THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2582, 2 October 1915, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

[By Stlvics.]

The World's a theatro; the Earth a stage.—Heywood. Making Up for the Screen. 1 The art of making up. for tho st-ago and that of making up for tho screen aro two entirely dilforont matters. No actor whp rpado up for a picture as he does for tho stage would ever reach tho public. Not only does a picturo'-player have to exerciso tho greatest care in making up for tho screon,- owing to the penetrating eye of tho camera, but ho must know tho .valuo -of colour as it affects tho picturo through the camera. It would never do for tho lady with thobig, soulful eyes, sunken by a liberal application of bluo ou tho eyelid and beneath the eye, with each eyelash fattened with black grease-paint, and a cupid' s-bow .mouth designed in vermil•lion, to make-up in liko manner for the camera. Thoso ruby lips would como out jet black, tho powdered cheeks and shoulders would , gla-re out as hard-and white as an ice-field, and there would be black circles round the eyes —horrible disfigurements. _ Tlio reason for due caro' in make-up is that the camera only knows two colour values, ranging from clear white to dead black, with all the tones of. grey between. Red to a camera means black, bright blue means white, light orange 'means grey, a light red means a datk grey, pink also means a light grey. Consequently the rubyred lips of tho actress would appear black, her neck would be- a ghastly white, the peach-blow tint of her cheeks would be grey, which- would give her .the appearance of ono fading into a living ; skeleton. Queer combinations of colours aro used, such > as Dutch pinks and crimson lakes, and • chrome colour to get tho right effects. The samp discretion has to be exercised in the colours used in tho scenery and furniture, to preserve a proper balance of tones. So the "make-up" man in a picture-making business is one of the most import-ant, next to the producer.

"Paul Jones" Revived. 'Particular interest attache's to the production of "Paul Jones" by : tho Royal.Comic Opera Company at' Her Majesty's, Melbourne, by reason.'of the appearance in the cast of two artists of more than ordinary interest and populiarity. These aro Miss Florence Young, who; has been specially engaged by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to star in her old part .of Paul Jones, and' Miss Minnie •Love, who will be seen as- Chdpinette, this being her first appearance in comic opera in Australia. Otherwise the cast is as follows:—Leslie Holland as Don Trocadoro, Phil Smith as Bouillabaiso, Reginald Roberts as Rufinode Martinez, C. R. Bantock as Bieoquct, John Ralston as -Haricot, Derek Hudson as Kestrel, Ethel Morrison as ■ Malaguena, Charles Albert:as Petit. Pierre, and Ethel Cadman as -Yvonne. Other: revivals to follow will be "The Orchid," "The Dancing -Mistress," and-"Tlio Old Guard."

"Stop, Thfef!" ; • . Given a" dear,' delightful, old,'absentminded paterfamilias, who. is always losing and forgetting things, blunder-' ing around his-house'in bespectacled bemusement all tlio time, and not only losing his own belongings; but those ol his wife and family, and of his friends* and you will have the first hint of what ''Stop, Thief I" the. next Williamson venture, may_ contain. But when one is asked to .imagine this man's household involved in tho throes of a wedding,- and there are in evidence a deaf and hysterical old lady, and three lively and irresponsible daughters, who have inherited much of their father's - whimsicality, to add to the whole confusion, ono can just begin to grasp the character of the fabric of this farce. Add to these ingredients a'young bridegroom who develops hysterical kleptomaniacal tendencies, a young doctor who diagnoses the bridegroom's complaint for him, with a parson who bleats, and'oncljalf of tho mixture is laid bare.

From South Africa. Writing from East London under date August 6, Mr. Robert Greig, who. with his wife (Miss Beatrice Holloway) has been playing the Niblo farce-comedy repertoire in South Africa, states, that they were then in the straight. ' In a week's time they were to leave for Cape Town, and after a farewell season there were to sail for "dear old Australia." "We were going right on to America from here, but the war lias, altered all our plans," writes Mr.' Greig; Besides the Niblo comedies they have been playing three other American succcsses.-yiz.: "It Pays to Advertise" (another, winner as good as "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford"), "A Pair of Sixes," and "Stop, Thief." "Dick Stewart is due here in a few weeks," writes the comedian. "I think he is the right man for this country. Harold Ashton is longing to get back to Australia. We expect to. leave on the Arawa, on August 27, but on account of the war the shipping business is fraught with uncertainty." Providing they caught the Arawa, Mr. and Sirs. Greig (and presumably the other members of the company) should be in Australia at present. The Arawa is due in Wellington to-day (Saturday).

Damon and Pythias, AYhen the dramatic spectacle "Damon and I'ythias" is presented her.e, which it will'bo shortly, audiences will, it is stated, seo what has been regarded in America as a remarkable triumph of photo-drama art. This beautiful story of human friendship is portrayed by a splendid cast in scenes of magnificence. No two characters have a greater heart-appeal than these ideal friends, whose bond of affection has lived as an illumining example .through all the ages. The .actual staging.of this spectacular production was a tremendous undertaking. There are sensational chariot races, whole cities are destroyed by fire, and many other colossal scenes, which presented countless obstacles for director and camera man to overcome. The result is said to bo the most) brilliant and effective spectacle ever made in the picture world. •

Notes. All true lovers of the drama in its purest form should not miss tho chance <of hearing Miss Dorothea Spinney, who is. a remarkably talented exponent of the ancient Greek drama—tho foundation of all drama. Not only does, she rccit'e these plays of misty antiquity, but sho acts them with the clearest in-; sight and vivid intelligence, giving such photographic individualty to each character, that'onables her for the greater part of tho recital to dispense with tho formality of calling tho characters as they speak. Miss Spinney is an education. »

Miss Grace Palotta is.returning to tho stage after her brief retirement, and is joining tho Williamson company headed by Miss Muriel Starr and Mr. Chariest A. Millward for tho production of "Nobody's Widow," a comedy by Avery Hopwood, which was first produced in 1901. Hopwood was co-au-thor with Mary Riuebart Roberts in tho dramatisation-of her "Sovon Days," played lijrc by the Hugh J. Ward company, soino years ago.

Rex Beach's "Tho Barrier" has been revived in dramatic form in Sydney under tho management of Beaumont Smith and Leslie Hoskins. ' Tho cast includes: Cyril Mackay, Arthur Styan, Winter Hall, Harry Halley, Reynolds Dennistou, Clivo Wilton, Reginald Kennotli, i'ojcy Walsh, ami Margaret Lmder» •' '