THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1913, 22 November 1913, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

— [Br smios.] the World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Hey wood. "The Geisha." Geisha," which is to be produced at the Opera Bouse by the "Wellington Amateur Operatic Society on iuesday, Deecmhur 2, has not tinkled. m. Wellington for well-nigh niteen years, when the Perry Sisters came out from London, to star in : the opera with thG Pollard Company. Although it has not been played in Wellington it 1 i'. eell recently revived in London and New York with success, and to the disparagement of many of the latterday musical comedies. There is more genuine melody in "The Geisha" than -half a do-zeri "Girls, in the Train" « "Quaker .Girls" —not,, perhaps, exalted melody, but the class of melody that catches -the mind like a fish-hook— Jott cannot get rid of 'it. Take such solos as "The Goldfish," "Clu'n C-hon Chinaman,'-'- "Click, Click, I'm a Monkey on a Stick," "Chona Kilia" ("Roly f oly ban"), "Jack's tho Boy for Work," 11 ?.' ss ' n S Duet," ami '-"The Geisha s Life," These are all melodies that have lived and'will live—beeausc or their s'implo prettiness and H.itlodie truth. There arc also a fine lot of choruses iii "The Geisha," ill the singing of which about 80 voices will bo employed. Olio feature of the present performance i 6 that the. society has provided an undertaking for' all the principal characters-, and in all-probability these will be given an opportunity to "sliaw their pacesduring the season. The policy of having understudies—always a sound one—lias been instrumental in locating some very promising talent, with which Mr. Tom Pollard (tho producer) is delighted. A, full orchestra, under the baton of Sir. D. A. Kenny, will be concerned in tho performance.

Pavlova Coining, Madame Pavlova, the famous Russian dancer, "left' England 011 her tour round the world 611 Tuesday evening (writes tho Lond.<in correspondent of the ''Australasian" oti October 10). .Practically her 'at Waterloo to an Australian lady who was present were that she and her company were almost certain to' visit Australia at tlio end of nest summer. Doubtless the success of Madame Gt-nce in' Australia has the possibility of such a -visit. Mr. Darnel Mayer, Madame Pavlova's agent, told me that he is negotiating for a_ visit of tile entire company with M. Novikoff, with a repertoire of 110 fewer than fourteen ballets. For her world tour the famous dancer has added a number of elaborate ballets, of which four were produced at the farewell matinees this week. The one little mistake in- tlie foregoing paragraph is that Goivee (always a success artistically) was far from being a box-offico success in Australia. Tlie' Australian public, according to the Australian papers, did not understand ficneo's supeib art. Gi B. Shaw Again. While Bernard Slmw was still busy rehearsing "Androeles and tlio .Lion" it was announced that he had completed another play ia tive- acts; which lie intends to call "Pygmalion." "Absolutely 110 ses interest," he says —"merely a Study in phonetics." The. scene is. the porch of St. Paul's Church, Coveiit Garden, which is under the shadow of the big opera house where Melba and others sing, and where fancy-dress balls arc held.when opera is oft'; Under the church portico at midnight a number of fancy-ball levellers take refuge- from a .rainstorm, and. as each arrives- a mysterious, phonetic voice,- that nobody can locate, gives a,.truthful-summary of that person's career. It's a; good idea, -- with - humoro-us - possibilities, stiGngly. reminiscent of W., S. Gilbert; bilt it is hard to-gee how even the wordy Shaw is goiiig.to make live , acts .out of it, , . • , ,*•'

"The Bizarre Princess." Entitled "The Bizarre PrinceSs," an operetta which has been written by the ex-Grown Princess Louisa of Saxony and which is said to deal in a vivid manner with incidents connected with her past lite-at; the Dresden Court will bo pioduced at -Koine 011 October 15 (s.ays vhe "Daily Mail").' The ex-Princess was '• formerly -the wife of the present King of Sasoiiy. who divorced her after she had eloped with 51. ■ Giron, her children's tutor. 111 1107 she married Signor 'loseili, a mtrsuiciai!, from whom she is now legally separated. - - The itpyalist Press in -Saxony demands that the Government should" take immediate steps to suppress the operetta, but officials" tif the royal household state that they do not feel called upon to notice it until it has been publicly established that - tho operetta .is of a'll "objectionable character. A Leipzig Aewspaper claims to have discovered trom a perusal of the libretto that the Dresden Court is "scandalously" treated. ' Qijicids of the royal household intimate that if the operetta proves insulting to the King of Saxony- reprisals against the -Princess will bemado in the 1 form of another reduction in her allowance, which was cut down 011 a former occasion from £2000 to 'iIiOOO a year, The' operetta is ; s-aM to be 'the joint production of the ex-Grown Princess and Sighoi' Tosolli.

Humour and Pathos.. "Jimmy. Glover," conductor at Drury •Lane, luis written another book _ul reminiscences. Here is a story which he tolls about .Dan Lcno, at the time that comedian, before 110 became famous, was trying to earii a few shillings. Lena found himself in a Yorkshire inn where a beau-feast was in progress, ami persuaded tbo landlord to let liitn give them a stave or two (as lie used to (."ill them), having proved his powers by dauciiig a double . shuttle in. the bar. "The proprietor was father taken with Dan, arid said: 'l'es,. yon may come, and I'll give you a shilling if yon sing for two hours, and a good meal to follow.' Dan sang comic song after song, the company roared, the proprietor was delighted. Then ]>.ui sang another comic song, when the uproar became inconveniently uproarious. ' The proprietor eaiw! in, and said: 'Look here, my boy, can't- y<m sing something quieter?. You sec, my wife's lying dead upstairs,-'.and this shouting and laughing is making 'em talk.' 'Oh! lam sorry,' said'.Dan; and he gave them a sentimental ditty. There was a dead silence, and the people began to tile out, till the hotel was nearly empty. Then the proprietor came to Dan again. 'Look here, my boy,' he said,' "ytiu'd better give 'em another funny one. ■After, all, she can't hear.' "

Notes, Wiuii the N-ew Comic Opera Company. conies to New . Zealand ! iiext month, on the conclusion of its season at Melbourne, Florence Yoiulg will accompany it. ■ On tho last visit of the "New Comics" to the Dominion, Miss Young took the opportunity to indulge in a three months' holiday, but she is now looking forward to renewing her pleasurable acquaintanceship with New Zealand audiences. , Hiss Sybil Artindak and Mr. W, S. Percy are off to America, and will spend some timo holiday-making and sightseeing in the land of the. wooden nutmeg, prior to going on to London. The two artists rank amongst the most popular who have ever appeared on the 'Australian stage, and they carry with them the good wishes of friends both in i'rcmf, and beiiiiid tho footlights.

"Within the Law," which has every prospect «f- capturing every record over, held by drama in Australia, has passed its eighth week at the Sydney Criterion Theatre.. In Melbourne the piece ran for a little over thirteen weeks, ted appeared to be strong enough for a further period, hut tiro change over bad to bo made in nceordaiteo with the plans of J. 0. Williamson Ltd. It seems extremely probable that- this one play will carry the company right through Australia and New Zealand. "Within the .Law" is to bo the Christinas attraction in Wellington. Sir Herbert Tree's production of "Joseph and His Brethren"—which play, by the way, is to be staged in Australia by J. C. Williamson Ltd. — has proved the success of the .London season, The role, of Joseph is taken by Mr. George ltelph, who was in Australia with the first Asehe-Biayton Company,- and who playet! Kafur, • the Sworder, in the London production of "Kismet." Few musical plays can claim the distinction of having brought about a change in the administration of a military force, but this was tho achieve- ; mcnt of "Autumn Manoeuvres," to bo played in Auckland at Christmas. The piece bits off, to some extent, the hum- \ orou.s side of . a certain aspect of the | territorial force in England, and at the ; same time it <was staged played right I into the hands of the seotimi of public opinion .which was advocating national: [ service. Naturally, it aroused a great ' deal.of controversy, just.as "An Englishman's Homo" had previously done.