THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1945, 31 December 1913, Page 5

THE THEATRE.

A COMBINE; & SOME DEDUCTIONS. ■' ' vi lisyi-yi J It. is curtonsly"■interesting t(?''.clig' iiito the record.: otV thoatricsYiii .Wellington during, the.year that is just now gasping' out its 1 last- low breath's 1 preparatory ■ to departing for the grave ol aii',vears. , ..T» tlmso who make tiior'. theatre a'steady all-the-.year-ronnd recreation i t'.will-not bo news to stato' that hot for.ii'vquarter of a century, perhaps—one "cannot bo positive to a year or New Zealand been visited by such/a limited number of professional companies as in 1913, and not for a number,of. years 'has !the Opera House been'so.,frequently, 'vacant;" Whilst the strike,'.whieh--lnsU;d : for,fa couple of months, may. have been a factor, it was not by any means tho chief cause of tho trouble/' if .it.can bo called :i trouble.'-' lndee(l;'',tho'|on!y organisation that ; was absolutely prevented visiting New Zealand by tho. strike was the tjuinlan Opera Company, which was only going to 'perform m 'Auckland in any case. No ; tho reason of this rather remarkable falling-off lies deeper than that. It is tlio result of forces that havo becm quietly at work for some timo past, and. which now have established an order, of things undreamt of in tho past. The reference is to tho combination of interests now represented by tho firm of J. C. Williamson, Ltd. This firm, which has an excellent reputation ill tlio main for the quality of its theatrical offerings in three distinct managements brought together, olio assumes, for tho protection and advancement of mutual interests.'...Tho firm now operutes practically continuously in . tnreo theatres ill Sydney and two . (soon to. bo three) in Melbourne,., and ill so doing have obtained control of'.some playhouses that .were formerly open for any management to book. Now, it is almost essential that either Sydney or Melbourne must be tho starting-point ol all companies wishing; to . tour Australasia, as tho reputation' they gain in those citi.cs is enormously helpful to them in all other places.; But itinerant managements, who do not pursun a theatreleasing policy, arc only.; able to secure theatre accommodation in those centres per favour of tho lessees," who arc all active theatrical managers,' which narrows down' their chances. of securing dates to thoso that are not 'required by the lessees themselves. In this manner other Jess wealthy managements arc discouraged at the outset—they find it increasingly hard to got in... When they contemplate a New Zealand tour they arc'met with somewhat .similar difficulties, as tho big firm holds leases of most of tho theatres in the centres that can 1 bo hired at all, and, naturally, take advantage of having the choice of dates. The Williamson peopte at present have the Auckland, 'Wellington, and Christchurch theatres under lease, and the local Opera llauso Company is at present negotiating for J, C. WilliamMil, Ltd,, to take a long lease of tho new .Grand Opera House, now almost ready for occupation.

Frozen Out. To "cut th' cackle an' git to ther 'osses," as tho Texan sakl to tho auctioneer, ■ this state of things had undoubtedly had' the '• cllect of reducing the number of managements and incidentally the number of \isiting-compan-ies to No v Zealand. ' At tho preseftttimo tliere are only two other 'managements operating in drama in Australia — the Willonghby (late Gcorgo Marlon-) and the Anderson organisations, and they coukl not last it out but for tho fact that they havo theatres of their own in Sydney and Melbourne. Neither of those managements trouble New Zealand very much, so that it means that wo are aimost entirely dependent on tho Williamson management for our shows.

How different it was twenty years ago! Thoi there were almost as many managements operating as there were theatres. Wo had Bland Hi>lt, diaries Holiowny, Brough and Boucioault, J. C. Williamson, Geo. Mosgrovo, Go-orgo Kignold, and Alfred Dampier visiting New Zealand ■ fairly regularly, _ and i Frank ThornLon, Charles Arnold, Walter Bent-lev, and others making more or less ; irregular tours of tire Dominion. The change that has been brought about,, chiefly by tho cause named, and to soma extent by the" existence in the centres of permanent vaudovillo shows, and m all towns of pemanent picture entertainments, ma,' be more fully appreciated when it is stated that throughout tho year only throo other companies playing drama have visited Wellington -r-tlio Hamiltoi-Plitnmor, George- Marlow, and Allen JDoone companies. Of tiiese, the first-named has gono out of the business, for the time being any rate, and ;ho Marlow Companies are now merged in tho Wllloughby concern, which.lias proprietary interests in the Adelphi Theatre, Svdne,-, and the Princess Theatre, Melbourne. _ Whilst the paucity of touring companies controlled bv outside managements must divert a ■rood deal of business into the Williamson coffers, it reacts to some extent at (as has been evidenced t'fiis year) in tho faltiag-off in the lettinga of those theatres in Na-f Zealand which are under lease to that firm. Alt-hough that firm has probably more separato companies under it'» control now than ever before, it- cannot fill tho New Zealand louses it leases for half, let alone tho whole, year. The Tally of the Year.

In Wellington we began the year with American players in an American play, and it is rather significant that we have finished tho ■ jear with au American- . play .." and ■ players in possession of -'*' -the ■ Houso. If it is indicativo of anything, it is a broadening of tho tasto for types of plays buiit other than on tho JMiglisJi plan—plays that represent a new outlook, and ill somo cases-daring incursions into ■' tho grosser humanities. None with knowledge sufficient to express au opinion of valuo would say tho "Got-Kich-Quiek Wallingford was as good ii comedy as any of those of Pinero, or Jones, or Carton, or half-a-dozen other English writers of note, but similarly 110110 could not say that it was not a viniful . night's entertainment thoroughly typifying American life and character. Neither would tho wise- man place "Within the. Law" in tho same category as tho fine plays of Galsworthy, Shaw, Sir Arthur Pinero, Henry Arthur Jones.' : and'■ others that could bo mentioned.':. Still';.it-is 'a j thoroughly inter-esting-play',- dealing daringly with a phase of police lifo which wo all hope is peculiar to ; the land' tho play came from. It is ?a papo ■ or two of life with 'sentiment" banished aud romance trampled underfoot,- giving glimpses of a sordid, Mime-stained ;? underworld, and men and manners.;horn, of conditions that, cannot be: too deeply ' deplored and too stoutly;, fought against. Including the., two . companies . mentioned, ' tho Williamson combination havo sent eight .organisations liiifton during the year. 1 ho .other six were: Tlio New Comic Opera Company (which played "11m Ciirl in tho fram, "Ntehtbii-d," "The Cmgalee, and revived "Dorothy"), ■■"Pio Blue Bird Company (which gave us our first \ivifving draught:' of Mactorlilick). the "Puss-in-Boots" pantomime, the' Julius Knight Company, ... the-. Royal Oncra Company (which introduced y*® Quaker Girl." .'/The Sunshine Girl, and revived "Miss Hook of Holland and'"The Belle of New ..\ork '), and that beautifully-artistic dancing organisation headed -. by. Vthe incomparable Ceticn and.tlio ttussian Bal«ct. .• • - If th-nro is one thing wc have to he crateful to ■tli'o-.Williainson -management | for':- 1 it v,-a:i tin; "vUit. of fence and. her .'associates.-w ..They' opened a new vista ! for us in'"tho domain o\ • ballets dancinc, I tnusht'v'iis tho: 1 true. inwardness. or tho I di'nco.::;as ; >n ■ : form of. art, and inadc'us all/dicam dreams ■ of- iiew Ar-

en (lies peopled Jtv fairy-footed beings like Geiiee and Halinn Sfhmolz. .. Tlie return oi' Julius reminded us-flint' the'years. ;iro rolling .by,' ami that the actor (toes not grow younger ill tlie. dissembiiw.', business, still ; Mr. Knight'always was and always..will ho iiu able' actor; in that his work is dinmined by; intellectuality:..-Mr.' Knight gave- us- : . a';delightful play in "Alile* slimes,!.';, ami ..whetted our appetite for tiro plays'of Shaw by a fairly Rood per-, i'ormaiK'O.oiV'Man. and Superman,".- ill which . the,' honours wcro easily • homooff. by that clover actress, Miss Irene Browne. , "The Bluo'Bird" entertained; and touched , me- deeply. . There- were thousands it didn't. I loved llto" imagery. tho analogy, the inner thought, of Maeterlinck —it was all so new and strangely beautiful, so poignantly sad, so dcliciously humorous. I confess I oould not understand tho person who thought "Tho Bluo Bird" a first cousin to "Puss-in-Boots." The, (loyal Comic Opera Co. was not. tho "Koyal Comics" of ot-her days. .At one time,, not; so very remoto either, principals ' of. nu opera company had Jirst of all to bo able to sing. That is not tho caso today. Tho Bova! Comics liad no outstanding singers. (Miss, Olivo Godwin possibly excepted), and every performance suffered in consequence. Pco])lo over hero found it difficult to account for tlie wonderful success of "Tho Quaker Girl" in. Australia. It is as difficult to understand as Genoc's failure to attract in Sydney and Melbourne. Sofn© day Australia, will wako Hp to tlio fact tlial tho art of the Stagfc holds moro than cheap melodrama and thin musical comedy. Australia—l say this bitterly—has doras much to hold back tlie introduction of mniiy forma of ontertauimont that- wo might have profited by on this side. Those brilliant American light comedians, Nat Goodwin and. William Collier, both failed laitienl'-abiy to attract financially iu Australia; Margaret Anglin fatted in n lesser degree; "IVtor Pail" Was a dismal "fiasco; and "Tho Blue Bird" only drew a coating of thin bluo ico". and tost, and perhaps most '-amazing of all, the peerless Geneo played' to almost empty beiiohcs for tho greater part- of hor seasons in both the big ■ Commonwealth centres, whilst articles were Written in tlio papers impcaehing tho public- with lack of understanding:- Tho tango and the bunny-hug are moro' in Australia's line than the classic beauties- of "Les Sylpliidcs."

Outside Williamson's. There is 'very little to record as to theatrical endeavour ousido tHo activities of J. C, Williamson, Ltd. Next in importance, and persisnaily the best company of the year, Was the HamiltonPiimroei' Company, which included in its personnel such players 'as' Mrs. Robert Brough, Miss Beatfieo Day, Miss Lizctto Parkes (who was pi-evented by illness from coming to New Zealand), .Mr. Harry Roberta, Mr. Arthur Styan, Mr. Sydney Stirling, Mr. Harry Plimmer, and Mr: Sidney Latham. They appeared in "A Woman of Impulse" (a strong play in pitches, with a weak ending), "Dr. Wake's Patient," "A Message from Mars,"'and "ThoSecond Mrs. Tanqueray." Mr. Allen Doone played a season of' light Irish comedydrama, and the Marlow Company made two visitations .intji. melodramatic shockers that never succeeded' in entertaining artistically for' one 'moment.. It is understood that Mr. Goo. intends to do something a-little better than his predecessor- Wc plead with him for dramatic sanity' at least.

Amateur Effort. Tho falling-off in tho number of professional companies alluded to'above has been tho oaiuso of spurring the amateur 011 to more purpc-set'ul endeavour than has' been his wont for some years past. Quito a crop of amateur shows have keen presented, and it is pleasing to record that tho standard or talent has been unusually high. First in importance in this held is the revival of amateur opera by tho newly-formed Wellington Amateur Operatic Society, which produced "The Geisha" most successfully during the present month. It did more—it gave tts tho best actress and singer seen on the light opera stage during tho year, making no exceptions for tho members of tho two Williamson Opera Companies that havo appeared during that period. Tho refereneo is to Miss Helen Gard'ner, of Dunedin. Miss Gard'ner cannot be called an amateur, as site is a professional teacher of music and .singing,- and accepts fees for operatic. an<f oratorio performances. SJia w-a-s given £20 and her travelling and board expenses for her work in Wellington. Tho success of the performance Was largely attributable to tho stage management ol' Mr. Tom- Pollard. ' The Wellington Dramatic Society was successful in its performance of the old laughtoMnaker, "Tho Private Secretary,'.' conspicuously crcditabio performance's' being given by Dr. Norman Hales, Mr. Norman Aitken, and Miss Ethel' Lissack. Another interesting amateur ' performance was that given of Sheridan's '.'Rivals," which brought out' onco moro' several of the older, amateurs, notably Sirs. Dr. Fell and Mr. H. E. Nicholls, who gave really admirable performances. Owing to tho strike 'tho Competitions failed financially th isyear. It -is unlikely that anything will bo h-card of them for-tho future. .

Another -unusually good amateur peri'orriianro was tho presentation of Oscar Witde's play, ."A: Florentine Tragedv," by Mrs. James Hannah, Mr. J. M. "Clarke, alid Mr.. Vivian Mind. Tho perform unco lacked that finish which more rehearsal might liav© given it, hut Mrs. Hannah gave distinct promise of better things to come, and Mr. Clark's performance was quite sound.

New Theatres. Wellington has been enriched by tho addition of a very beautiful modern Optra House during the year. Tho theatre is finished, but owing to the failure of the Opera House Company's directors to conic to sottio agn.'onu»fit with the contractors (Messrs.' Senders Bros.) over th« matter of a bonus for completing tho building four months within contract time,. tho new Grand Opera House is likely to lid <.t;-pty until tho end of April. It is a splendid theatre in many . ways. The exterior design is almost paltry, but inside the art of tho decorator l>is bcra given plenty of scope, and tho result, is 'something that will surprise ::vcryoiio. The auditorium will seat 2000 people, and a good view of the stago is asured from every point, except those scitfs on a lino with the six steel pillars which support tho galleries. . ,It is a g.'ent pity that these were providetl. _ The modern idea is tho complete cantilever, but thrco pillars can easily t>o ni-"lo to do tho work of tho six provided in tho new theatre. The v.ew theatre was designed by tho Hou. Wm. Pitt, of Melbourne, and was oreoted by Mosses. Sanders Bros.Another new theatre just opened la tho Britannia Theatre lor ontiuwoOT pictures, a cosy, well-appointed, and substantially-built theatre to scat COO people, erected next to tho Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, in Manners Street, and now being managed by Mr. Walter Monk. '■ Tho old Theatre Royal, an Johnston Street,-has been demolished after forty years of faithful service, and as tho Messrs. Fuller have disposed of tho lease of the block to tho Crown, w : tli the projected idea of building another theatre on the site has dissolved imo thin air. This leaves Wellington North without a theatre of any bind.