THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1990, 21 February 1914, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

[Br Sytvii'sJ

Ihe 'World's a theatre; the Eiirtb a • slage.-~Hi>ywi>od. , ; A Popular Manager. 3iauy will regret to leacii of the eurly departure from New Zealand of Mr. William Doiiglijs, tho general 'mainaro'r in. N<?w Zealand lor the iiiomiaii-Fmler management, who has been in charge of His Majesty's Theatre for, the pass six moiiths. 'Sir. Douglas goes the wav of all good men, to Sydney, then; to iaito up cho general management, and so afford a measure of relief to tho busy managing director, .Mr. JJen I'nllei , . Mr. Douglas is a young man with a full kHovi-lwla'* <>f tho business nnd' a tigerish capacity for had work. Whilst with John FnlJer and Sons he grappled with their big picture business and helped materially towards putting it wh-oro' it-is, and in his spare -moments' kept a wary eye «m tlie rirm's vaudeville interests. When the picture - ameh;amntwu( towk .plaeo Mr. Douglas concontrated on tivo Brennan-Fuli'pr pnsiness, controlling the raovvments of rvory artist from 'Wellington, and doing all that was hnmanly possible to balance t-lm pro■granim<?s in each centre, .a task' a-good deal more difficult th;m mny at rirst glaiico seem: ' ' : * Mr. Douglas and his charming wife will tnko with them to Sydney th« goad wishes of a large circle of friends in Wellington. • ■ CHUeft and suJHvan'fn "Jo-berg,"

'• Tl\«i teur of tho newly-formed' J. C. Gilbert , and '.Sullivan Opera Jong tn aitod--commenced h>. Jofeanncshurg on Uoxinp Mr. Harold Ashtosi, the. manager, sends me a "Loader" clipping, front which the following paragraph is extracted :— "Senietliing like a gleam of tho gaiety of oldett times—that jolly Johannesburg spirit which laughed its possessors along so merrily—irradiated tho audi-ones-aMlis Majesty's Theatro last night. Every scat had long since bean booßcel, and not oiie was to be had at tho doors. 'J'hn audience was -expectant. No one came late. It was an occasion. An occasion, too, not merely of a first night, or a new company, though it was .both of these, but the opening ,of at now chapter in the theatrical' amnils of South' Ai'riea. The Kami forged its first Itak'with the greater stage of n sister Doroiiiiuu, and a new firm put up its eign. at the old house. "Foi'-seeti an occasion it was sound where so much was new, that at least tho .play should he an old favourite; Thai provided an obvious eora-

parison, a» ea.*y test by which the capacity of tho n-ew maiiageme-iit and ail its works could be ascertained! Let it be said at once that the new firm and the now company .were, a brilliant fiiiccess. Tho delightful f>ltl ''The Slikadfl" —by eosisont Gilbert'and Sullivan's best—went with a swing and a finish -that never left- ih© ve-relict in d&ubt from the moment the gentlemen of Japan gavo ir taste of thejv quality in the opeiiinß chorus. It might have been the hundredth, performance rather than the first. Tho , Australian chorus trhiclt Messrs. Williamson, Ltd., introduced last night is tho strongest thing of its kind wiikk has bt«n seen on the Johannesburg stage.' It will prove an inspiration to our nuisic-levijrs." "Tho. cast was as loliows:—Naiiki Poo, Mr. Edward M'Koown': Pooh Bali. lit. Albert iCavaruigh : Ko-Ko, Mr. ChnHes 11. Waienn; the 7s!il«do, Mr. Derek Hudson; Pish Tush, Mr. G. V. Arnold; Ynm Yum, Miss Ruth t-incoln :'Katisha, Miss Ethel Morrison: l'itti-Sms. Miss Pearl Lafld; Peep-80, Miss Msrna Trant. Tho chorus was siren special ; praise.- .This company is to tour New Zealand later on. Death of Ciiylsr 'Hastings. ■ Mr. Ctiyler Hastings, the Aii'iei'icau actor, shot, himself dead'recently in New I Yotfci iis-tlje result of prolonged .■suffering from a u-fi'vnus disorder, .tic was I well-knomi in New Zealand ns the ■creator in these - .parts of SiiorloiA Holmes, the stiute edition of Sir Canciu Doyle's detective hern. Mr. Ha stings tlia'do' :i -deep impression on fli-. v Kew Zeakncl vlayfioor, not because ■of Any brilliant histrinnie powers,: Hut owing to tho vogue whieh the; novel "Sherlock Hojmes'.' enjoy"! a*-' ilve time, and tlie fact that lie ivss the first exis-onciit of the then new sdioui of Amiwau aetins —thn 'esttn, still, strong 'nr.rii school, which i.ii!poses no tash-ou the actor but restraint. i Hastings was a good-exponent of tfie sdiobl, for wliicil lie was facially fitted. Give cannot inir.gine a short fat man with a rouiiil face and stumpy nosi? essaying such a puse, but Hastings had a Ions; pale'face with prominent-feritircs ami straight black hair, ahd looked Hid lftchrvmos'e person Holmes was. stinposed to be. The only groat fnvlt in hU perfcrnsa.'.ics', and ono wlr-cli v.rs i-c-sponsiblo for many supposing Holnirs to ho ai! American detective', was his ove'rproof accent, wliieli n yenr's stojonrn in Australia failed to iireali down. Houikk, as drawn by Sir Crman Dnyle, was all English. Mr. Hastings also gave ?r;.'dil-. able performances in "Thn Liclit that Failed" and "The Admirable Ori-.siron ; " but .failed lamentably in Justin Afnearthy!s .romantic play. "If } w ' ore King." In fact, frank critics suit? that Hastincs was not an nctor at nil—ho was just Hastings all the time, yet hs had a gripping personality, ami there is no fjiirstion ns to the -success whWi tie boi-aine in N«w' Zealand. .His 3oat!i will bo rcfgretted by many.

NosJhg Thsm Out. "Ijet's havo a Icok. at yniu lioso. That'll do. You're an Kji.vptian. Got, fiver tliero." -Xon , . io Hie uniuitblod these 'instructions ff* m " suura-

lvlmt extraordinary, but m tlm ssolcction of lb(! jadies i'or tho 1, C. Williamson ■ production of "Joseph and His Brethren in Melbourne,'special x*)iysicai requirements hud to bo iittonded to. Cecil King, who is producing tho itlay for llio Jinn, is a keen stickier fan detail,.and in his idea tho tyye-of girls who roprcsent Jigyijtiaiis or Israelites is an important matter iu getting tho right atmosphero for the play. .Every person piiga«wl as an "extra" or superitmiiMiiry lit tho play, had to jwss before Mr. Kings critical eye before selection, so that each might tic relegated to'tho most suitable part of tiro" production, and given instruction in make-up, dressing, and other important matters. Mr, King leaves nothing to chance, ."Ouo can't afford to," he said. "Tho public aro too critical nowadays." The Williamson Programme. ' Tito Williamson year promisee plenty of entertainment for Australian thentro»oi;rs. At Hoi- Majesty's, »Syd:noy, the rovtti.', tfhfcli ' is cosi* stuntly ; changing' its novelties, will, run until Easter. At the Cfiterion Theatre -a- new eomedv, "Never Say Die," orisinally plnyed 6y : Wiiliaw- Colliev in N«\v Vorls, and altervrarits «. big »ioni>yniah«r for Charles Hawtrey in J-ondtm, is in rdwavsal, llr. I'Vetl Nihio will bo in Australia ■■until August, and he Isa.s expressed his •wish to tlw management to niako his farewell' from tliat city. The chances 'mo, therefore, thai ho will return to .Sydney, so as to be nblo to eoitfarm to this desire. Mr. Lewis Waller will loaw for Africa on tho IMare-thoii next week. Ho will make the second Williamson offering in their African territory. At present their irowly-oi'ganiscd Gilhevfc and Sullivan Company is there. Mr. lliiroki Ashten, genwal manager for J. C. WiUiamson, Ltd., at Johannesburg, cable recently that tho strike had ceased to affect theatrical business, and that everythiitg was liav-f plain sailing, A complcto English company is now in Melbourne, rehearsins "Joseph and His Brethren," the Biblical play,' wliicb Mr. Clyde. MeynoH purchased for tho Williamson raanagomei.it after seeing it both in New York and London. Mr. Herbert Tree's 'producer has come to .Australia to stage the play, which will follow Me. 'Julius Knight in "Diplomacy'? at the .Theatre Jioyal there, '. Mr. Knight will o))wi in Sydney this evening- in the' Sardou classic. Mr. Mey!H?ll had the advantage of witnessing this play in London, and lie says thaiit was tho biggest success of tiro theatrical eeason. "Diplomacy," ,it is interesting to notci has now run a full year in Landon. 'i'iso - management at

pivsont ■ has tivo companies in. New Zealand, tlus.New , Comic Opera Company a in) the dramatic organisirtfon playing ."Within the Law." Tins cpmpjanj' is rehearsing for protlnetioii in Sycluoy after the Pominkm tour, "MaVlrune X," a strong dramatic piny, in which Miss Muriel Starr will piay ilin title rolo. Tliis year will also see the first, production in Australia by the Williamson mauaftefiK'Hfc'of the firury Laiio drama, ''Seated Orders.," and a how musical comedy company will arrive a couple of months hence to play "Gipsy Leva" and "The Girl in the Taxi." Notes. 'J'iio melodrama "No Mother to Cuiido Her" will be presented by tho Willoiigliby Dramatic Company at the Opera House tliis evening. Tile story deals witli tho experiences of a London uciif. Idealistic scenery will characterise tho new • production, and with such capaWo playc-ts as Mr, tieorge Crofts and Miss Vera ilettce in tho iea.xli.iiH rol-es, the perform a nco should please lovers of this class of play. Mr,-George Dean,'who was tendered a eomplimcntary farewell at the Little Theatre, Sydney, on January 30, has been tor thirty years before tho Anstralian public," and is now leaving far America. He eaino from EngkUid under engagement to Mr, George Mosjjrovo for ."Tamlwur Major," iu which play it will tie remembered Miss Keilie Stewart played the Dnimmcr Boy. Sim-u then ho has appeared in practically every theatre iir Australia, (lividins his time tmt".v«M?n pmitominw, comic opera, drama, and v;Hu!fvilic. A new opera fr-qm KnaleWt HjmiperdiiipU's jmm.i is noarl.v completed. Tlw work is entitled■ "'J'lic Market Woman," and the work deals with.the .Prussian war of libesatioii of ISI3. _ Tiu> oomporerbf "Hansel niid Gretrf, , ' and "Rio KoeiiigskimW is now an f!)d man, but his works seem to have imbibed of tho $15rin« of Eternal Youth, No dstc for tho production of this now work has y«t toon aunomiccd, but «o doubt attaajtclncirts will l)e HKitte shortlv. Charles Leeocfi, the composer of "L& Fillc dfi Madstnsu Anaqt," recently entered his eishty-socond jear. As hp has iroouentiy been reported dead, this is quito an achicvcni'eut, Americans next June are to see- ft Bdy;k).ii Socialist Deputy playing ''Haffi!d." Celcstiii Domhioii, a Depiity and l'j-qfossor of Jjtcraluro at Brusscis University, whose books in which lit> scclfs io slrw that, the .plays attributed to iSlialtesiieare were written by Lord Itullniid, havo attracted a good deal of conimoiit, ail), says the Brussels correspondent, of the Kew Ynri< "Times," sail for America jn Jinio and k'.-stiu*e in tlio principal eitios of the United States on. his theory. During his tour Inj plans to play ''lliimlnt. ' Ilis tvoc'ialist friends in tho Delgian Chamber per-, anade:! him Uot to do that, in Hdiyuc,).