THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2944, 2 December 1916, Page 10

THE THEATRE

. 1 . £By Sylvius.] The Crand Opera Company. There is said to bo a real Count with the Gonsalez; Italian Opera Company. In Italian ho is known as Conte Frcolo Filipini. He has sung, not only in Italy, but toured throughout America I with success. He first appears during I the Wellington season as tho lover in Leoncavalio's delightful I Pagliacci (the Mountebanks), and sings the name part in Rigoletto, a character in which he appeared on the Continent over 400 times. To be exact, 103 people travel with the Gonsalez Opera Company. Siguori Cappelli and Signorine De Rovers and Russ are the star singers to- appear in the Gonsalez opera production, "II Trovatore," on Tuesday next. The youthful Signov Lois is said to be at his best in tho delightful La Boheme, as tlie student lover of the grisette of tho Latin Qiinrtier, who dropped her matches in the wrong room. The character of Mimi is said by Sydney folk to have been delightfully siing by< Signorina Gonsalez, who, by the way, is « daughter of one of the conductors of the Italian Grand Opera Company. Tlie following operas will be presented during the first work of tbo rpjisoi> : —"II Trovatore," "La Traviata," "Cavalleria Rusticnna," and "I Pagliacci"—"Lucia di Lammcrmoor." In the company there are five Gonsalez brothers, descendants of a wellknown musical family in Milan. Their father was a leading light in the musical world of Italy, and one of the most important operatic artist* there. His sons havo inherited his family trait. All the operas to he performed during the season will be sung in Italian. "Common Clay." A few days ago the writer pointed out how little chauce of success a play has when its motif, or moral argument-, is against the traditional moral code of a people. That was the case in "Mad? anie X." The same point has been taken up with regard to "Common Clay," recently produced in Sydney by J. C. Williamson, Ltd. (The author argues that tho illegitimate should have equal rights with the legitimate, a consummation, that knock the marriage law to smithereens. As a dramatic production, "Common Clay" has (says the "Sunday Times") strength, discounted partly by the motives, but still able to triumph over all that, and win favour from first nightors. The' epilogue might well be omitted, bearing signs as it distinctly does of an addition. Ellen Neal has sinned but not suffered, only in a- measure repented, and determined to build her future on a hoped dead past. She is employed in a highly respectablo family. She is soon recognised, and quick--1" forms a laison with her employer's sou with an unfortunate result. In seeking what she claims as justice for her child. Fate leads her to find in tho lawyer her own father, and tho play proper ends with their determination toface tho world together. The epilogue might ho real, but tho chances are ninety to one against—long odds to exnect credulity. Miss Florence Rockwell, whose features are familiar from nictjiro representations, is no novice, having attained a high position on tho American stage, her name having been among the bright lights of the great White Broadway, of New York, and she'comes to us with a great reputation which she thoroughly sustains. Tho parE is not a star one, and while sympathetic, has mainly to rely on tour de force in one or two places, and this Miss Rockwell accomplishes, working as she does against an unsympathetic audience, hut from beginning to end her art is in evidence, and with Greater scope she will no doubt'confirm the (rood opinion formed about her on her initial performance. A New Zealand piay. Mr. Albert Newcombe, of Auckland,, who is the author of several plays, notably "The Yellow Peril," • which was produced in New Zealand with great success some years ago, has just disposed of to Mr. Brandon-Cremer the playing rights of a new play entitled "The Service of Love," an Anglo-Chin-ese play. During Mr. Newcombe's residence in China for nearly a quarter of a century he had opportunity to get thoroughly acquainted with Chinese customs and methods, hence the story as told in "Tho Service of Love" is a written life story transferred to the living actuality of the 6tage. It is said to bo a bold departure from the ordirnry routine of drama, combining Eastern and Western dramatic incident in such a way as to bo both educational and entertaining. This Year's Pantomime. The principals for "The House that Jack Built" are duo to arrive in Melbourne from England within the next fortnight. They include Miss Hilda Guiver, principal boy, and. Miss Gretchen Yates, principal girl, who up to tho time of sailing for Australia was appearing in the Shaftesbury Theatre, London. Mr. Harry Roxbury, comedian, Mr. John Largford, from Drury Lane, and the Ritchie Rough Riders, a team of comedy cyclists. Mr. Arthur Stigant_ will bo the dame, Miss Maggie Dickinson, principal dancer, Miss Connie Caley, tho Prince Regent, and Miss Dorothy Firmin is cast as Madge. The Lord of Misrule will be played by Mr. J. B. Atholwood, who appeared as Cassim in "The Forty Thieves" two years ago. The production will be under the direction of Mr. Charles Wenman. More Tait Plays. Last Saturday I announced that Messrs. J. and N. Tait had, through Mr. E. J. Tait, bought the Australasian rights of "Turn to tho Right." Tho firm now announces that in addition to that comedy-drama, they have also secured the rights of the successful musical comedies, "Very Good, Eddie" (which ran for 400 nights in Now York), and "Adele," which points to still another new on the part of Messrs. J. and N. Tait, who havo never before dabbled in musical comedy' companies. Still another play secured for these parts is the dramatic joko "Under Sentence," which also comes from Broadway.