THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1901, 8 November 1913, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

[BT SJIA'ICS.] Ilie World's a theatre; tho Earth a stage.—-lleywood. New Zealand Taste. Tho recent Goul-c season at tho Opera House here and right through the country is another proof of tho lovo of tho thoroughly artistic in New Zealand, as compared with the somewhat degenerate tasto of Australian audiences. Tho Geneo Company lost quite a lot of money for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., in Australia. Tho Sydney season in particular was poor, and could hardlv be attributed wholly to tho smallpox scare, for other shows of less artistic noto did not suil'er so very much, and in some cases littlo difference in receipts was recorded. As far back as tlio days of the Brougli Company, Australia was ths ground where business was always uncertain, and .which finally lod to tho disruption of one of tho finest comedy organisations outside tho Old World centres. "Peter Pan," which froiso hard in Melbourne and Sydney, made a lot of. money in. New Zealand, and "Tho liluft Bird," on which thin Australian houses looked with a cold eye, was greatly appreciated ui New Zealand. It constantly surprises New Zealand visitors to Sydney and Melbourne to notice that rubbish does succeed in those centres whilst tho history of poor shows in New Zealand is just what it should he. This,' no doubt,'roads as though wo wore handing out tho largo bouquet to ourselves, but it is nevertheless a fact that New Zealand has ,a healthy appreciation lor 'tlio artistic in theatrics and there is plenty of evidence to support tiio good opinion wo hold of ourselves. Book travellers have said tho same thing. "The Geisha*" Mr. Tom Pollard has commenced putting tho finishing touches on tho amateur performers who are to produce that sparkling light opera "The Geisha" at the Opera House on November 22. Rehearsals are liow being held on the stage of tho old Theatre Royal, which serves admirably to drill the company in tho many movements and groupings that are a feature of tho opera, A particularly good chorus will lend charm and life to the performance/ and the principals, who include Miss Flo Gardner, tho brilliant Dunediii amateur, are well up in their respective parts. Christmas Pantomime for Sydney. It is many years since Sydney has enjoyed a Christinas pantomime. The new George Willougbby, Ltd., management will produce at tho Adelphi Theatre for the Christmas attraction an up-to-date version of "Aladdin," Tho mechanical and scciiio staffs at tho Adelphi have been working on this production for some time, and it is anticipated that from a spectacular point of view it will conrparo favourably with anything done previously. A number cf imported specialty turns havo been engaged. To ensure that nothing will bo lacking from a producing point of view, a producer from New York has been engaged so that the managcmesit'will havo everything up-to-date iir the way of ballots and other pantomime specialties. A ballet mistress with, varied English experiences, lias also been engaged, and sho is already at work on a number of isoiv ballets. ' Art and Life. The difference between the, actor awl tho man is rarely so marked as in tho case of Mr. Eddie Morrison; To see tho actor as Joe Carson hi "Within the Law," ami then to meet him off tho ■ stage is to encounter extraordinary op■pasites-.

Mr. Morrison in private life is a keen thinker, tremendously alert mentally, and interesting as a conversationalist by his original manner of approaching a subject- « His pat topic is telepathy. "Wo are," lie argues, "just so many wireless stations. Tho day will come' when this will be realised in a manner that will surprise many people not now thinking of thought transference. I have- had numerous instances of it myself, coming into touch with people at some crisis in their lives in the most extraordinary way. Thousands of miles may. havo been between but that did not prevent communication in some subtle manner. Unless one notes these tilings at tho time they aro apt to bo set down as'mere coincidences. Personally. I pursue them beyond that. "The psychological has entered largely into acting in recent years—so mtie-h so, indeed, that tho actor wlto merely concerns himself with externals to-day is rapidly becoming a back number. If lie doesn't endeavour to project something to the audienco beyond nwre words and outward changes of expression, ho has no right to bo appearing before tho. public. Acting isn't his vocation. And coming to that, no lilaat should, if matters' were regulated aright in this.world, bo engaged upon anything that wasn't his vocation.", Mr. Morrison is far from thinking that affairs aro rightly regulated in tho world. ''You in Australia," ho says, "haven't let things get so livt-ieh out of hand as we in America, where conditions of life are so complex. To my mind, ono of the greatest problems confronting lis is the modern woman. She is setting tho pace too hard. But for her man would go back to the land. He wouldn't crowd so much to tho cities. Tile modern woman, however, is. in tho thrall of-thocity. We seo this more' in America than you do here, Men cannot keep tip the pace sot by. women's extravagance by legitimate earnings.

I am talking now of the man of average opportunity and ability. Unless they are of exceptionally strong character, ■ husbands pursue tho get-rich-quick and easy-money routes.' Everything is artificial, and all tho values of life distorted. The substance is lost far the shadow. And the problem largely is that set by.the modem'woman." Versatile Pantomimists. A little group of theatrical people at Her Majesty's, Melbourne, were recent-, ly discussing tho turn of the Three liubcs, who are to appear in the J. 0. Williamson pantomime of "The Forty Thieves" at Christmas. Strango to say, nearly every description of their performances differed. "I," said ono artist, "saw them in Berlin .; they were doing a burlesque -trapeze act." "I saw them at the l''olies Bergeres, Paris,'.' said another, "and their turn

was mostly.musical." "That's queer," said a third. "When I saw them at tho London Hippodrome they were doing an American 'haysebd';, turn,, made up as wayback farmers, with,long whiskers." The wonderment was excusable, but the fact is that the Three Rubes aro very versatile artists, who frequently change their turn, and give an entirely different performance. They are not only humorists and comedians, but instrumentalists, acrobats, and tumblers. They will combine all these specialties in their turn in tho "Forty Thieves" pantomime.

His Favourite Town. They toll a funny story at Melbourne Her Majesty's regarding Robert Whyte, jim., who is as mournful a comedian off tho stage as he is when enacting tho role of Peter Doody in "The Arcadians" at Her Majesty's. Whyte was being informed of tho fact that the part of Peter Doody would bo handed to Mm to play in tho revival in Melbourne. The news did not make him smile. "You knew." ho said, mournfully shaking his head, "I don't think I shall livo to play the part. I haven't been at, all well since 1 came, to Australia. _ They say such a lot about this Australia'.! climate, and so on, but it has novcr done me any good. Sydney makes me ill, Melbourne depresses me, even Adelaide doesn't ehcer ma up. There's only one place whore I fool real well."

"And what is that?" queried a sympathetic listener, "Knlgoorlie," was the reply "That place just suits me." Mr. Whyt-o win be remembered in Wellington for his clever acting in "PassersBy." Coming Attractions, Tho repertoiro of tho Beaumont Smith-Louis Skyer Farcical Comedy Company which is to tour Australia next year will bo as follows:—"The Glad I?yo," which was tho attraction of London for two .years, and ■ which is now being played by half a dozen companies throughout tho provinces; "Tlio Chaperone," a London Strand success: "The Real Thing," produced at the Garrick on August 29 last; and "Come into tlio Office." Tho last named will most likely bo produced in London at Christmas. It. is an English adaptation of the Parisieti success "Madam Le Presidcnte." "Tho Doll Ctrl." Tho compilers of "The Dollar Princess" have achieved another success in Noiv liork with "Tho Doll Girl." Of .this musical comedy tho "Theatre" says:— "Theatregoers seeking a clean, wlioJesomo shosv, with tuneful music, pretty girls, plenty of comedy and several clever people to put these tilings over, will find "Tho Doll Girl',", at tho Globe Theatre, to their liking. Tho score, by Leo Fall, is gay and lilting, and ripples with delightful melody;.the librettists,' Messrs. Leo Stein and A. M. Willuer, havo devised a plot that affords plenty of opportunity for tho principals. There is"nothing strikingly new in the story which has to do with a little French country maiden, her doll and ail aristocratic "sweetheart, After a series of

adventures caused by tho interference of tlio tatter's rascally undo, the lovers finally triumph in the • conventional manner, but the piece is so bright) so lull of clever fooling, so well presented, that- it cannot- fail to please. Miss Hat-tic. Williams is excellent as tho Spanish actress who, in lova- with a flirtatious marquis, assumes various disguises to test his faithfulness, Sho is particularly felicitous ill her song, "Como in Over Here," 0110 of the catchiest numbers of the piece, and also in a -love scene with tile marquis which is s;i strenuous an exhibition of genuine affection, that the pogr victim cries "This isn't love, it's massage!" Mr. Richard Carle,' as the' marquis, ambles through tho pioco in his own inimitable manner."

Leo Fall lias another now operetta running in New York at the present time, entitled "Lieber Augustin. "The story," says the "Theatre," is as conventional as that of most musical pieces. It has to cio with tho roma.nco. of an impoverished princess aiid a mall of lower station. The solution to , tho problem suggests itself from-the beginning, which, almost identical with Gilbert and, Sullivan's "Pinafore," is traced back to a mix-up of bahies. Bo Wolf Hopper as Bogumil, tinele to the Princess, plays with his usual delicious humour, and is funniest when he departs from his given, lines. George MacFarlane sings well, and May Do Sous-a is p rctty'an d-dainty as the princess, while a word of praise is due to Grace Field and Roszika Dolly. Tho music, by Leo Fall, is pleasing and contains several numbers of insistent melodiousness. Notes. The melodrama, "For the Term of His Natural Life," was revived by the Wiiloughby Company, at the Adelphi Theatre, Sydney, 011 Saturday night last.