THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2747, 15 April 1916, Page 9

THE THEATRE

l'lie. World's a theatio; tho Earth a stago.—iioywood. fßr STMICSJ A Now Combination. Thoro aro rumours in Australia of o coming theatrical combination. Since J. C. Williamson amalgamated with Moynell and Gunn, tiio difficulty of controlling a run of metropolitan theatres has boon tho lion in the path of competition. But if the suggested combination—M'lntosh, Marlowo, Tait —comes to anything, there will bo 110 difficulty about theatres. Tho Taits aro already going into theatrical management with "Peg o' My Heart," and obviously havo other theatrical schemes in viow.' Mr. Marlowe is organising revues and musical comedies. Mr. M'lntosh is always ready for anything. The people who think that competition is a good thing see signs of hope in these talkedof new developments. Miss Chiloni and her Diet. There is onq lino in a speech of Celia Ghiloni's in "Twin Beds" at Melbourne Theatre Royal that seldom fails to get a roar of laughter. It is when,' as Signora,Monti, Miss Ghiloni laments that the escapades of her amorous husband have caused her to lose three pounds in weight. "It saves me, from dieting, and that's one good thing," adds tho Signora. Now, many people know that Miss Ghiloni has a most efficacious system of dieting, by which she is able to perform prodigious featß in flesh-reducing, so much so that at times she 'is quite qualified/to play the role -of ingenue. Boiled I down, the system's basic principle is to refrain from eating the things that one likoß best, for they are sure to come under the v ban as fattening foods! The laughter caused hy Miss Ghiloni's reference is therefore • based on substantial reasons. New Plays. The.news that Mr. Harold Ashton has bought for J. 0. Williamson, Ltd., the Australasian rights of two cuch plays as, "Romance" ana "The Groat Lover" is encouraging as both plays are said to have a good deal more quality and are less grossly materialistic tl.an the. average American drama. They may be said to represent a trend of dramatic thought other, than exists in a moro or less brutal exposition of 'American crime in high-and low life, and touch a more romantic chord. In the case of "The Groat Lovor" much will depend upon th 9 porsonnlity of the male star engaged, for it was the author. Leo Ditrichstein, a very capable and engaging , actor, who playfld the role of the lovei in tho New York production. He has written a long string of comedies, but easily among the best known is "Aro You a Mason P" which was translated from the German. "Romance" is by Edward Sheldon, who wrote "The -Nigger" and "Salvation Nell,", both plays of an. ultra-realistic. type dealing with nasty subjects'. . Must Have Comedy. Mr. D. W. Griffith, the Triangle pro-, ducer, is insisting on a light, vein of comedy in all dramatio photo-plays coming from the fine arts studios, which he controls. He does this both for the benefit of tho pioture-going public and for Ills players and directors, who iegard the taking of comedy scenes as a relaxation. For this purpose a day haa been set apart each week on which the lighter side of photo-drama holds sway in his studios. As many. as a. dozen different pitJUires may be. in courso of production under his supervision, but all serious work stops on' "comedy day." "It comes as a relief to -us all," says Mr. Griffith; "for, after working at high emotional pitch all the ■wcelr, 'comedy day' affords us 24 hours' mental relaxation, which we enjoy as-much as do th« public when they see tho film screened." Mr. Griffith has effected what, is said to be a delightful combiration of the two elements in "Let Katy Do It," screened at H'h<> Lyceum, while ' "The Lamb," the picture 'to follow, is given as another interesting example of the soundness. of his theory :

Richard Harding Davtsi As a writer of plays with a delicate touch all interested in the stage must deplore tho death in New. York, of' Mr. Diehard Harding Davis. He mado a signal success in a very/charming play entitled "The Littlest Girl," in 1895, a play that has been- revived oii more than one occasion in America, and his .political comedy "The' Dictator" (played in Australia by Mr. William Collier), He also dramatised his own novel, "Soldiers of Fortune," and was the author of "The Taming of Helen," ' 'Hanson' a Folly," "Miss Civilisation," "The Galloper," "Vera the 1 Medium," and other plays. Mr. Davis was. 52 years of age. Osoar Hammerstein Bankrupt. Oscar Hammerstein, who made and. lost a fortune in production of opera and vaudeville, has been adjudged a bankrupt. Several years ago Hammerstein, who was then producing opera in the Manhattan Opera House, got over £200,000 from the Metrojxilitan Opera House Co., on his promise to "get out" of.ihe oporatic field and remain out until 192tJ.-.' A great deal of the money he made by his withdrawal is said to have been lost by him in his London operatic venture. His recent attempt to give vaudeville in the' Loxington Avenue Opera House, however, put the finishing touch to his business difficulties. Last month, say 6 a New York paper, Judge Kearned Hand, ot tho United States District Court, declared that the umbrella had been up too long. The receivership, he said, was very convenient for Oscar, but was a hardship on the creditors, who were prevented fro mthrowing him into bankruptcy. The equity receiver was discharged, and on January 4 . several of the creditors took the precaution suggested by Judge Hand and filed a petition against- Hammerstein. The imprevented from throwing him into banktion, and he was adjudged bankrupt by default. It is'not generally known that Hammerstein is a composer as well as .an impresario. Ho wrote a coniio opera in twenty-four hours on a wager, and produced it at his own theatre. Ho built no less than five theatres in New York, and the Manhattan Opera House, where he gave opposition to the Metropolitan. He also built an.opera house in Philadelphia, and the one in London that was opened in 1912. Hammerstein was born in Berlin in 1847, and went to America at sixteen years of age. Ha mado a fortune by tho invention of a cigar-making machine.