THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2890, 30 September 1916, Page 13

THE THEATRE

.. .... ■— -fr, "The Bunylp." Mr. Ben J. Fuller groinises a real Australian pantomime at Christmas, written liy Ella Airlie, who was last m Australia with Coyne's Itevuo Company. Tho "panto"'has tho title of "The Buuyij)," and Mr. Fuller is asking imaginative Australians to gj,ve him an ldoa of what , the fearsome animal (f) resembles. Tho story doals with the wanderings of Princess Wattloblossorn, who falls into the hands of tho Bush Gnomes, a mighty proud race with a terrible way of doing things. The Lord High Gnomo decrees that tho princess-shall be turned into a bunyip, and this transformation takes place on the stage. Mr. Fullor offers £4 4s. for tho drawing ho considers tho best attempt to depict a bunyip. As a guido to thoso who. think they know what a bunyip looks like, here are tho words of the Boss Gnomo: "I doom you to assume a hideous guise, that of the hated bunyip: an object of derision and contempt! You will-bo loathed and scorned wher'er you go." "A Full HouSa." "A Full House," which was to follow "Too Many Cooks" at Melbourne Theatre Royal, introduces Hale Hamilton and Myrtle Tannehill in one of the "quick-fire" farces. It ig swift in action from the riso to the fall of the curtain. The bustling,. breezy story . revolves around the-accidental substitution of a bag containing some stolen- rubies, purloined by a burglar, for a bag containing some incriminating artioles. They turn up in most unexpected places at -the most unexpected times, and the fun arising out of ; tho complications becomes fast and furious. It is just suoh a farce comedy that Mr, Hamilton, with his rapid utterance and quick methods, revels in. , . On the conclusion of their brief farewell season • at •Melbourne Theatre Eoyal, Halo Hamilton (the original "Wallingford") and Myrtle Tannehill will enter upon a comprehensive tour of New Zealand With an attraotivo re-, pertoire. : The opening will bo at Wellington on October 23! The pieces to lie played include: "It Pays to Advertise," "Twin Bods," '.'The Boomerang," and "A Full Houso." "Tho Cinema Star." Looming nearer on tho theatrical horizon comes tho big production of "The Cinema Star," which is' to bo produced by J. O. Williamson, Ltd., at Her Majesty's, Melbourno, shortly.' .This Will bo the first staging of tho piece in Australia. Produced at the Shaftesbury Theatre.in London, "The Cinema Star" had a brilliant run extending over eighteen months. In_New York it was produced under the title of "The Queen of tho Movies," and was the musical success of tho season. There will be several features of unusual interest and attraotiveness in "The Cinema Star," including a wonderful ballet, in whioh that dainty little favourito, Maggie Dickinson, will mako her reappearance in Melbourno. The title role will bo played by Florence Young. 1 The dressing and staging of the play will be most elaborate. One of the scenes will.depict a cinema studio and the taking of a picture, a host of "movie" artists being concerned. This scene will be presented correct in every detail,, so that tho public will get an interesting glimpse of things "behind the screen." "Hail! Hamilton." At the Opera House Wellington, .on Monday, October 23 (Labour Day), J. O. Williamson, Ltd., will present for the first;'time to New Zealand playgoers tho famous world-renowned oomedian, Hale Hamilton, in the extromely humorous and very; successful comedy, "It Pays to Advertise." Brief seasons will be , the/.order of the tour, and in ; eaoh centre _ Mr. Hamilton, and his morry combination of comedy artists will also stage "Twin Beds," "The Boomerang," and "A Pair of Sixes." Mr. Hale Hamilton, who was the original creator in New York and London of "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford,'.' will be supported by Miss Myrtle Tannehill, Mr. Donald Bowles, Miss Celia Gliiloni, Nanoy Stewart (daughter of Miss Nellie StewaTt), Mildfed Warren, Mr. Edwin Lester, Miss Mattee Brown, Mr. Leslio Victor, Mr. John Ardizoni, and Mr. Charles Wheeler. Mr. Hamilton has been playing continuously in Sydney and Melbourno for twelve months., London Doings. Tho writer of "A Woman's Letter," in the "Sydney Morning Herald," under date "London, July 28," remarks: •—"Of theatrical novelties I have none to relato. Theatres are closing and revivals are on the upward grade._ Late in its run I spw Mr. Denis Eadie play Disraeli at the Royalty, and came home entranced with the cloverness of his impersonation. It is an exhausting role, and Mr. Eadie has had to relinquish. it for the present and take a holiday. It is a one-man play, but. of so fine a nature that I think if wo aro to see history on the stage this one with its central motive of the groat statesman buying tho Suez Canal shares should remain in repertoire. ■ So important has tho infiuonne of tho play been that there is a run on booltß con-, cerning the career of Disraeli. I was on my way out to the Straits Settlements in 1878, when Lord Beaconsfield bought the Khedive's shares on his own responsibility. The news reached us at Malta, and also of the acquisition of Cyprus, and'l saw the Indian troops lie had summoned riding about Malta in their picturesque uniforms. In tho early autumn Mr. H. B. Irving will put oil 'The Professor's ' Love Story,'- by Sir James Barrie, and Mr. Oscav Asche has nearly Teady for production a gorgeous Chinese play at His Majesty's Theatre. Sir Herbert Tree has been making Shakespearean drama popular in America, while American plays are doing well here. Mr. Louis Nothersole, who, at an interval of years, brought Olga Nethersolo and Margaret Anglin to Australia, is more than satisfied in his capacity as manager with the' business dono in 'Romance,' by Miss Doris Keane, who is certainly a wonderfully clever woman; Mr'. Nethersolo asked 'me about many of his Sydney friends. Mrs. Brougli has resumed her' part, Mrs. Sanderson, the landlady, in tho revival of "The Man Who, Stayed at Home.' She is extremely graceful and simple, and is as finished as any French artist I have seen for yeara." . Peg's Mother. It is not often that an actress is afflicted with an anonymous mother. Yet Sara Allgood, who is figuring in the name part of tho J. and N. Tait success, "Peg 'o' My Heart," was approached by her alleged mother in Amorica, though tho good .woman refused to appear to claim her daughter. She merely 1 sent her supposed oflspring long unsigned epistles in an educated hand, informing her that hor real mother was living in New York. As Miss .Allgood's real parent has been a respected resident of Dublin for many years, this assertion was pretty good. Tho. actrcSs tried to discover, the writer, hut without success. Most of Miss Allgood's friends considered that tho writer was demented, but tlio actress suspected that slio had been mado tho butt of an American joke. "Peg o' My Heart" is due at the Opera House on October 10. Notes. Tho marriage of Miss Alice Crawford,tho woll-known actress ■ (here _ with Nance o'Ncil), formerly of Bcndigo, to Mr. Georgo Valentine Williams took place last month in London. Mr. Williams, who is a London'journalist, has a commission in tho Irish Guards. On the morning of his wedding ho received

a notico to join his regiment immediately. Ho hurried to headquarters, aud explained that his marriage wap arranged for a few liourß later. The commanding officer was genial and sympathetic. "I givo you permission to lose yourself for a week," no said.' Tho wed-. ding was a quiet one, and Lieut. Williams is now with his regiment, at tho front. Tlio death is announced of Miss Stella Cazalla (Mrs. E. Lashbrooko). Ohung Ling Soo's home at 1355. Avenuo Edward VII, Shanghai, China, was nearly dostroyed recently by fire. In tho loss was much of tho magician's stago paraphernalia, also a tiger. A Shanghai English-printed paper poked fun at Chung for not using his water trick when the firo broke out, also asking why he hadn't saved the tiger Ly making it "disappear." Georgo Welch is staging a new iarco with tho Follies in Molbourno. Ha calls it "A Row in the Orohestra," and it gives him tho opportunity to introduce somo of tho broad comedy effects with which he is also always so successful. It culminates in a general fight among the members of the orohestra, which has tho audience in Toars of laughter. Miss Madge Fabian, the. English actress,, who has been appearing nt the head of a Williamßon dramatic company in Australia, leaves for South Africa at the conclusion of the "Land of Promise" season in Melbourne.