred to as Shaw's masterpiece by those honest Shawians who regard tho "somewhat different" dramatist, essayist, and critic as the whole part of a genius. No ono who has read and stadied Shaw's quaint plays can mistake him for anything but a strong virile writer, seeing tho artificialities of the world with new eyes, ho was given a brainful of new ideas and a capacity to express them. Ho is cruel in his frankness, often malicious in making a point, but there is novel' a'sign of weakness in the hand that stabs at the core of society's most malignant growths. (Note his onslaughts in "Widowers' Houses" and "ilrs. Warren's Profession.") But there bo curious twists in Shaw's make-up. It is difficult to decide as to whether he, at times, is not some modern Machiavelli. leering at the public, as it swallows the nasty nostrums (usually truths) he forces upon them, or whetlier ho is not a perfervid Socialist who would disguiso his tiger-like of piirposo in splenetic levity to avoid being classed as a fanatic. Shaw is fascinating to read—well' played ho should bo most interesting. "The Poor Little Rich Girl." Miss Bleanor Gates has achieved tho impossible—made a distinct and unciuulliiEtl success with her first play, "Tho Poor Little liich Girl," which has now been running for months in New- l'ork. The play concerns a little girl who was nearly killed by a eurfeit of everything that money could buy (and which little ■girls should not have), and. tho deprivation oi' all tlio essentials that ilother Nature demands for her brood—parental love, sympathy, playmates, etc. In a recent interview, Jliss Gates recently said: "I think the play captured m-jtropolitan fancy because it was about a child. Every normal person likes children, and everyone who likes them is interested ill their lives. A second reason, I believe, is that it visualised, and made a story of the figures that are large in a child's life, as examples, tho doctor, tlic< policeman, and tho organ grittier. All children have a delicious terror of these three persons. They are fascinated by them, and reverting to our own childhood it entertains us to see those persons figuring as they might have done in our lives. A third reason, in my opinion, is that the play is dilferent and everybody seeks the different. New York, I understand, pursues tho different with moro zest than does any other city. "That is my analysis of the play's success, but as to what led to it, tlio story is a longer one. The idea of the play had been growing in my mind for ten years. I had been thinking about it, making notes of it. Tlicto was a fat envolopo full of them. I had first thought of embodying tho King's English—which my mother used to talk of my 'murdering,' until ho actually took form to me and I regarded myself as a slayer of a human being—and other figures of .childhood, in a play. .The idea of a rich child neglected by her had also been in my mind. One day I welded

them, so to speak, married, them. I need them in a book. Mr. Arthur Hopkins read tho proofs of tho book, and gave mo an order for a play. I wrote tlio first act in seventeen days. The second I •wroto in twenty-one days, and tlie last, and Mr. Hopkins says that is unquestionably tho best, in fifty-two hours." The Lure of the Film.

One by ono are both England and America's foremost artiste on tho legitimate stage being drawn into tho ranks of photo-players. The latest conquest being Mr. liorbes ..Robertson, who, upon rctir-

inig from tho glaive of tho footlights, has• decided to leave, as a permanent memorial of his work, a kinomatographic reproduction of his famous impersonation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." : Oil tho ligkiter side of. tho theatrical business, tho most rccent recruits havo been Mr. Seymour Hicks and Miss Ellalino Terris, both household names among tho followers of England's musical comedy stage, and recently, at Spencer's Lyceum, Australian, patrons of tlio photoplay wero enabled to witness them and tli'eir latest dancing creations in, practically tho same specialities as are now delighting audiences at tho centre of ths British Empire. The management of Spencer's Piotures, Ltd., of Sydney, havo received advico from their London manager to the effect

that Seymour Hicks and Miss Ellal'no Terris have been engaged exclusively for tho next five years by the Zenith Films, Ltd., 60 that these comic opera favourites will no longer bo identities of tho postcards, but practical realities, for it will be possible to reproduce all their successes on tlio biograph soreenes throughout Australasia. Criminals of the Footlights. There aro somotimes even more poignant tragedies enacted on the stage than those invented by the dramatist for the public—real tragedies of theatrical ruin, brought ■ about by tho jealousy of one actor for another. As a matter of fact, it is doubtful if there is -another profession in which, so lhuch jealousy exists, not onsy among the ladies, but also among the men, who at times resort to unprincipled tricks and methods to .disgrace a rival.

One or two of the tricks aro quito common, notably that of doing something to make another player miss his or her "cue." In one case an actress carried a fan, which she used very vigorously during a particular scene. Sho spoke in a very low tone, and, I>y the steady manipulation of the fan while sho was delivering her lines, deliberately blew the sound of her voice away from the other actress. As a result, of course, the latter had tho grentest difficulty in catching lior cues, her individual performance suffering accordingly, eo much so, that the audience began to speak of her as a poor actress, although in other pieces she had been praised most highly by the critics. An equally common trick is the socalled lip-stage crime." This consists in tho aofor who plays the trick moving "up stage"—that is, towards the back of tho stage—which eaiKCis his victim's faco to be turned to tho liack drop-cur-ta.in and away from, tho audience, tlio consequence being that not 'only is his voice lost, but to the audience his features are invisible, and thus hi 9 iierforninneo is spoilt. Still another device which has been utilised for their own civls by stngo "criminals" is that of anticipating tho laugh of a fomedian with a broad smile or a grin. This little trick takes the edgo off tlio fun resulting from the other actor's lines, and quito spoils tho tatter's work.

A very simple way in winch a plotter will try to ruin the effect of another actor's scene is carefully and deliberately to drop something when tlio actor is going

through hi- part- Thifi ruination may not seem- possible of accomplishment to the avernM person, but (.lie truth of the ca-e is well known to every actor. The moment something is dropped on tlip stage, the attention of tho audience will go in a flash to the dropped obiect, and away from the sublet upon which its attention is centred. Miss Titheradge's Triumph. Of Miss Madge Tithevadge's performance ill "Tho butterfly on tho Wheel," the Sydney "Sunday Times" says: "Miss Madgo Tithcradge, as Peggy Adamaston, gives a performance of tlio role entrusted to her care the char;n of which almost delies analysis. So delicate, so utterly skilful are the 'touches she gives to her portrayal that it becomes a fine classic of emotional acting. With wonderful powers of histrionic conception, sho lays bare one after another all the component pieces of an extraordinary temperamental character, and with easy control of her part she unfalteringly runs the whole gnmnt. of the emotions. Storting with pathetic plaiutivenojs in the big divorco court scene, she goes on to a slightly wondering form of fear, which expands and expands by scarcely perceptible degrees under the bullying cross-examina-tion she faces, until it broadens to a wideeyed horror, still increasing in force, until it burst all bounds of restraint in one I wild lysfcrieall outburst, that) lfcachcs

its climax in an agonising scream, and then Nature, being unable longer to stand tlio fearful emolipnaL .tempest consuming" her frail body, she pitches forward in a magnificently realistic swoon, tlnis proclaiming her self to bo an emotional act-

ress of tho iinest imaginable carat. It is a great portrayal that Miss Titheradgo gives, and one can readily understand why it has made her famous in | both Europe and America, l Julius Knight Season. The three plays, ".Milestones," "Bella Donna,"' and "Man and Superman," tlio repertoire for .tho coming Julius Knight season, uro all new tothe Dominion. Miss Grace Noble, who appears as Gertrude liliead iu "Milestones," was last seen in tho colonies as a member of tho Brougli and Boucicault Company, since _ which time she lias been cluieily located in L9ll- - where &110 has been associated with numerous successes. (Mir. Julius Knight is known a.s an art connoisseur of considerable ability, and amongst his many trophies holds a gold medal for his work as a soulptor. Miss Emnia Temple of "Milestones" Company, will bo Tomembered as a member ot tho Brough and Boucicault Company. Miss Dorothy Cuniitiing, a young Australian member of the Julius Knight Company, has made rapid strides in the profession. She has a valuable asset in her appearance. Notes. A complete pictorial history of tlio doings of the' ill-fated Scott expedition to .the South Polo will bo screened at His Majesty's Theatro 011 Monday, August 25th, under tlio titlo of "Antarctic Heroes." This film, which iB said to bj very finely done, is tho work of Mr. Herbert G. Pouting, an eminent English photographer who' accompanied the party. It is said to be a record, of high scientific value.

Miss Harrie Ireland, who iias broken down in health, was accorded a big benefit at tho Adelphi Theatro on Tuesday last.

A departure which, although only a temporary 0110, will leave a gap in tho ranks of the IS'ew Comic Opera Company, is.the forthcoming absenco on a year's holiday of that popular littlo comedian, Mr. W. S. Percy. This will also take place at tho end of the New Zealand tour, and tho "gods" will bo disconsolate when the organisation returns to Sydney without their idol." Miss Sybil Arundalo's engagement also, concludes at tho end of tho coming Now Zealand tour.

There is a prospect of tlio HamiltonPlimmcr Comedy Company returning shortly to Nov Zealand with that racy and brilliant • farcical comedy "Inconstant' George," which was played a couple of years ago in London by Mr. Charles Hawtry. Tho farcfr—it is a shriek of laughter—has already been played in Melbourne and Sydney, where it was accorded a lino reception. "Inconstant George" is smart and up-to-date in 'tlio latest Parisian understanding of the terms.^ Tlio influx of American vaudeville artists per medium of tho Brennan-Fuller Circuit shows no signs of abatement. On Wednesday last a cablegram was received in Sydney frpnv Mr. A. R. Shcpard, tlio American representative of tlio circuit, that 15 actors had sailed per tho Sonoma, due in Sydney on August 18. Naturally, only a few of tlieso can open' in Sydney on arrival, tho balanco going tx> New Zealand and tho other Australian States.

Norwood, tho hypnotist, is to commence a week's season at the Opera *Housa on September 10. Mr. 11. Porcival will make the advanco arrangements.