THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2896, 7 October 1916, Page 13

THE THEATRE

.—. —* [.By Sycvxijs.]

"Peg o 1 My Heart," On Tuesday noxfc we are fit sea that world-winning comedy-drama, "Peg o' My Heart," which has been so enthusiastically received everywhere. "Peg" was written by J. Hartley Manners, a Pacific Slope pressman, who had the good fortune to marry Miss Lauretta Taylor, who was playing "stock" at Los Angeles, nmlor Oliver Morosco, when "Peg" came along. Its phenomenal success at Los Aiigoles founded a fortune for Morosco and Manners, and made a star, of Miss Taylor. In due courso the play was taken East, even unto Broadway, whore it stung the public with a now sensation. Companies wero sent out on tho road with tho new play, and everywhere it achieved popularity—perhaps a little beyond its real deserts. Eventually "Peg" and Miss Taylor went to London, and tho great metropolis fell at their, feet. "Peg o' My Heart" depends pretty exclusively 011 Peg, and in this regard tho Taits (making theii first venture in the drama) were lucky in securing in America a talented actress in Miss Sara Allgood, who went across to New York from "fair Dublin city," with the Irish Players, who mado something of a 6onsation with Synge's play, "Tho Playboy of' the AVestern World," some four or five years ago. "Peg" is bound to please "Wellington audiences, after subjugating a world.

Filmlets. In tho latest - two-dollar-fco-see picture in America, entitled "Tho Fall of :i Nation," inventors were employed to creato a 42-centimetre gun. Four of them were mado'and used at a cost of 10,000 dollars each.. Desolate and abandoned Forfc Augusta, in Jamaica, was rebuilt into a city once more —this time a Moorish city,—For the purposes of the picture, '•a Daughter of the Gods," in which Miss Annette Keilorman appears. , David Griffith's latest big picture is "The Mother and tho Law." - For the purposes of tho picture, a modern Tower of Babel, 80ft..in height, had to bo solidly built., . \ AVhen the last mail left America Miss Billio BurEo Jiad completed her appearances in t-no movie serial "Gloria's Romance." She is said to liavo received the biggest money in the business for this effort, always excepting the salaries drawn by Mary and Charles Chaplin. iilTss Annette Kellerman is said to have lifted 75,000 dollars (£15,000) for her appearance in "Neptune's Daughter." It is said that 25,000 people make j their living out of the movie manu-1 facturing business in Los Angelos._ Some of the picture posters exhibited in Wollington recently cry aloud for fcho attention of the censor. "Where Aro My Children?" is tho title of the latest anti-raco suicide pictures from America. D. W. Griffith arrived in Now York early in August from Los Angeles with tha efTects and improvements to be used in his nowest moving picturo spectacle, "Intolerance;" which will open at the Liberty Theatre on August 22. The action of the picture is in four periods of tho world's history—Babylon, Jerusalem, Paris, and a modern American city. • "How do you- foel about your now venture in the motion picture world?" an interviewer recently asked Nance CVNcil, -the star of Williaui| Fox's latest production, "A AVoman's Past." "Why, the work is delightful," replied Miss O'Ncil, "I lovo it because it is work. To me the most appalling thing in the whole scheme of creation is idleness.' My.picture of hell is, a place where there "is nothing to do aud nothing to think about—mental starvation, in other words. Everyono must have work and toil at it. Work is happiness. Lack of it —stagnation."

■ Edna, May, the original Bello in "Tho Belle of New York,", will shortly bo scon in a,, picturo entitled "Salvation Joan." Slio cannot get away from tho poke bonnet and the blood-and-firo banner. f All Wellington will be taking the north trail next week to witness tho highly "tcihperamental" Theda Bara in "Carmen." This is one of tho famous Fox films, whioh (under the direction of J. C. Williamson, Ltd.) created a sensation in Sydney. Hie picture, goes into a deal more dotail than tlie opera or the story, and the blazing colours of Spain aro laid on "good and plenty."

A Fruity Joke. "Teddy lloyce" (here ages ago, with the Brough and Boucicault Burlesque Company) is terminating a long period of service as producer at Daly's Theatre, London, and leaves almost immediately for New York, where lie will act in a similar capacity at the Globe Theatre. There is at Pennant Hills an orchardist who will never forget lloyce and one of tho musioal comodies hi which he appeared whilo in Australia. Tho comedian had beon taken to the farm on a sort of pick-me-up outing, aud, like a schoolboy, ato not wisely, but too well of the succulent orange. That night, ere the performance was midway through. Lo_ contracted a "brand-new attack of biliousness," aud suffered consequently tho torments of the damned. In the middle of the second act, while at the point of collapse, and in a sileneo that could be cut with a knife, he put his hands to his forehead, and unconsciously yet quito audibly whined, "Curse Blank and his d fruit 1" Whereat a tall, gaunt figure roso in tho front stalls, and imitating the suffering comedian, replied, "And curse your play, too!" No one present, outside of lloyce aiul his host, know rightly whom the joke was on, and by them the short verbal contest has always been adjudged a draw.

Verse Dancing. The most, novel, thing in the programme at a rccent performance in London was an act entitled' "Verso Dancing," arranged by Miss Ginner and Miss Mawer, who respectively represented the Dancer and tho Voice. Aliss Ginner pironetted, fluttered, and leapt around bare-legged; while Miss Mawer intoned, somewhat sternly, selections from Keats, Swinburne, and tho mysterious "Fiona M'Leod," who turned out to be tho lato William' Sharp. This act was very pretty, and Miss Ginner contrived to danco and "act" the spoken versos very aptly, though hor facial play was not so "cout vincing." Sandwiched with some fine singing by Miss Monica Scott, there wero sovoral dances and ballets; also a couplo of choreographic plays. One of these was "The Unveiling," laid in "The Temple of the Seat of the Heavenly Dances." Tho other, named "Tho Dales of Arcadia," was a pretty divertissement based on some lines from Keats.

Notes. George Broadburst has writton a now farco entitled "Laugh and Grow Fat," in which Frank M'lntyre (tho stoutest American comedian) will bo featured. Thero will shortly arrive in Australia a new comedy company under tho management of J. C. Williamson, Ltd. This company was organised in London, and contains several prominent comedians. A season in South Africa precedes the visit to Australia, with a repertoire which includes such pronounced comedy successes as "Fair and Warmer" and "A Littlo Bit of -Fluff."

Tho death of Tom Dawson, comedian and dancer, will bo regretted as much by tho many vauj*.'illians_ who worked on the saqie circuits at int-cr-

v<tls as by ilia patrons lvliose acquaintance only extended across the footlights, but who relished his quaintly original style. Tom died as the result of wounds received on the West front) and was suoh. an Off-hand and genial good soul that if ho could communicate with his friends now it would probably be in the words of one , ,i best songs, "What d'ye want to talk about it for?"