THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2433, 12 April 1915, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

[Br Sylvius.] The World's a tAoatre; tha Enjtb a itage.—Heywood. Our Fighting Forces. Arrangements are now complete for presenting in Australian and New Zealand cities tlio Kincinneolour war film "With the Fighting Forces of Europe," which recently achieved such a triumph in Melbourne. liinoinacolour (Australia), Ltd., is directing tho enterprise and proposes to screen the picture in-Brisbane in April and give it an extensive run in Sydney during tho following month. In Juno a prolonged tour of New Zealand will -be undertaken, while during July and August Tasmania and Westralia will be visited. The picture whereof tho several parts take nearly threo hours to unfold is an extraordinary record of tho armies of England, Australia, and New Zealand, India, Franco, Russia, Belgium, Servia, Italy, Japan, and Germany under actual fighting conditions. It also 6hows the navies of the contending Powers with their submarine and aircraft establishments, and includes some delight/ful and intimate snapshots of tho great men who «re directing the armies and navies of-the Allies. "With the Fighting Forces of Europe" altogether is said to provide an entertainment which no patriot can afford to miss, tho reproduction of the subjects in "natural colours" making the him an attractive curiosity to picture-lovers. The Violet Dandies. A revelation in versatility is . promised by The Violets Costume Comedy Company, which is to make its first appearance in New Zealand at the Wellmgton Town Hall on May 5 under the direction of Edward Brauscombe Proprietary, Ltd. Many of the public classify all costume comedy companies in the same category, but it is averred that The Violets break entirely new ground. No other entertainment of this type is quite like theirs, and the astonishingly varied programmes are im-' parted in a style that is distinctly Violets' property. Tho whole entertainment is desoribed as refined, musical, and blended throughout with subtle wit, excellent humour and good taste. It is difficult to make special mention of any of the artists, and whose accomplishments are 60 uniformly pronounced, but it can be said of all that, they nevor err in the matter of taste. Each item is clearly cut and the two' hours' entertainment goes with sparklo and vivacity. A Sailor Actor. Mr. Clarence Blakiston, who plays the King in "Du Barry," is an English player of experience. He is the son of Mr. J. R. Blakiston, late H.M. Chief Inspector of Schools. Mr. Blakiston was educated at Rugby School, and after joined- H.M.S. Conway to train for the naval profession. He was" six'-' years, training at sea, when he joined'the dramatic profession in 1883. For years he toured with Edward Compton, and Was for years engaged at West End theatres, including five years at the Haymarket, three years at the Comedy, three years at Wyndham's, and was one year at the Lyric, where he played in "The Blue Moon." To the Rescue.

Next to being told to "get off" by the audience, the worst thing that can happen to an artist while on the stageis to "dry up"—that agonising experience during which the unfortunate actor finds there is a blank in his memory, a big lump in histhroat, hundreds of eyes from the audience glaring at him, and his tongue is'too big for his mouth. TJsuallv it happens through a sudden, attack of nervousness. At times, however, it is due to mere for■getfulness, the artists not Having made himself thoroughly acquainted with his part. W. H. Rawlins, who is playing Jeffrys, the lumber_ king in "High Jinks," at Her Majesty's, Melbourne, relates that he was once appearing in drama,' when the company had to put on a new play with but scant preparation. On the day of the opening, the manager, who was also the producer a? well as a member of the cast, points ed out that no one seemed to know their part at all well, and the only thing to do was to be prepared for emergencies. "I'll tell you what I'll do," he said. "If I find things are too bad. I'll come on with.a pistol and kill everybody off." "And this is what happened," said Mr. Rawlins. "Halfway through the last act, after everyr body had been floundering terribly, the 'villain' came on with a pistol, and pointing it at each of the principals, exclaimed: 'Your time has. come: now, die!' shooting them all off, one after the other, and curtain fell amidst loud applause."

An Actor of Ideas. Some actors have ideas. About 90 per cent, of the latter-day Australian actors have a limited outlook in their profession, believing that their own person and personality are good enough to meet the demands of any part which may come- their iray, and though they are always themselvesj cannot understand the public's desire to see fresh faces, new personalities. Only here andthere does an actor attempt to build up the character, of the author's intention outside their own individualities. Ono' of these is Mr. -J. B. Atholwood, a member of the Nellie Stewart Company. "Jimmy" is'an actor of ideas. The public has never seen the real "Jimmy" Atholwood on the stage. On being given a part he thinks all round it, conceives a "make-up," and endeavours to get behind, the mental, attitude of the character in his relation to other people in the play. In this way he builds surely, and cleverly, and invariably makes an impression be the role, one of six lilies or sixty pages. Some years ago Mr. Atholwood met Mr. lllingworth,- a . skilled modeller,- who imparted to tlie actor a smattering of his knowledge. It was enough for Mr. Atholwood to ivork upon, and the clay models he executed within a few weeks were marvels of fidelity and strength. Now Mr. Atholwood has conceived that there is a big. margin for improvement in some of Shakespeare's plays, and he has actually _ reconstructed "Hamlet" on rational lines, and the same would have been published before this had not the war intervened. "Good for Shakespeare," gloats the conservative Shakespearean. "Not at all," says Mr. Atholwood, "I have not interfered with the text to any extent, but I have reconstructed tlie scenes' and cut out some of the _ allusions which Shakespearean Societies tie themselves into knots over, and then are never sure where they are. It is Shakespeare simplified, his glory enhanced, his brilliancy made manifest, and, above all, a more playable, understandable play." It is understood that Mr. Atholwood is proposing that Miss Nellie Stewart should crown_ her career br playing "Hamlet" —his "Hamlet," of course. Wo are not at all sure that Miss Stewart, whoso gift for sunny comedy I always preferred to her interludes of sadness, has the essential attributes for the melancholy Dane—whom J. B. A. considers was stage-struck. The role has been played by many women. Did not the divine Sarah Siddons play the Prince of Denmark? Sara Bernhardt certainly did some twentv years ago, and Mrs. G. B. W. Lewis strode the boards in inky cloak in Melbourne and Sydney. Mr. Atholwood is an actor of his latest bear fruit. Notes. Mr. George Titheradge, who presided at the -complimentary dinner given by the Actors' Association to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Niblo in Sydney recently, paid

Australian audiences the compliment of saying that they never gauged the abilities of visiting artists by newspaper reports or poster announcements; they judged for themselves. But, unfortunately for Mr. Titheradge, the remainder of his speech was against himself. He spoke of Mr. and Mrs. Niblo as two of the finest exponents of light American comedy that had over visited these shores, and straightway fell into the pit of his own digging. "I speak entirely from newspaper reports,' he confossod, whilst his listeners roared, '•for I may as well tell you I have never seen them act. I have practically given up going to the theatre."

The "Buttorflios," the versatile costume comody company, who appeared in Wellington under the management of Mr. Jack Waller some time ago, are now under contract to the Fuller-Bren-nan Proprietary, and are at present appearing at the Empire Theatre, Brisbane. This combination will shortly bo seen in New Zealand.

The Stanhope Revue Company opened most auspiciously at the Opera House, Auckland, on Easter Monday night. A northern contemporary, in criticising the company, says:—"Mr Paul Stanhope's American company of some twenty people produced a bright and breezy show. The scenery was really very fine, and the revue was well stage-managed. The chorus is particularly strong, and some novel' dancing is introduced." The company will appear at His Majesty's Theatre in. about five weeks' time.

Mischa Elman had intended to make 1916 a rest year, but the war coming on he-is resting in 1915. He is now in New York, his heart too heavy to play; and he wants the money which would be spent on his concerts to go to charity. He wants time also to reflect on his successes and failures and analyse, the cause. Why does the atmosphere, the spontaneity sometimes come and sometimes linger? He is studying composition and trying to develop mentally.

Caruso is leaving the New York Metropolitan Opera House in the middle' of the season. The reason put forward is that he has an old contract to sing at"Monte Carlo, but it is doubtful if there will ho any opera season there. The real reason is said to be that the Metropolitan wants to economise, and offered Caruso a lower fee. But he prefers not to sing at all than to sing for less than £500 a night.

Wilhelm Backhaus has decided to resume his German nationality. He had lived in New York since his early 'teens, but the-war found him on a visit to Germany, and he will stay there.

Among well-known musicians who are losers by the war is Paderewski, some of whoso property in Poland is now a battlefield; M. Ysaye had much of his savings in Belgian seourities; Kreisler is largely interested in "industrials" in Galicia;

Miss Irene Browne completes her engagement with J. C. Williamson. Ltd., on the termination of the run of "The Life Guardsman" in Australia. She came to this part of the world with Mr. H. B. Irving, and: has only been with that actor, and J. C. Williamson.

"Why. import music from Vienna when we can get if from Berlin?' was the witty. tag of Channing Pollock's notice of Irving Berlin's rag-time revue, "Watch Your Step," now running in New York.