THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2914, 28 October 1916, Page 13

THE THEATRE

[By Sylvius.]

A Stock Company. Mr. Bert Boyle, representative of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., in Now Zealand, is at prosont visiting Australia. Ono of the business projects that ho is discussing with the firm is tho establishment of a stock company by a separato proprietary, who will rovive some of tho most popular of tho Williamson successes of the past, bridging the gaps in the run of theatrical'companies between the visits of the professional companies that may como to Now Zealand from Australia from time to timo as at present. It is understood that tho scheme is Tinder way, and may be initiated after tho new year. I havo heard that the plays likely to bo played by tho stock company may include "Sunday," "Madame X" (never yot played here), "The Fortune-Tunter," and other strong-attractions. Providing tho company is a sound one, there is no reason why it should not do more than pay its way; indeed, thero is no valid reason why such an institution should not become a sort of school of acting in New Zealand for those who have a distinct bent for the stage (which does not include all who may think thoy have). It was the stock companies of fifty years ago that gave tho. world its best actors, as it provided opportunities for versatile acting, and demanded it, whereas the stage to-day inclines, more and more, towards the utilisation of "types." That means that managers, when casting a play, havo up to a point ceased to think of good actors, but rather consider those whose personality and appearance -will suit the part. Then, if the play succeeds, that set of players has' to do nothing but'automatically repeat themselves nightly for a _ycar or two.- That system may bo all right for tho manager, and provide a very lazy and delightfuKtime for the people concerned, '• but it is argued by closer students of the drama than tho writer (in America and England) that it is detrimental tti the art of acting, and point to the paucity of great actors (not agreeable impersonators of themselves) on the stage today in support of their argument, i Mr. Boyle's idea is certainly an attractive one to iplaygoers, and it is ■ hoped that it will materialise in good i time. '.

London Jottings. "Potash and Perlnvutter in Society," the successor to "Potash and Eerhnutter" was produced at the (London) Queen's Theatre on September 12. . "dm Chin Chow" is the name of the latest play to bo staged in London by Oscar Asche, who' is tho author of the work. ; It includes thirteen, scenes of Oriental life, said to be as wonderfully characteristic and atmospheric as thoso unforgettable scenes in "Kismet." "The Professor's Love Story" has been revived in London by Mr. H. B. Irving. The cast includes Jaines Lindsay, Henrietta Watson and Kate Moffat.

Mr. Alfred Butt has acquired tho English rights of the successful American farce-comedy, "Fair and Warmer." Itefincment in titles is not a characteristic of tho present London season. The list of gav musical shows includes "The Rotters," "A Little Bit of Fluff," "Blighty," "Back to Blighty," "Pell Moll," "We're All In It," and "Yo Gods!" A comedy entitled "Some,". had seen over eight performances when the last mail left.. . , l \ ' Mr. Basil Hailami tho young actor who played the youth so perfectly iu "The Blindness of Virtue, has boon killed in action in Franco. The cast of "Flying Colours" at tho Hippodromo includes the name of Mr. W. S. Percy, a graduate of tho defunct Pollard Opera Co.

"High Jlnlis" invLondon; •That delightful frivol "High Jinks" which we all laughed at and whose tunes wo all hummed a year ago, has at length readied London, where it is being produced "by arrangement" with our very own J. C. AVilliamson, Ltd. The musical farce- was produced at the Adclphi on August 24, and the London Press unanimously tipped it as a "stayer." The "Observer" said:— "Mr. Frederick Lonsdale has adapted 'High Jinks' for the English, stage, and eight other gentlemen have assisted him with additional numbers and

lyrics, but the programme affords no cluo as to who was the original author of what proves to bo one of tho brightest musical . comedies that has been seen for a long time. It has already achieved success in America and Australia, and wo shall be- surprised if it doos not add this country to the list of its victims, for tho irmsic is catchy, it is daintily staged, there is scarcely a dull moment, tho central theme is a novel one well worked out— and there is Mr. W. H. Berry. Oho has always' known Mr. Berry as an indefatigable worker,- but never has he worked harder to ensure the success of an entertainment than on tho present occasion. ~ . There is littlo doubt

that 'High Jinks' will fill the Adelphi

programme for a long while to come." For London spmo of the names ,of the characters havo been altered. The furious Frenchman has been made a Spaniard, but tho essentials remain. Here is the London cast, .with tho names in parenthoses of those who played the parts in Wellington .-—Dick Mayne, Pctor Gawthorno (C. H. Workman); Sonor Rabelais, Andro Randall (Paul Plunkot): Col. Slaughter, Tom Walls (Alfred Frith); Maitro d'Hotel, Leon M. Lion (Chris Wren); Mr. J. J. Jeffreys, W. H. Rawlins (same actor in Wellington); Dr. Thome, W. 11. Barry (Field Fisher); Mrs. Thorne, Mario Blanche (Mario Eaton); Mdllo. Chi Chi, Jeano St. Bonnet (Daisy Yates); ASolaide Fontaine,. Maisie Gay (Florence Vie); Sylvia Dale, Nellio Taylor (Dorothy Bruntoh); Florence, Gw2n Hughes (samo actress here). "The Bells of Hell." ' A writer in tho Manchester "Guardian" refers to tho preposterous songs with which our soldiers solace themsolvos amid the horrors of the war.

"Wo atliomo," ho says, "cannot conceive how it can, strengthen tho heart of a man on his way to a battlefield to chant 'Hellelujah, I'm a hobo,' but it is possible to conceive that a deep instinct may lead him to mock death in a variety of song that is bursting out among the men who aro fighting in tho Somnio inferno. Here is,tho most astoiinftiiig example o5 that kind. The men who aro singing it aro tweaking tho very nose of Death, and have found the words for. their act: —

"Tho Bells of Hell go ting-a-lmg-a-ling For you but not for mol"

For mo tho angels s!ng-a-ling-a-ling, They've got tlio goods for me. 0 IDcabh, where is ihey sbing-a-Ymg-a-li'iff. 0 Grave thy victoree!

"The Bells of Hell go ting-a-ling-n----ling For you but not for me!"

Still More Comedy. At Christmas the J. C. Williamson New London Comedy Company .will arrivo in Sydney frjim ■ South' Africa, whoro they open in the farce, "A Littlo Bit of Fluff," by Walter D. Ellis. This new group of Euglisb artists consists of Messrs. Percy Marmont, Thos. A. Braidon, Wm. Cecil, Frank J. Arlton, Misses _ Daisy Atherton, Elma Eo.vton, Edith Blande, May Nightingale, and Eileen' Gerard. Tho only ono of the artists already known in Australia is Miss Edith Blande (Mrs. Austin Brereton), who was hero for tbreo or four years, 1889-1892, and played t leading, parts witb Bland Holt at whioh very early period of her enr-

eer she was strikingly handsome "A Little Bit of Fluff" is still running in London, and lias been successfully produced at tho 39th Street Theatre, New York. The reportoiro will also include "A Pair of Silk Stockings," an English farce by Cyril Horcourt, which ran for 18 months in London, but was purchased by Mr. Hugh Ward in New York when ho saw it at the Booth Theatre- after it had been transferred there on revival from the Littlo Theatre. Tlio "American" described it as "brimful of human nature, and of possible, if extraordinary, proceedings." The author is new to this country, but has now made great headway elsewhere, and is responsible for "A Lady's Name," in which Marie Tempest recently opened at the Maxine Elliott Theatre.

"Twin Bods." "Twin Beds," which is to bo staged at the Grand Opera House by Halo Hamilton and Myrtle Tannehill on ruesday next and tho two following evenings, was subjected to the fierce "gilt of clerical criticism during its recent Sydney season, tho criticism being directed at tho poster advertising the farce on the hoardings. The controversy, under the circumstances, the question whether a play could be judged by its poster. From what can bo gathered, tho' authorities instituted inquiries on tho point, and found that "Twin Beds" was not likely to outrage public morality. The Williamson Ltd. management pointed f"' at the time that in book form ■Twin Beds" had been on sale in Sydney for many months, and that the cover design, as exhibited on the bookstalls, is a reduced copy of the hoarding poster. I