THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1889, 18 October 1913, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

[Br Snivnjs.]

The World's a theatre; the Earth - a stage.—Heywood.

How to Pronounce "Ceneo."

It is rather amusing to note the violent differences in tho way in which people pronounco Adeliuo Genee's surname. I havo heard her callcd "Geenee, ' "Genay," "Jajnay," "Jaynee," and even "Jinny." As the dancer is to commence a season in Wellington 011 October,2s—next Saturday—it behoves everyone at least to do the inspired danseuse the honour of pronouncing her name correctly. The proper pronounciation is (as nearly as our letters can express the name) "Sjaney"—practically tho homely English christian name Jane," with the "J" softened and broadened. Well-informed people'will pronounce her surname just Isitt, her husband—a Londoner —being a connection of Sir. L. M. Isitt, M.P., and tho Rev. F. W. Isitt. "They Crate on Me." Adeline Genee, who has caused such a sensation in Melbourne,,has already found that one of the penalties which she has to pay for being a great dancer is to be inundated with requests from fold parents who desire her to witness the dancing of their' children and express an opinion.' 'Mile, confesses that it is a painful experience for her. "Wherever 1 go, ■■ always mothers and people interested are asking me to see their children dance, and always it is too awful for me to look at them. As long as they can got on their toes they seem satisfied. It doesn't seem to make any difference to them how they (*et on their toes or what they look like when they get there. • To me, it is just as if to an operatic artist someone sang 'ragtime' m a cracked voice. They grate on me."

His Little Joke. M. Volutin, the great Russian dancer who is to visit Wellington with Adeline Genee, is not only a great dancer but a clever actor, and his pantomimic gesture is' as easy to understand as the spoken word. Moreover, M. Volinin has a charming personality, which makes itself felt across the footlights. Speaking in Russian, through a member of the Imperial Russian Ballet, v.'lio interpreted, M. Volinin once laughingly said that ho did not know anything about the compliments of the public, because he could not understand them. Ho had had a little joke, ho added. A lady had_ written to him asking if ho would write her a long letter. He did not know what she could- have wanted it for, but, ill a jocular spirit, ho decided to comply with tlio request. "I sent her a letter," he said, "which I wrote entirely in Russian. Moreover, as my writing, I must confess, is not at all good, I think she will havo something to puzzlo her mind with for some time to come. Yes, Ido like my little joke."

New Faces Wanted. When -a comedy ends .its run in a London theatro the career of tho whole cast ends with it—save only that of tho actor-manager-head of tho scheme, of course (writes Mr. Arthur Jlason from London to tho Sydney Herald.") The new piece comes into being with an .entirely new array of artists. This arrangement 'has 110 reference to the abilities of the dethroned ones. They may have been playing hundreds of nights in a big success, and the new comecfy may contain parts exactly suited to them. Nevertheless, they go to the " resting", list, unless they manage to place themselves elsewhere. The theory underlying this.method is plain to see. The appeal of .each theatro must be kept, as fresh as possible, and new faccs and hew methods aro of more value than proven abilities. Onei result, as already suggested, is that numbers of good actors are constantly out of work. They are. so good, and there aro so many ofthem, that the Australian can never quite understand why they are not more, freely used for the replenishing of the Australian stage, i They - comprise ar-' tist-s in all lines. Comedy companies? Without leaving tho precincts of the Strand you could form half-a-dozen from among tho " resting." And they would be comedy companies.

Too Natural. Every actor is ambitious to attain somo 0110 thing in his art. Some strive to movo their audiences to tears; others to impress them with tho dignity cf their appearance and the beauty of their'- diction. Another's sole desire is to create laughter. Harry Corson Clarke says that his ambition is to bo perfectly natural in whatever part he is cast. A little incident which occurred several times during tho first rehearsals of "Whose Baby Are You?" has made the comedian-feci that he has at east' partially succeeded. When such lines as "Stop, I want to speak to you," "Don't do that," "This will never do" occurred in Mr. Clarke,'s part, "the members of tho company invariably took them as directions and did stop, wondering what the trouble was, until it was explained that it was in the play, and not an objection from the stage manager. No Business. While in Ararat, Victoria, a member of " Tiny Town " met a lady who wanted to'buy one of the ponies. "Do you think," said the lady to Hansi, "you could sell me 0110 of your dear little ponies ? • I would so much like one for my daughters.'' Sell one of the ponies that had taken us vears to train. The idea seemed absurd! "Oh, perhaps wo might," answered Hansi. " How much would you want, do you think ? " the lady asked. Hansi pouted her mouth and puckered her forehead in thought. " Oh, maybo for £500," was her bomb. ""Five hundred pounds!" gasped the ladv, "oh, dear, I couldn't pay anything like that." "All, you want a cheaner one," observed Hansi. "Yes, yes; much cheaper." " Ah, then you could, perhaps, got a little horse for five shillings." "Five shillings," exclaimed tho lady. "Yes," said Hansi, "a wooden one."

Pavlova for Australia. Madame Pavlova, whose intention to visit Australia, is repeated in the cable messages this week, has been considering this tour for a long time. The project was, in fact, discussed with her by Mr. MacLeod, her representative, • before he left London as manager of "The Blue Bird" Company in Australasia for Mr. Frederick Harrison last year. It Was really Mr. MacLeod who suggested the tour. ■ Amongst • Pavlova's famous dances are not only "Le Cygne," but Drigo's' exquisite "Papillon," in which as the title indicates she imitates' a butterfly ; the "Valse Caprice," sot to Rubinstein's music, which sho dances with M. Novikoff, who is to accompany her to Australia; Glnzounov's "Danso Bacchanale," and several others. "Any success I have had," Madamo Pavlova declared to a London interviewer, "is duo to the rigorous training I received. You know, dancers are macle, not born. Infinite patience is a requisite. I began dancing at the Imperial Conservatoire, St. Petersburg, when I was ten years of age. I was not outside the walls for eight years exceptiu" for my summer holidays, and this/* the training, of the leading Russian dancers. The result to-day is that St. Petersburg loads the world in the art of dancing, whilst Vienna, Paris, Milan, and Berlin havo steadily declined. After eight years' training I was three years on probation, a period when my own personality developed and I evolved tho rhythmio no bos and gestures w'liioh I am pleased

to think tho English people like to see. I first came to Condon to a private performance at which the lato King Edward and Queen Alexandra were present, and they were so kind as to congratulate mo. I was greatly _ impressed with London, and I came again. Before that I had danced before the Tsar and Tsarina on many occasions; King Gustav at Stockholm did mo the honour of conferring on mo tho Order of Arts and Sciences; and later I performed at Copenhagen, before tho King of Denmark. But of all countries, after my own, I lovo England and English customs host. Hero is tho evidence in my English homo"—known as Ivy House, a beautiful residence at Hampstead. Novikoff, it is claimed, ranks amongst tho finest living men dancers, and is in appearance tall and handsome. He is only 22, and earns a princely salary. Notos. _ Thero. is no accounting for the vagaries of musical taste. One small Wellington girl of ten summers was recently asked which were her favourite songs. Her reply was Meddlesome's "Spring Song" and "Everybody's Doin' It." Herr Gustavo SlapofFski, discussing tho music specially written by Raymond Rozo for Lewis Waller's production of "Henry V," remarked that it was unique In the respect that it was tho first time in his recollection that royalties had to be paid oil tho incidental musio to a dramatic play. "However," remarked Mr. Waller, who was standing by, "we mako up for that by not having to pay any royalties on tho play I" About 3000 manuscripts wero received at tho Little Theatre, New York, in response to Winthrop Ames's offer of 10,000 dollars for tho best American play, so it mil be some time before Mr. Ames and tho other judges, Adolph Klauber and Augustus Thomas, make their award. In calling his now theatre tho Booth, Mr. Ames is commemorating tho interest his father had in tho old Booth Theatre at Sixth Avenue and Twenty-third Street. AY'hen that houso was built Mr. Ames, sen., backed Mr. Booth : and it passed into his hands when it was closed in February. "An indefinable something "that left a decidedly unpleasant flavour, something artistically almost gangrenous,!' characterised, according to the London "Tflegraph," all the new ballets introdnced last season by. the Russian dancers, among them Debussy's "Jeux," Florent Schmitt's "La Tragcdie de Salome," and Stravinsky's "Le Sacre du Printemps."