THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2932, 18 November 1916, Page 13

THE THEATRE

IBy Sylvius.]

P "Tom Jones" at Wangamri. i s At Wanganui on Monday ovoning I 3. attended the dress rehearsal of "Tom s- Jones," a iittlo-known. opera By Ed- >- ward German, a work of only mediocro /, finality, which scarcely reflects tho l- humour or drama of the play "Sophia" o. played here by the Brough-Boucicault j. Company somo twenty years ago i; which is founded on the same Henry if Pw'ldiiig novel of imperishable fame. Ie There are a feiv good numbers, such il a s "The Btrlcy Mo\;," the drinking i- a breezy soldiers' chorus, but of II the rest both the music and action were tediously dull. Mrs. Spillano as |i Sophia Weston sang well, but Jacked charm, and was "sticky" in lier gestures and attitudes. Mr. T. Slipper = sings fairly well, and ba-s a good ajipearance, but was, as far as "business" was concerned, among the unem- ). ployed. He was tho tamest of dashing young bloods, and his lovo scones would not havo convinced a, telegraph hoy. Mrs. Young as Honour showed a r > distinctive personality and a lively sense of humour, but, test of all, Mr. ■ Melville was admirable ■ as Benjamin (j Partridge, the village barber —clever, a resourceful, facile in gesture and attitude. His bright cackle ar.d alert >, "business" kept the stage aliva when he was on. These remarks, it should y be understood, aro only dress rehearsal L impressions. I should not adviso 1 other amateur societies to tackle "Tom Jones." • Janet Aohurch Dead. 1 Miss Janet Achurch, tho well-known - actress, whoso name will always bo associated with tho first production of 1 Ibsen's plays in England, is dead. She , made her first appearance on tho stage at the Olympic Theatre in 1883, and | after touring in the provinces joined Sir F. It. Benson's company to play , leading parts in Shakespearean drama. In 1889 Miss Achurch undertook the . management of tho Novelty Theatre, where she appeared as Nora Helmer in ■ "A Doll's House," and gave a remark--1 able performance which was acclaimed by the critics and approved' by the public. Later she played Rita Allmers in anothor of Ibsen's plays, "Little ' Eyolf."' Miss Achurch made sevoral , tours in the colonies and America. For i the last 18 years her appearances on i the stage havo been infrequent, but she created parts in Mr. Shaw's plays, "Candida" and "Captain Brassbound's Conversion." In private life Miss Achurch was Mrs. Charrington. Letter from Ceorge Morgan. Many in Wellington will remember George Morgan, the spry dancer of tho Red Dandies, of some four years ago. He recently wrote to Lieut. Cyprian Bridge, from Ayr, in Scotland, detailing his adventures since his New Zealand days. After congratulating Lieut. Bridge on gaining his first "pip" (star), Mr. Slorgan says that he meets crowds of follows from "the other side." It was simply marvellous how tho Anzacs got about, and they seemed particularly fond of Scotland. Mr. Morgan states that he went on tour in the provinocs shortly after ho arrived in England from Australia, then a nervous breakdown onsuing on tho news of his mother's death, ho was compelled to take a holiday and went to Italy and Switzerland. On returning he played in melodrama, musical comedies, revues, and a dance drama called "Arabesque." In that show tho Pierrot suddenly took it into his hoad to bolt for America, and as no understudy was suitable tho show ccased to be. At the timo of writing (Soptomber 15) he was playing Douglas Cattermole in "Tho Private Secretary," on tour. "Ghu Chin Chow." Spectacle and tho lighter forms of theatrical entertainment aro in genoral demand in Lond'on just now. Thoro is so much to think about outside tho theatro that within its walls peoplo only seek amusement for eves and ears. Of Oscar Asche's "Chu Chin Chow'- at His Majosty's Theatre, Mr. A. B. Walk ley writes: "Mr. Oscar Ascho's second excursion into tho region of fantastic, polyphonic, polychromatic Orientalism is sure to bo miscalled another 'Kismet.' Last night Mr. Ascho himself preferred to call it an Eastern revue It is, in faot, everything by turns and nothing long—a kaleidoscopic series of scenos now romantic, now realistic, now 'Futurist or Vorticist, but always beautiful, with action passing from tho sentimental to tho droll and' from tho droll to the grim, and yot with the unity of a familiar tale, the old Arabian Nights' tale of the Forty Thieves It is continuously musical, with music by Mr. Frederic Norton." "The Old Country." In "Tho Old Country," just produced in AVynaham's Theatre, London, Mr. Dion Calthrop seems to havo treated a somewhat ancient fhomc from a new angle. A prominent London critic says:— "It is one of our old village habits to be merciless to the 'fille mere,' and it is the dream of James Fountain's life to pay tlio village ojit. He returns to it with millions of dollars from America, buys the old hall from which his mother was driven in shame, triumphantly installs her thero, and violently upbraids the old parson and tho old squire. But lo; his rovongo on tho old world and the old order ot things in tho moment of its fruition only mocks him. Tho squire proves to 1«5 his father, the parson who turned away his mother has something to say for himself, and his mother shrinks froiu being mistress of a house. where she was onco a servant. Having made a, mess of his revenge, and learned tho immovable nature of old English things, James Fountain thinks lie had better take himself and his dollars back to America. "But there aro somo old English things with which ho has better luck, notably two charming old maids, who bolievo themselves —wrongly, but there is no need to go into that —to bo his aunts, and at any rate love him as though they were. And thero is a cTiarming young maid, too, with whom he falls in love, and who falls in lovo with him. So James, though disappointed of his revenge, didn't do so badly in old England, after all." S Million Dollar "Picture. After tho Lyric Theatre closes tonight (says the New York "Evening Post" of October 7) a largo forco of , mechanics will begin work upon tho , remodelling of tho house for the big , noving-picturo spectacle, 'William Fox's . Daughter of tho Gods," with Annetto Kellermann. Tho orchestra, under ;ho direction of Robert Hood Bowers, ; vill also begin rehearsals of his own ( misfc. This is declared to bo one of < Jie most elaborate films over produced, , ind to havo cost over 1,000,000 dollars, i Uew York Plays. i On October 7 the following plays ' vere running in New York: —At the ; 3ooth, "Pierrot tho Prodigal"; Ly- j scum, "Mister Antonio"; Criterion, 'l'aganini"; Empire, "Carolino"; Be- ; asco, "The Boomerang"; Little Theitrc, "Hush!"; Maxino Elliott's, "Fixivg Sister"; Fort.yreigbth Street, 'Rich Man, Poor Man"; Playhouse, "J'ho Man Who Camo Back"; Comedy, ho Washington Square Players; Longer, "N'olmig but the Truth" ; Cohan nd Harris, "The Intruder"; 'Harris, 'Under Sentence"; Hudson, "Polly- ■ nna" ; Fulton, "Arms and tlm Girl" ; Lstor, "Bunker Bean"; Thirty-ninth Street, "Backfire"; Cort, ''Upstairs

and Down"; George M. Cohan's, "Seven Chances"; Gaiety, "Turn to tlio Itight" j El tinge, "Cheating Cheaters"; and iiepublie. "His Bridal Night." "Canary Cottage." Tho iirst production Mr. Hugh J. Ward went to seo when ho arrived in San I'rancisco was "Canary Cottage," a musical play by tlio same peoplo who perpetrated "So Lone:, Letty." This he secured immediately. The new mimical play is on somewhat similar lines to "So Long, Lotty," and is considered to ho a fitting successor to that triumphantly successful production. It will be staged in Australia by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., in the near futurevery likely in Sydney at Christmas timo. Muriel Starr Returning. A visitor to Melbourne from New York reports that when he left Miss Muriel Starr was in the best of health and was looking forward to returning to Australia. As a matter of fact, Miss Starr had been arranging to return by that boat, but at the last moment decided to postpone the visit till a later date. 'Die popular actress had been resting and holiday-making sinco she returned to America, and declared that she had never felt better in her life. It is more than likely that Australian playgoers will again see Miss Starr some time next year. Notes. The attitude of the Churches in America towards the motion picture stands out in strong contrast towards that of some other countries. It would seem that the ecclesiastical authorities there have realised the great possibilities of the film for the advancement of religious doctrine for it said that there are now nearlv 1700 churches with motion picture licenses. These churches charge a small price for admission, and of course screen special subjects in illustration of the sermon. Under the name of Miss Mario May, Miss Mane Fix, of AYellington, has ma<3o her professional debut in Melbourne with the .Mien Wilkio Company in "The Taming of tho Shrew." She is referred to as "a bright girl of promise." When the last mail left London Mr. Borneo Gardiner, the Wellington siffleur, was on the bill at the Victoria Palace, London, whore Georgo Robey headed the bill. Mr. Gerald E. Griff en, the .American tenor, who has just completed an.engagement on the Fuller circuit has left again for 'America. At tho conclusion of the war it is Mr. Griffon's intention to return to Australia with a company of his own.