THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2126, 18 April 1914, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

S' : #*SifflESi! Fir■•svr.vius.] ■ "■'» " ■ ■'■■" J'Sg^S-Wfe^'■'■'"■■■ : '■■■•■ .-)■*,y-^v* ' .■■■ ffiie'^Wo H rlri'eV.-; tt \;thcaLre;"i?l]ii3 ! ..-Knj-lb a ■■■:.-. . Stage:-; IIeVWOOd.-a* , ...-' V-jiri.-.'ii . '. /,'*'' = ■*'' '$.'* »-.;'' i;" l; ';'.^: : •',■'■ Mete "Melodrama:' .£;?% ; ll V;. ■■. .- Another DVa'niaiic,.Company coin'tnoiicc'] a tntirof New Zealandat Auckliind : :on Easter Monday.' This company is'headed by , Mr. Cyril 3la«-' Kay- ami; Miss.. Nellie - Ferguson (who* wjJl-.-.Jx':;j t .|iiomberi;d by playgoers , : of twenty ■years ago as Baby Ogdnn), and will.play a '.new version of that voucra bio, pSiiy" "Undo -Tom's Cabin." and also, "At Cripple Creek" {an Australian drama), "For tho Term of Mis Natural Life", and .''The Bad Girl of tins Family." Tito management might have, spared us the latter, ■■■■ 5, ." ,,, :: - ■.-■' -;'.-? -

The tour is; as . follows:—Auckland, Monday, 'April. 13/ to Saturday, May 2 (three weeks); Hamilton, Monday, May 4; Taumarunui, Tuesday, May 5; Tailiapo, ■■ Wednesday, :■ May 6; Mafton, Thursday, ■ May 7; Wanganui, Friday. May 8; AVaiiganui, Saturday/ May 6; I'almcfrston North, 'Monday,' Slay It; Palmcrston North, ■' Tuesday. May 12; Wellington, Wednesday. May 13, to Saturday. May 30 (16 nights). ;/.£■ ■'. .■

Animate Gliopm.../ . v■■ ; '. ; ;; ■■' /.There must bo something in the dancing of Miss Aland Allan tliat makes an uncommon call .on the emotions, as some of tho. finest writers have had to make fresh., explorations .into ■ i.hcir vocabularies to find words to adequately convey. the; impression which sho gives. .;■;-,; .",..- As an illustration of Chopin sho is said-to' bo nt ' her best. . She posts from the "Spring. Song" of Mendelssohn., to Chopiu'e "Funeral March." Tiie Dunedin "Star" says :—"She proved a brilliant translator -'of t*ie Clwpin fragment, which is really a paean of joy in mere living—tho joyous realisation of physical well-being at its 'zenith. And then, almost without pause, in tho crepuscular light flung upon the simple curtains that form her stage setting, and to the accompaniment of the elemental soul-shaking music of Chopin (magnificently interpreted by tho Clicrniavskys),' Miss Allan essayed to translate tho dirge in terms of bodily movcrneuts. It was a daring, at! almost invincible- ideal, ami one can. only express profound admiration of tho partial success achieved. The conception was naturally dramatic, in much higher key than anything els© sho interpreted, and ai first rather obscure. But as soon us- onto began to seo "a glimmering dawn"—to realise that Her "conception ivas that of a mother seeking her <scad on the battlefield and wandering among thts shadows where Bight is useless, one began to understand that Miss Allan does not imitate but inherits the host traditions of the Grecian ideal she has embraced. It was the one melodramatic conception in tfio whole catalogue, and, curiously enough, ft was the first interpretation in which, if we did not net all tho dancer wished us to have, wo advanced most of tho way. Thoro nas nothing quite so fine in.the whole* performance as the triumphant victory over tlio darkness of the gravo.

London Shows, Oa March 5, on© of tins possibly impcrtani events of tho London voar took plneo at St. James's Theatre iii the production of Alfred Sut-ro'e new comedy-drama. ''The Two Virtues." Tho playwright's last effort was "Tho Firescreen," in ,1910, but he has not- α-hvaya beett. successful, and' tho two pieces which reached Australia., "Tho Walts of Jerieao" and. "John Glnyde'e Honour" still represent, bis best work. This fi,pw piece is highly satirical, and '.wo "read that tho characters, "whilst perfectly recognisable, arc such as never really lifed." Tho hero, Jeffrey. Panton (Sir George Alexander), is- a wealthy bachelor at. work ou iiis great "History of the Historians"; anil thero is an egoistical poot (Mt. Herbert. Waring), the historian's -suarp-tongucd sister (Miss H.eii-riett-a Watson)', and s>. bewitching Sirs. Guildford, who is slandered by the said sister. It- is then that the historian rcittitttk hor tliat chastity is not the ois!y feminine virtue, she has forgotten charI ity. "Tho Two Virtues" ffas cordially j received, iind tho Press notices arc[friendly. On March 2 AdelineGoaeo re- [ appeared at tho Coliseum Tli-cairc in the I baifot-sceiio at tlie ritined castle in "Robert do Binble," which was staged during her season here. . Ah then. M. Volinm. at tho Qjlwoum "proved a j graceful dancer who shared hor triumph in no tmall degree." j Ellen Terry's Coming. 'Miss Ellen Terry's lust Shakespearean ] discourse before leaving England, for' t-hcao shores was- at the Univcrsit.v of. London, in tho- presence- of a distinguished audience, her subject being "The Triumphant Heroines of Shakespeare," and this is likely te fora her owning lecture at tho Melbourne Town Hall -on' May 7. Mr. Joseph Blaschcek the humorist and entertainer, who was ic-re about two years ago with "Society Snapshots," is representing tho English sy-limcato which is bringing out the great actress, and is now Hearing Adelaide on the Mooltnn. Besides assisting ofl the platform, Mr; Blascheck, who has Biado many London appearances since his y6iithfi.il beginnings in Vietoria. will direct the tour. Miss Terry is on board the omra.li, which will arrive in Melbourne on Hay 4. .

Music Hall Improprleliss. The first case under the new regulations for the conduct of theatres and music halls framed by the Birmingham licensing Justices was heard recently, when Mr. William Honuastfe Hebden, manager of the ' Gaiety Theatre, was summoned for "allowing, the premises to be used for certain improper things. ,, . It was explained that the magistrates' new regulations provided that no tiling should bo done, acted, recited, sting or exhibited whinh was profane or improper. The police, had been particularly vigilant sine* the rules came- into force. On February 1C a constable visiicd the Gaiety Theatre, jvhen, it was alleged, certain by two' comedians was distinctly improper. There were two songs and a dialogue, lasting afcotit a quarter of an hour, and it was during the dialogue that the words complained of were used. Fbr the defence, it was stated that the management regretted what had • occurred, and steps had been taken to prevent a repetition of the offence. Immediately the artists had uttered the objectionable expressions the manager went mi the stage and forbade tho patter being made use of again. A fine of £'B and costs was imnosed.

Notes. : . , Sydney shows at Easter were:— Royal, "Joseph and His Brethren"; His Majesty's; "Forty Thieves"; CritcTion, "Never Snj , Die" ; l'aloce', ,! l'he W'earintc of the Grccii"; Adelphi. "The Tonderioot." On March 5 twelve plays Isad passed 100 performances in London. So far, the iiiosfc successful wero ''The Great Adventure" at tho Kitissway, 301: "Djploniacy," at Wyiidhara's, 380; ''Within.ihe Law," at the. H'ayniarltes. IMS: '"Tile Marrtagfl Marftot," al Daly's. .288; "Nflvor Snv Die." at tho Apollo, 197; "Tho Pearl" Girl." at the Shafted lrary.,lßl; "Mftjric," at the Little, 1-iO; '"I'll© Girt from Utah," at the Adelnhi, 137; "Mr. \Vu," at Uw Strand, 109. All tiles' pi«:es wero still running. The promoters of the Littlo Thcatro, hcadftd by Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Buckler, aro doinijc good wort; in Sydney in pro•Jtvcing plays of some litovnvy and tsoiiuical consequence, which appear to br. in disfuvoui". by other inaniigomcnts. ■Vor-soinn rah '-recently they stagrt! ' Arnold . Bti-uiKt-t'i,. chaniiins piny oi'

fancy, "Tiro Great Adventure," and as a lion bowlio. for liaster, Piwro's i-lt'vof romorly "I'ho Gay Lord Ques" was produced.

Mr. Edwin Urol!., tho comedian who appeared in Now Zealand in. JleyncM mid Gnnn's- pantomime "Cinderella," and who was Sir. Hook in the original cast, of "Miss Hook of Holland" in thin wmtilry, is playing the dame- its. "Forty Thieves" in .Sydney.