THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1940, 24 December 1913, Page 11

THE THEATRE.

IS - [St .. S-SWIC3.IV ■ The -World's; n, thcatr9j';itha':;Earth a stage,-I!jvv.'or,;l.' . '-; \ : "Within tho Law." <■■■ ; \ ail lour'sgripping • police 'h: drama "itiim tho Law'' will ba the .Christ'" mas attraction iii '.Wellington.,'. Playgoers sre fortunate, as this production Has been one of the most stunning dramatic successes in Australia during the pas-., decade.,,.'lt clutches the interest irom the rise of the curtain, and holds it to the fall, v Whilst tiie story is in-1 tensely human, it goes right into tho Heart of American ■ modern police methods, and discloses their clever but sinister brutality, ;■The piece is said to be capitally acted by the present American company, which is headed; by Miss Muriel Starr, and Mr. Lincoln Piumer. "Joseph ana His Brothr®n." ' Already J.. 0, Williamson, Ltd., are making preparations for the production in Melbourne ■; early . next year of "Joseph and Sis Brethren," which.is at present running to enormous business m London and New York. ' Mr. Clyde Moynell, one of the J.C. Williamson directors, stated on his return from new York recently that;one night ho dropped in to see this play, after having witnessed during that week no less than sixteen preparations . all- over ■■ ■ New York. "Frankly, I must confess,", said Mr. Mevnell, '"that' I was quiio prepared to be bored. I had had an unceasing round of theatres,'and the night was hot and sultry... -I. found.a crowded and enthusiastic audience, a.'jrf a play that exceeded all my expectations. Not only was tho ■ staging on a fine scale, and the production characterised by a wonderful amount of detail, but tho play itself was most absorbing, and never lest- its hold right- to tile end. The dramatic interest is remarkable in a play of this kind. I have no doubt that Australians ..will receive . 'Joseph and His Brethren as enthusiastically in Australia as have tho: audiences . in London- and New York " A wOman's Theatre. ' ■ Woman is at last .to have a theatre of her own in London, to be. called "The Woman's Thcatro." ■■ The new enterprise owes its birth to the -Actresses' +i' a 'rt 0 k ea S u ®. -. It finds a horno at tho Coronet, where oh Monday, December 8, a beginning was to ba made. For the occasion, Mrs. Bernard Shaw has translated Brieux's three-act play, "La rem me Souie." The principal part has been accepted by Lena Ashwoll, Si bo associated Sarah Broke," Nina BoncicauJt, and Fisher White. "I,a Femiitc Soule" Tnll to given on three evenings of tho week, and BjomsonV "A,Gauntlet," with Miss Emita Lascslles as Svava, on tho others, . ..■ ~. ... ■■> At Last. The London "Daily Telegraph" announces that a site has been selected for the proposed Shakespearean- Memorial National Theatre in London. It lies somewhere su tho neighbourhood of the Academy of Dramatic Art. Tho "Telegraph" then proceeds to say: "The ground covers an area of an acre and a half, more than sufficient for all necessary purposes. Tho price will absorb pretty nearly all tho funds at present in tile hands of the organisers, and tho vital question, consequently, remains— where is tho money requisite for the building of the theatre to como from P Still, now that they have something concreto to go on it is by no means improbablo .that subscriptions will flow-in moro freely than hitherto; in any ra'&o, the transaction, regarded merely in an investment, is a sound one." Mr. Chesterton's First Play. Mr. G. K, Chcstertwi's first attempt at expression in the plastic art of tho theatre is sufficiently original and bi"arro to satisfy those who are over in search of : somo new thing. Others will frankly pronounce "Magic" his fantastic comedy, not to be a plav at all, but even they will allow that it is not without charm. ■

Tho fantastic eloment is supplied by Patricia, a girl .who not only eees fairies iii 'Ireland, where they are, so to speak, at home, but also at the house of her .uncle, tho. duke. She meets astronger, who holds himself out to bo a wizard in an almost superfluous preludo to which the- soft music of Mr, Edward Jones gives distinction. Therefore, when the duke- invites a conjurer to entertain his invisible house party, we are not much surprised to see the stranger again. Patricia, however, accuses him of having robbed her of a fair-story. And her -brother, a young ' cub who, having been to ■ America, knows everything and believes in nothing, challenges tho stranger to do scmo trick thoy cannot explain. Tho boy is so rude that the man's artistic temperament gets the better of him, and he really does tilings that are quite outside ordinary parlour magic. It looks then very much as if the boy would go out of his mind ttnlefrs the soealicd trick is explained. And this is impassible, as tho stranger has to confess even to Patricia, who is ready to niafry him. that he has been helped by certain bad spirits that give one a terriblo headache. He does, however, invent a plausible explanation for tho too-inquiriug youth, and then comes a pretty touch of sentiment. For tho girl tells tho stranger that her fairytale has come true, and presumably they are happy ever afterwards. An absent-minded duke, : conventional doctor, and Liberal parson act as chorus to tho young people, and discuss things in general on their own cccount whenever they get the chance. Their talk is full of quaint retorts and supertopical allusions, which cause much lauehter, although tho play meanwhile marks time. In response to loud calls for the an- : tlior, Mr..Chesterton said that this was his first appoaranca on a platform— | speechless. ! :le, TicveftlielGSs. oiselaini- j ..ed any ability to write a. nlav or an \ article or oven a p^stcard--th•:>t was tho hardest of all. But if -anything was I rifht in the piece it was his opinions. Those he hold to and hoped others would share, though he threw no light on what thoy were. He also paid _a well-deserv-ed comnliment to the acting, and thus mode further comment' unnecessary.— "Daily Mail." ■> . "Ara You There?" "Are You There?" produced on a magnificent scalo at the Princo ot Wales Theatre, London, last' month is described as a farcical musical plaj • One fools (says the ''Daily Mail') that there is something redundant a-jout this description, and) curiously enough, where the. solo purpose is to amuse it was the farcical element that proved sunerfkius. ■ * „ Tho 'lnusio- of'Signor ? Leoncavallo, which has been written in a jocund mood, is full of. brightness and vigour and swing. But Mr. Albert. 1. do Coufville has attempted to get a. true too mud) into tho book. Through crossed telephone hues* it appears, Percy Peliett has been crossed in love. Therefore, out o? revenge, he has opened a gorgeous telephone exchange where wo find him installed wins distractingly pretty girl operators, ler--haps the nvost absurd part of tlio idea is that ho should flatter himself that his exchange was worse than the existing system . But the joke about the only satisfied subscriber being a lunatic is almost too obvious... Peliett, who is played : by that excellent light comedian, Mr. Lawrence Grossniitli, does his best, however, to scciiro supreme incompetence. lie consequently requires assurances from M*ss Sylvia Lester, tho new "Hullo girl," that' she does not intend to act as a Borvajit of public. Reading . n

novelotto wliilo ho attempts to get a number from a dummy call office, she soon convinces liim that his world's juoord for delay is in 110 danger.. Meanwhile Mr. Grey, an Under-Sec-retary, with the same ideals of public son-ice, has explained how he is haunted by the voice of a beautiful woman singing on tho telephone. And when ho has gone Miss Shirley Kellogg as Sylvia, surpasses oven his description o.f this hautiisg song.

"Roseway, roseway, river of red, ■ Load m« from sorrow and ifloom, Under my scented and sweet Weaving ft carpet of heavenly bloom.''

She sings in her glorious voioo, clear and true as a bell. It should, indeed, bo "roses, roses, all tho way" with this clover actress, who has not only a magnetic personality but also a genuine gift for comedy. ■ Surrounded by over-life-sized rosea at tho end of tho song, Miss Kellogg met with ft tremendous ovation. It was tho spontaneous outburst- of delight that greot3 a new and beautiful song perfectly sung.'yj'Js% Notes. '■»? '4 ■ Mr. Cyril Maude has revived .."The Second in Command," and Mr. .Forbes Robertson "The Passing of tho Third Floor Back" in New York, . The new Comic Opera Company is duo to arrive hero from Sydnoy to-da.y en route to Auckland. The repertoire will include "Autumn Manoeuvres'-' and "Tho Arcadians." Miss Grace Palotta has boon engaged by Mr. George Willotighby to play tho principal boy in tho pantomime which is t<i ho presented at the Adelphi Theatre, Sydney, this week. ''Diplomacy," which is to bo Julius Knight's Christmas attraction in Sydney, heads tho list of dramas in London for the longest run, Mr. Knight, in Sardou's famous play, has one of the best roles that have ever fallen to him.

Mr. William Anderson's Christmas attraction at Melbourne will be "Bio Land of Nod," which has had a big vogue in America.