THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1984, 14 February 1914, Page 12

THE THEATRE.

— fr— £Bi Sylvius,.] Ilia World's ii theatre; the Earth a stage.-lleywood, "Aladdin. 1 ' Among tho big list of passengers wlio arrived by the Union Comjmiy Vs-tcamer Mauitganui from Sydney on Wednesday, was Air. Charles ii. luiiglitj tho representative for Goorgo AVilk>Uglilj-v, rantomrnio Company "Aladdin," wWcii will bo Seen for tho first timo in New Zealand on Thursday, February 26, at the Opera House. Mr. Knight* informs us that tho production is a feast of fun, beautiful scenery, and gorgcatis dressing, and will prove a lvelcomo event to Now Zealand, theatro-gaers., It baa now been running for eight weeks at tho Adulphi Theatre, Sydney, and is still drawing capacity houses. Tho superb cast of artists includes; Carrie Moore, draco I'nlotta, Mabel Batchelor, Percy Clifton, Edward Stanley, Bert Barton, and several other Well-known artists. ■ The specialitieia will bo given by Valentino and BeH (wheel exponents), Morris's Wrestling Ponies, and their Ethiopian partner, John fledges (a most expensive equino ait), Morris and Shaiid (animal impersonators), Henri Marcclle and Nellie Fallon (America's ragtime exports), Tiny Tot filarjorio (child contortionist), and others, which space prevents us from ! now mentioning. The whota production is in ti'.o hands of Mr. Lester Urown, who was specially engaged in Now York by Mr. George iVuloughby. A Candid Actress. Miss Ethel Warwick is refreshingly candid in her opinions of the stage and ■ tlifi public, Particularly is she outspoken iu regard to the relations that exist between the people ou the stage and those who sit in front. "Tiieoutsido public," she says, "have a queer idea, of tho people of the profession. They think that our lives are all makebelieve; that, the only feelings we have are those we simulate when we are - o:n the stagehand that we a*e £iei:e m#-: chines to keep 011 scting for 1 them, without any Consideration for ourselves. For example, tho announcement that, an artist is ill and unable tq appear will provoke tho raising of eyebrows, iiitd the whisper of suspicion that indicates disbelief Wo are supposed ■ never to bo ill like ordinary people. Again, we are credited With the ,m.qSt bizarre affectatwns. ' Wo aro supposed to bo Willing to stoop to any depths of cunning in order to advertise. .Ifwo go to a hospital and take some flowers to; tho sick, people say:,! 'Ok, it's Just done to advertise lifer-,' self.' If we wear our fashionable clothes from London or Paris it brings forth the remark'; 'A great sjiow-otf. I Doesn't siie like to attract attention ?' There are many people who think that wo Would walk down. tlis street with a monkey r.n a string instead of with si man in order to attract attention. Merely, I suppose, bccauso Nance O'Neii used to take cockatoos and parrota about With licr, and Sarah Bernhardt has tiger cubs and monkeys as pets. _ The public only too often class: one with all tho rest." VfiHougHby, Ltd:., 1914. When making arrangcm-Mits for their theatres for 1914 . George W'illotjgby, Ltd., set themselves to compile a list of- attractions that mark a distinct advanco upon the policy that has hitherto been pursued by {ho management. On February 7. in tho Princess Theatre (Melbourne) Allan Doono commenced a return visit. _ Folio trine upon his season., Mr. Wilkfughhy lias arranged ■with Messrs. J. and N.'Ta.it t<> present at Easter the celebrated Scotch Ccmedian, Harry Lauder, and bis English company on his firgt appearance in Australia. • At the conclusion of Mr, Lauder's season., provision has been made hi the' visit of.- a new American , co-mpany, headed by Mr. Harrington Reynolds (who will bo remembered ns a irJloffl:bei• of Dan Fniwley's Company which visited Melbqft/no soma years ago far "Tho Rosary"). The manage ment intend to produce a. pantomime annually iu hath Melbourne and Sydney. After the pantomime there will .'be another visit from Allan Sonne', and he will ho followed by an English company, including some well-.kiiown names, in a dramatised version of Rex Beach's novel of Yukon life, "The Barrier." Close upon "The Barrier" will comc another English company with a highly successful farcical comedy, ''The Glad Eye," which • ran < for over eighteen months at tho Strand Tiveatro in London. This company will also produce the latest- London sensation, "Who's the Lady?" Then, will follow an entirely new Ameri-ian company (musical), playing such wfelKknown American sue* cesses as "The Tender Feet," "Marv'S : l.amb," ar.d tho ' 'Mayor of Tokio. It is Mr. Willcughby's intention to solid nibst-, :'£ hot all, of these. companies to the Dominion. Tho Dramatic Company optiiis in Wellington oil Monday for nine in "This Beg-gar-Girl's Wedding," which will be fbl- ■ lowed by tibo pantomime, "Alkdih," "His House In Order." To tear of a Pinero comedy being produced in Australia is distinctly a novelty, but when it is oil© that, has never'been played in this part of tho world ; though a markedly successfulplay in England ar.d America, my surprise deepens. This because I have al-' most given up hoping that tho theatrical taste iii Australia would sooner or:later revert to sound comedy rather than continue to find entertainment in the lighter, and I can conscientiously say, looser, delights of ilir.isy musical comedy, bad melodrama, and revues. That "His House in Order" has been produced in tho Littlo Theatre in Sydney by Hugh Buckler, Ltd., is a daring acaiovomont that deserves a happy J scrruel. j The performance is said to liavo been ait excellent one. I cc-uld coueeivo it ti> be nothing less -on reading the cast Miss Violet Paget was Nina (a part in which Ethel Irving would s have been electrical), Miss Tempo Pißott, Lady Ridgley; Mr. Hugh Buckler, Hilary Jessfin; Mr. Alfred Briston, Kilmer Jesson; Mr. Kay Soupcr as Major Maurowarde: and Mr. K. Brampton as Prvco Ridgeley. Que Sydney critic actually finds fault with Pinero'a style—says lvis speeches are to long. Shades of Shaw and Galsworthy I Ail good writers do not write ■ in do all folk talk so. Pinero is a waster of style, and lie is at his best in "His House in Order." Nsw Plays In flmorlsa. - The latest plays in New York are.: "Three Keys to Baldpate.," "The. Tilings That Count" (by Lawrence Eyre), "The Strange Woman" (by Wfn. Hurlbut), "The Misleading Lady!' (by Chfts. Goddard and Paul Dickey), and "Rachel" (by Carina Jordan). The last*, named play "is founded on incidents in the life of Rachel, the • famous actress,, ■and the •cast contains such characters as Alfred do Mas-set,, Chop-in (who plays ono of his own waltzes), Cloorgo Sand (Chopin's lover), Bpilcaii.., and tho .| Duchess of Orleans, The lianio part is i taken by Bertha Kaiick, tuo noted j Polish actress. The plays yet to be produced in New : York this season by Charles Frolnnan nro J. M. Barrio's. "Tho Legend of Leonora," with Maude Adams in tho ' chief part; Billie Burke, in W. S.. : Maugham's modern plav of North American frontier life, "The Land « Promise''; a musical Operetta, entitled "The .Laughing Husband"; a llew -play new being written in eo-Haboration by J Harrison Rhodes and Thomas Wise; a flra-nia-t-isjition of Sudermann's "The ■Song of Srtugs," by. Edward Sheldon;' Water oil the Side,' acted in and writ-. ten by William Collier and Grant Stewart.