THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2600, 23 October 1915, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

IBt StivtobJ The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Heywood. Out of the Rut. The last act of "Nobody's Widow," in which Mijriel Starr is appearing at Melbourne 'ihoatre Royal, raised a few gasps amongst tho audienco on the opening night, its uniconventionality, to put it mildly, proving something of a surprise. to play-goers who had been prepared beforehand for the "Frenchiness" and liveliness that characterise the play generally. _ What added to the effect was the artistic way in which the "happy ending" was brought about —just a flood of moonlight pouring into the room through tho open casement, in which Roxana dreams of her happiness; then tho drawing of the window blinds, and tho curtains that shroud the entrance to the bedroom; the switching off of tho lights, then tho slow fall of the curtain, and tho end of the play without a word being spoken or tho conventional grouping of characters and tho final "tag." It was a surprising finish to an unconventional play that is full of surprises (including Muriel Starr kneeling at) the feet of a, man to whom sho is proposing!), but that it was appreciated was indicated by tho applause that went up from tho crowded nouso.

Big Fight Film. The announcement that the motion pictures of the battle in which Jess Willard restored Jack Johnson's pugilistic crown to the white race would be shown brought fight fans in big numbers to the Sydney Tivoli on October 2. It is tho first chance Australians havo bad of judging for themselves of tho reasons for the fall of the hitherto regarded as invincible black. Wo had 'heard all sorts of stories of crookedness and of neglect on Johnson's part to prepare for the battle. The truth may be found at the Tivoli daily. What the film shows is that Johnson trained right enough, but apparently had got past the stage when he could reproduce liis remarkable form of previous years. From the twentieth round onward to the twenty-sixth, when Willard knockod him out with a clean right to the chin, the big black — he is nevertheless small in stature compared with his opponent—is a very tired man, almost unable to lift his feet from the floor as he comes from his corner for tho last time. Tho pictures further reveal the fact that Willard is by no means solely dependent on his strength and size. He has skill of a kind, and particularly in his left hand. Ono gets the impression, however, so great is Johnson's superiority in skill and generalship over Willard, that tho black might have won had lie mixed matters early in the contest. But ho was not tlie Johnson who beat Burns, about the only point of resemblance being his grin and tantalising of his opponent. Tho film is of interest to all who want to bo well informed on "boxing matters. It has one good feature in that the more tense situations are sliown at larger-than-life size.

A Clfted Australlenne, There is no more gifted artist on the musical comedy stage in Australia than Miss Dorothy Brunton,. the talented daughter of the late John Brunton, whoso beautiful stage pictures were wont to charm the eye and feed the imagination in tho halcyon days of melodrama when Bland Holt was the presiding genius. Miss Dorothy was born and bred in the atmosphere of the theatre; as a child she played with the clever models of scenes her father, wrought, and if she failed to break her neck by falling from the paint frame it was due to the eye and loving care of Mrs. Brunton, who still travels with "Dainty Dorothy." Miss Brunton, whoso rise in her profession has been meteoric, owes much to tho interest and training of Mrs. Hugh J. Ward, of Sydney, 1 herself a very beautiful singer. 'It was her acumen that saw a career for Miss Brunton, and which became strengthened as she succeeded in drawing out tho golden thready of voice which, though not robust, is ineffably sweet in quality. Miss Brunton is a freak, in that her success has left- her entirely unspoiled. She has tho sweetest disposition, has the brightest spirits, and is always ready to do anyone, a good turn. In Australia she did notably good work in rccruiting, _ but admits that sho often had "a pain in the heart'' when singing "We Don't Want to Loso You." So successful were her efforts at winning recruits in Melbourne that one company which was in camp at Broadmeadows was called "Dorothy Brunton's Own." Miss Brunton was to havo gono to America last year, but tho war upset her plans. No one in Australia or Now Zealand wants her to go—she is tlio precise type of girl that we would all like to see remain oil the Australasian stage.

"Peer Cynt" In Pictures. By dint of an ingenuity nearly as great as that of Peer Gynt himself, Ibsen's dramatic poem was shown in some fashion upon the screen at tho Broadway Theatre, New York, 011 September 20, with Cyril Maude in tho title part. It only needs bo said that despite Mr. Maude's excellent work there was precious littlo of Ibsen loft, and a great deal of stock motion-picturo properties inserted. Tin's was tho inevitable result of tho attempt to put Peer Gynt upon the films. What was reproduced was,a series of fantastic adventures of 'lie physical Peer Gynt in many lands. After Solveig he becomes a trapper in America, a Southern planter, a vicarious prophet surrounded in. the desert by many dancing Oriental maidens, and undergoes other transformations which the films faithfully depict. For the spectators these scenes soon dropped to tho level of tho ordinary comedy film, with appropriate laughs whenever Mr. Maude took a- tumble or made a sophisticated grimace. To accompany Peer Gynt's wanderings, the orchestra drew its incidental music from compositions which included Grieg's suite, "My Old Kentucky Home," "Sll- - River," and midway Oriental dance music. It must be admitted, however,' that the opening scenes of the play were of a higher order than the later episodical digressions. The Solveig of Myrtle Stedman- and the Aso of Fanny Y. Stockbridge wore pleasing, and tho Button Moulder of Charles Ruggles was effective. The Norwegian scenes were really pretty. But, after all, Peer Gynt is not for tho "movies."

One on Nat. Nat Goodwin onco told of an experience lie had with a juvenile deadhead in a western town. Standing outside the theatre a litt'o time before tho performance was duo to begin, he observed a small boy with an anxious, forlorn look 011 his faco and a wecdyleoking pup in his arms. Goodwin inquired what was the matter, and was told that the boy wished to sell the dog so as to raise the prico of a seat in tho gallery. The acter suspected at once a dodge to secure a pass on the "sympathy racket," but allowing himself to bo taken in lie gavo the boy a pass. The dog was deposited in'a safo place and tho boy was able to watch Goodwin as "Tho Gilded Fool" f 10111 a good seat in the gallery. Next day Goodwin saw tho boy again near tho theatre, so he asked: "Well, sonny, how did you liko the show?" "I'm glad I didn't sell my dog," was the reply.—Newark, N.J., Star.