THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2959, 23 December 1916, Page 13

THE THEATRE

[By Sylvius.!!

"So Long, Letty." Thero was ouce an old fashion by which a play would bo dramatised from a book; indeed, it still exists in some parts, mostly where they make th& pie-, tures that move; nowadays, bovever, the play is produced first, and then, if it hits the mark, 6omeono writes a book about it. In these <lays of topsyfcurveydom it is hardly necessary to mention that tho musical comedy "So Long, Letty," was manufactured from a farce entitled "Thy Neighbour's Wife," just as "To-night's the Night," also to bo played by Williamson's Musical Comedy Company, during the Christmas season, ■ is a musical version of the old comedy "Ptnk Dominoes," so that thero is nothing absolutely now m the world, if people's memories were long enough. "So Long; Lotty," is billed as "the world's greatest musical comedy success," which does not roally moan what it says, but convoys the fact that this bright, lively, tuneful comedy has actually been a success in America and Australia, and there is small doubt that we will enjoy its airy humour and Yankee smarfcnosses . The plot is comically conccived. Two men have two wives—one each, I mean — and both are dissatisfied. The one, who is a bit of a gourmand, or perhaps epicure is a nicer word, admired bis neighbour's wife because she is a very admirable cook, though otherwise a plain, homely body. On tho other hand, the cook's husband cannot see much virtuo in his wife, who always Icoks dowdy alongside of his neighbour's fashionplate. Tho two men get .together, and hiding ojit each other's yearnings, decide on a mutual change. This takes placo, "with what result the comedy shows, but eventually both i'nd that they have made a mistake, snd want their own back. Tho comedy will be interpreted by one of the strongest com-

panies the Williamson management has over , sent this way. It includes that jowel of musical comedy, Miss Dorothy Bruntnn, who has scored the biggest successes of her young life sinco sho was,last hero; Miss Connie Ediss, a. former Gaiety star of somo magnitude, Miss Maud Fano, Miss Mario Eaton, Miss Ethel Morrison (formerly Miss Maginnity, of Wellington), Miss Cecil Bradley, Miss Violet Hooper, Messrs. C. H. Workman, Alfred Frith, Field Fisher, Robert Greig, William Green, Chris. Wreii, Claude Bantock, Edgar Warwick and llonnld M'Leod. "Tho Waybaoks." Mr. Philip Lytton, who dramatised "The Waybacks," and whose company will bo seen in the farce oil Australian life here next month, tells a good story about Henry Flotchor, tho talented Writer of the "Waybaoks" series. Some of tho types of characters in tlicso stories live fairly remote from civilisation, and it is one of their boasts that they have never seon this or that, objects such as trains and motor-cars, gramophones', and kinemotogrnphs. This becomes such an obsession with some that they avoid seeing any of these things, as it would tako the wine out of life. Henry Fletcher told Lytton of ono man he knew in tho Richmond district—not the wayback at all —who only lived fourteen miles from a railway line, and yet had never seen a train—boasted and bragged of it as a great feat of human reticonce. Now Homy Fletciier was in Sydney during the entire run of eight weeks of "The Waybacks," and nevor went to see tho picco until £no last night. It was his pleasure to niovo round among people and ' encourage them to remark on and criticise tho play, not only bis friends, but perhaps strangers who would bo sitting on a. scat iu , the Park or Domain—just to hear -what they had to say of it: Then ho would tell them that ho was the author of tho book, but had hover 6een the play. It became just as much an onjoyablo recreation to him to tell people so as it did the country man to tell of tho things ho had not seen.

'Damaged Goods," Brieux's play, "Damaged Goods," vhicii treats with veiled diseases, ttractcd huge audiences, ; jut whether lliey camo in a spirit of morbidity or to learu morality as from i aarmau, has never yet been deterniticd. "Tho now play (says tho Sydney "Herald") is a sorious play— nirposoful as any sermon ever preached, yet, in spito of its too-long speeches md its incessant duologues, generally touched in dramatic form. This is its nerit as against the frequent sex ap : leal of such farces as 'Pink Dominoes,' 11 which immorality is paraded as a larinless joke. 'A respectable man,' emarks Brieux, 'will take his wife and laughter to a music-hall, where they icar tilings to mako a doctor blush, iis modesty is only alarmed by seri>us words. 1 Tho dramatist here slashes jard at the faulty conventions of thp theatre, and his satiro is justified—the inly possible excuse being that, findng nature as it is, tho avcrago man aughs lest ho should bo minded to veopl" "But where are wo to draw the lino it these 'serious words?' As regards nixed audiences of both sexes,, as regards tho scores of giggling girls in jho Criterion gallery, the thoughtless, i'olatilo Saturday niglit section of ;heatre-goers generally present at now productions, we say decidedly ;t should bo drawn at "Damaged Goods'." A ;onsensus of opinion exists among medical men, and thoughtful women ivhoso dictum carries weight, that ,'enereal disease, always present, has received such an alarming impetus that Brieux's straight-out deliverance should reach the boys and girls of the 3oninmnity. Our reply to this is: 'Then iet it do so through the reading of the play in book form, by private performmco at universities, military camps, and factories, beforo tho separated soxes, but not in our theatres.' The impression loft by Saturday's povforminc'o was that it will lower the iono tf general conversation by cultivating frequent directness of speech 011 'sexual subjects in lieu of the rarest allusions in roundabout terms. That 'Damaged Goods' as recently as 1905 gave pause jven to Mrs. Bernard Shaw, is shown by hor remark, 'Wo none of us had, to our shame bo it spoken, quite sufficient courage to stago the play at that time, although Mr. Pollock (the translator) frequently urged us to do so.' " Its success in Sydney makes it almost certain that "Damaged Goods" will bo seen in New Zealand.

The 'Sydney cast included the names of Misses Alma liock-Philips, Miss Olive "Wilton, Mis Gertrude Boswell, Miss Maggie Knight, Messrs. Lewis Willoughby, Sid, Stirling, A; E. Greenaway, and Stephen Scanlon (a recent arrival from South Africa). Revues and the War, "I wonder how, after tho war is over, tho revue will develop," writes "Percival," the dramatic critic of the "Era." "There aro signs and portents already in Paris that the oldfashioned revue, tho moro or less dreary procession of pretty girls and ugly incidents qf tho year, lieraTditl by a fow inano remarks made by a compere in impoßsiblo dre6s clothes, and a conimerc with a big hat, tho long wand, and tho scanty attire peculiar to the genus, is singing its swan song, and that it will develop either on Hie lines of musical comedy, as in Knjrlund, or into something new, possibly a vehicle to ciirrv several sketches. Tho man u'lia can devise an entertainment which will combine a ballet, ftvoral sketches, and ono or two good music-hall numbers, will, I believe.

make a fortuno oil tlio nmsical-liall stage after the war. And in the meantime a curious and very clever attempt to combine old ideas with novelty in the. entertainment lino lias Jjpen made this week in two jilaccs in I'aris, tlio Nouvcau Cirque and the Theatre du Vaudeville. The show at the Thcatro du Vaudeville is the more original of the two, but I haven't had time to go and see it yet, so you must wait until next week for details. From what I hear of it, it is distinctly original though, and something of a new departure. ' It is a film revue, called 'Pari# in Wartime,' and introduces all the French music-hall stars imaginable in moving pictures. There seems reason to believe that the' idea will develop .further. People will floclc to see a couple of dozen star artists whom no music-hall manager could afford to | show in -tlje flesh, even without words, on one and the same evening, and presently, no doubt, someone will have tlie happy idea of mixing two or three of tlio, artists in propria, pcrsoiiae with kitiematographic pictures of the others, and the salad,- if deftly turned and sufficiently spieed, should becomo popular." "School for Scandal" Revived. Mr. Allen Wilkic, faithful to his intentions expressed in produced Sheridan's comedy, "The School for Scandal," in Melbourno on December 2, and though the rain pelted down all dav and evening, tlio Princess Theatre was crowded. The performance was distinctly a good ono (according to the "Age")j though there was no histrionic genius shown. Mr. Wilkic was Sir Peter, and Miss Watts Lady Teazle; Mr. Vivian Edwards was Charles Surface, and Mr. Walter Hunt his brother Joseph ; Miss Elwyn Harvey was Maria, and Mr. Gregan M'Mahon Crabtree.

Mt. Scott Colvillo will nrrivo v liaro i next Tuesday to make arrangements on behalf of Messrs. J. and N. Ta.it for tho coming of "The Sentimental Bioko," in'the person of Mr.'Laurence ; Campbell, of Sydney. The local season commences on January 9.