THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2398, 2 March 1915, Page 3

THE THEATRE.

The World's a theatro; the Earth a stage.—Heywood. "Lady Windermere's Fan." Apart from tho great object to bo served by the Plinimer-Hall Dramatic company, there will be many who will bo glad to hear once more tho scintillating wit of Oscar Wilde as it glances and dazzles in "Lady Windermere's Fan." It is simply -wonderful how "young" the play reads. It might have been ■written yesterday. This has been remarked in America, where the play has been revived with great success by Miss Margaret Anglin. Though some wonderfully clever'plays dealing with the foiblos ajid actualities of life in high society have been written during the last ten yeare, the brilliance of Wilde remains undimmed, his peerless dialogue unequalled, and his •constructive skill unsurpassed. The difference between Wilde and Pinero is the difference between genius and talent. The plays of,Pinero, brilliant as they are or were, do not wear very well—they are not .for all timfr—as Mi 1 . Harry Plimmer ' himself discovered when he revived "The Profligate" a few years ago. But "t'lie plays of Oscar Wilde have the gift of a gleaming youth that is eternal. The sordid hand oil. Time—"Lady Windermere's Fan" was written 22 years ago—has not left the semblance of a stain upon the literary sheen of this wonderful play; in no place does the change of popular habit or custom make the poise of the characters or their conversation limp, and nowhere in the comedy does -bogy Time grimace at the audience to let them know that tho play is over a score of years old. One can almost forgive the appalling egotism of Wilde, who when called before the c'urtain by the deafening applause after the initial performance of "Lady Windermere's Fan" at St., James Theatre, London, appeared in immaculate evening dress, wearing a pair of jjale heliotrope kid gloves, with a gold-tipped cigarette between his toper fingers, and "congratulated the audience on their extreme good fortune at being present to witness such a gorgeous play." When the audience had recovered its breath, it must have vaguely wondered if the remarks were the emanation of supreme egotism or conscious gonius.

Theatricals at the Front, Mr. Seymour Hicks's Concert Party crossed the English -Channel early in the New Year and. entertained the wounded soldiers .of the British Army at Boulogne Casino, and at a hospital in Rouen. "It wasjhard for all of us," remarked the actor-manager afterwards, '"trying to. amuse with lumps in our throats and tears in our eyes. . . -.- If those at homo could see these wounded heroes suffering in silence there would be no need for recruiting posters." Mr. Hicks sang "Some Do It Th'is Way" ; Willie Frame, comic songs and stones; W. Vaii Allen, 'ocllo and banjo solos with.patter; Ben Davies, "My Dreams" and "Songs of Araby"; Ellaine Terriss, '■A. Little Bit of String, M "Your Country Thanks You," and "T.ipperary"; Ivy St. Hellier, "Daddy's Sweetheart"; (lute solo-, Eli Hudson; piccolo solo; Olga Hudson; chorus, Auld Lang Syne" and "National An'tliem." The programme, was heartily enjoyed, more especially the verse by Miss Terriss:— Just a little khaki string, Just a tiny little, tiling, .. Tied as tightly as a string could be. Oh, it still is holding strong, And it's growing twice-a3 long— Ts. It's a string of British lads, "you see;

"The Court Cards," . This talented little company, which is presented by. the 'Joker, Mr. Edgar Warwick, ■ who will be remembered as the comedian of the original Scarlet Troubadours, are amongst the smartest in their line. The pack is a very complete one,, and though I would not describe it 'as a "royal flush," it is one that will always "get through", comfortably. "With Mr. Edgar Warwick is Miss Maud Fane (who in private life is Mrs.Warwick), and who is the smartest, and prettiest soubrette this class of entertainment has produced in Nciv Zealand up to' date. Miss Fane was passing sweet when she used to chirrup ballads of sentiment with the old Troubadours, now she is a piquant, gay,, and extremely clever soubrette, . a distinct gift for • character. When,you bear h&r sing "Sister Susie's Sewing Shirts for • Soldiers," you will realise the cuteness of this little.- Jady." Another old friend- is Mr. Sydney Mannering, also of the i original Troubadours, who sings with all his old sweetness and restraint-—at times too much restraint. Then there is Mr. Geo. lichener, a very lively character comedian, who is blessed with a very mobile countenance and extremely glad eyes. Mr. Geo. Graystone is ' a serviceable beavy-weight bass, and Mr. -Albert Keats is the accompanist. Miss Renee Maude is a soprano, and Miss Winnie Mitchell plays the violin. Features of the : "Court Cards" entertainment are the very clever and amusing musical sketohes which occupy the wliolfi of the second half of the programme. "A Drop of Hollands" gives occasion for a pretty Dutch setting and' costumes, and all are linked up cleverly with dialogue and merry song. "The Toy Shop" interlude 4s another bright sketch, in which for the; first time in New Zealand the popular pianoforte pieoo "Tho Policeman's Holiday" is vocalised. The "Court Cards," who are m charge of Mr. Jack O'Sullivan Uom Pollard's brother), will appear at the Opera House on Saturday evening next. ■

Sara Bernhardt. Not only must all play-lovers grieve to hear of the sad fate of Madame Sara Bernhardt, who, in the evening of her days,' has had to have one of her less amputated, but they will lament at the same time the cutting off of the career of the greatest genius known to the dramatic stage in our times. Henry Irving was' a great actor; Richard Mansfield was a gifted eccentric; Duse ivas a queen of tragedy—so was Ristori and the • Coquelin were born to the purple, of the comedy stage, but shining high above any of these great people was Bernhardt, the burning genius of the modern stage, whose superiority in summoning up the emotions in tragic roles has never been questioned; and whose extraordinary fascination held a whole world in thrall. The loss of a limb at 70 years must mean the end of a brilliant career, and writers by the score will doubtless seize the opportunity to extol the histrionic virtues and measure tho art of the great'Bernhardt. To. she seemed hardly of this worid. Twenty years ago she walked the earth as a painted doll—a paper white face, crimson lips (obviously artificial), and rich, dark red hair. Everything appeared to be false and faked about her off the stage, except her eyes —wonderful luminous brown-black eyes that could languish and lure, or could blaze like twin stars. And her voice— there lay her chiefest charm. It. was just a beautiful instrument, replete with glorious tones, and she, its owner, could play upon it with wondrous skill. One need scarcely go into her scroll of successes. She was the greatest exponent of the S'ardou and Dumas repertoire; she has played Hamlet; and who has not heard of 'her in "Adrienne Leonorewe," "Frou Frou," "L'Aigloh," "Phedrc," "La Sorcicre," and "Pclleas and Melisande." All will wish the French actress and patriot a quick recovery.

Stage Doings in London. 1 Stage-doings in .London'' are brought tip to the end'of 1914 by tliis wesik's mail, and the record is uccossarily largely inclusiyo of pantomime. There win, "however, an imrxirtfuu production 04 Cnriitmaa Eve at His Majesty's ike-

atre, where Sir Herbert' Troo appeared as Wilkins Macawber, and also as Dan'l I'eggotty in Louis 'N. Parker's new dramatisation of "David Copperfield." Some of tho more dramatic figures of tho novel, such as Little -Kmily and her lover Stcerforth, were but lightly sketched in, and nothing shown of the pathetic littlo figure of David's child-wife, Dora. Tho best scenes are quoted as occurring in tho dining-room of tho Golden Cross, with the old waiter, George, and tho First Old Fogey grumbling about' tho wine and the food, the Second Old Fogey sending rude messages to the other diners, and tho Third Old Fogey glaring at everything and everybody. Another characteristic Dickens scene showed Micawber, theatrical, dominating, ; majestic, superb in tho knowledge of his importance as he unveils the infamy of Heep. The critic refers to "tho magnificent level Sir Herbort Tree will attain to when die preoccupation inseparable from a great first-night is removed;"—which probably means that the prompter was hard at work ! Tho make-up as Mioawber must have been perfect— I "shiny bald iiead, bulbous hat, long, tight-fitting, rusty trousers, showing an expanse of half-white sock, and shabby finery of coat and waistcoat." The actor-manager's Dan'l was eonsid-, ered not so good. There was a cast of ' 25 characters, and amongst highlypraised artists are named Mr. Charles Quartermaine as Uriah Heep; the Mr. Dick oJ Nigel Playfair, "loveable, vague, simple"; tho Mrs. Gummidge of Miss Ada King ("the lone, lorn crittur"); tile Betsey Trotwood of Miss Agues Thomas; the David of Mr. Owen Nares; the Steerforth of Mr. Basil Gill; and the Agnes of Mis 3 Evelyn Millard. Sir Herbert Tree's "Drako" season in the cause of charity realised £2034. The actual receipts of the season were £18,558. The previous night at Wyndham's Theatre (December 23), "Raffles" was revived, with Gerald du Maurier in.the ' name-part There was a Miss Kyrle Bellew in the cast as "a charming representative of Gwendolen." Play-goers here will be interested to learn that Mr, W. T. Lovell appeared in a minw character (Merton). Mr. Lovell did much good work with the Brough Com pa'ny here for some years —but the stage, whether in London or elsewhere, is a weird kind of place, ail ups and downs' On Boxing Night, Mr. F. 11. Benson nripeared as Henry V at the Shaftesbury Theatre —"an entire contrast in its kingly dignity to the impetuous virility of Mr. Lewis Waller's impersonation.'' Miss Rose . Edoiiin (Mrs. G. B. W. Lewis) "gave a very excellent impersonation" as the Hostess. Miss Jean Stirling Mackinlay (a daughter, by the way, of the Into Antoinette Stirling) was the Katharine. Her father, it will be remembered, died at Adelaide whilst the famous contralto was touring Australasia.

Notes. News of the death in England of Miss Emma Bronton, who will be remembered a : s a member of the old Brough-Boucicault Company, has been received in Melbourne. - Miss Bronton was a native of Richmond, Jjlelbourne, and was for many years with the popular combination. For some years past she had been in . England, and, with Miss Polly Emery, another member of 'the old comedy company/ wa-s recently appearing in the London production of Cosmo, Hamilton's "Thg Blindness of Virtue."' Miss . Bronton was twico mariiied. One of lier sons, Mr. "Jack" Brandon, has achieved some note in England as a writer of sketches. Miss Bronton, who was about 52 years of age, died "suddenly, taking ill and dying tho same day. . ! . Sir Herbert Tree tells this story :— "Tho other. day, N when I was playing 'Drakej' my box-office keeper came to me in great perturbation. '1 think,' he said, 'you ought to reconsider your bills outside the theatre.' ' 'Why?' I asked. 'Well, it leads to confusion,' 'he proceeded. 'At the head of the bill is printed, "Proprietor and Manager, Sir Herbert Beerbo'hm Tree," wnilo among the actors you are simply described as Herb or t Tree. -Tney think you are two different persons. A gentleman came to the box-office after seeing "Drake" on the previous night, and said, "I want to buy more seats for to-night. That young Herbert Tree is a fine actor.' Of course, I never could stand his fatherl"'" Mr. Dave O'Connor, who .is wellknown, as a supplier of musical comedy to the provincial towns of Australia and New Zealand, is now playing "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingfo'rd" to Tasmanian audiences. There is no questioning the resource of-Mr. O'Connor. If' tShakespeare were to suddenly boom in Sydney one need not be surprised to hear of' Mr. O'Connor starring as Hamlet at Narrabri Mr.' John Hopkins, representative for Mr. Edward Bransoombe in New Zealand, announces that th 6 Bed Dandies , will commence a tour of New Zealand at theConcert Chamber, Wellington, on May S, and that-the Violet Dandies will commence at Auckland on May 8.