THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2994, 3 February 1917, Page 13

THE THEATRE

lßy SYLViUS.]

The Rise of Winchcll Smith. Winchell Smith, who is co-author with John L. Mazzard of i.lic wonderful American success "Turn to the Right," which is to he presented by J. and N. Tait at the King's Theatre. Melbourne, at the end of the present month, is a dramatist who had had long experience as an actor. At the age of twenty Smith was stage struck, and was learning the rudiments of the theatrical calling in an academy in New York. Subsequently ho secured an engagement from the lato Charles Frohman, and for ten years he. acted in Frohman's companies, carefully studying all the principles and problems of modern stage craft. Leaving Frohman for a valuable two or. three years with Arnold Dalv, the foremost American producer of Bernard Shaw's intellectual, plays, WinchelH Smith then began to write for the stage. Crudity was apparent in his earlier efforts, hut soon he was .demonstrating his metier for dialogue and construction. After that lie was a. complete, success, and is now oneof tho.richest dramatists in America. The monny to ho earned by successful nlnvwriting can bo guessed at in Smith's rase, for in two -or three years lie amassed a fortune}, and was able tho other dnv to spend fiOO.OOD dollars on a palatial home at Connecticut. "Very Cood Eddifc" "Verv Rood Eddie,"' which makes its first appearance at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, on Saturday. February 10. was known as the .''movin.T play" in New York. It first opened at the Princess Theatre in that. city, and plavod there to crowded houses until it had to shift, to make, room for a -previously booked attraction. Then "Verv Good Eddie" went to the Casino Theatre, remained as long as it. could, and found another temporary refute ot the Thirty-ninth Street Theatre, finnllv returning* to the Process, «-hioh had again become available. When tho Princess was reouired by another management, tho piece, 'which by this time had broken.the record for success, bad to be on tour as every other New York Theatre was engaged. On tour. "Very Good Eddie" has been the. greatest success of two American seasons. .- "Canary Cottaße." Tho J. C. Williamson. Ltd., ' New English Musical Comedy Company will return to Melbourne on the completion of the pantomime season, and will produce for the first time in Australia "Canary Cottage," described as. the legitimate successor to -'So Lone, Letty." Mr. Hugh J. Ward, who secured the piece in America from Oliver Morosco, considered that in some respects it was a far better play than "Lettv," which is saying a groat deal. Dorothv Bruntnn. C. H. Workman, Field Fisher. Alfred Frith, Connie Ediss, and the other favourites of this popular company will appear in "Canary Cottage." In "The Class House." Miss Florence Rockwell, the new leading lady, has three phases in ''The Glass House" which offer an actress fair, if not unusual, opportunity, and first impressions were in her case highly satisfactory. In the introductory and explanatory act she is a fresli and happy girl rather suddenly engaged to a quiet young man, who.on the ove of their marriage is exposed as a sensational thief, something oh the lines of Jimmy Valentine of another American play. Sho is brought to rujn with him, Cakes tho martyr's punishment, breaks her parolo on the expiration of her sentence, and reappears after a few yoars as the .happy wife of tho prosperous and progressive Harvey "Lake., returns reluctantly with' him to Now York, where ho is offered a great railway appointment, and, being recognised by the relentless Inspector Carroll, of, tho New York police, is suddenly faced with all tho tragedy of exposure and rearrest. AVithout any sustained or speoially trying scone, Miss Rockwell has many situations in which" deep feeling, sincerity of "effort, and stage skill are required, and only in a single instance was there tho sonso of something wanting. Even on that occasion—the tense cm-lain to tho third net—opinions may differ as to whether she, handled a highly emotional scene in quite the right vein, or struck an exaggerated note. Tt was the one possible exception proving the rule in her case of accomplished and satisfying art. . Mr. Frank Harvey, as already suggested, realises most convincingly all the possibilities'in'the best part ,whieh the play offers. Its detail, however, is uncommonly good.—"Australasian." > ' Theatre License Refused, Tho London County Council on November 24;- sitting as. the licensing authority in respect of music, music and dancing, and stage plays, refused to renew the license of the'-'New Middlesex Theatre of Varieties, DruryLane. The application—that of James Laurence Graydon—was opposed before the Thoatros and Music Halls Committee of the council on November 2 by Mr. J. B. Williams, secretary of the (Amalgamated Musicians' Union, on tho ground of the character of the jerformances. Having heard evidence, the committee recommended that the license be granted, but tho chairman, Mr. Donioney, intimated to the licensee, that every caro must be taken to prevent anything objectionable or anything that would lower tho character of the performance, adding that the. committee relied on the licensee to give. effect to this. Next day Mr. AVilliams, again appearing in opposition, was permitted, by vote of the council, to submit further evidence, aud produced for inspection photographs to support his allegations as to the - scanty nature of .the costumes of loading performers at tho hall. In regard to three objectionable' incidents cited before the committee, it had been contended that in the revues produced at the Middlesex the performers kept rigidly to tho script ; licensed by the Lord Chamberlain, but I ho had written to the Lord Chamberlain in regard to those incidents in "Little Miss Mustard," and had ceived a reply, in which it was stated: "These scenes have been the subject of correspondence between the Lord Chamberlain and the producer of the revue, which has resulted in these being materially modified." Mr. AVilliams' alleged that the warning of the • chairman had been disregarded, and suggested that the council should mark their sense of such conduct by at least suspending the license for six months. Evidence in support of his statements was given by Harold Willougbby, a musician, who said that visiting the hall on a night subsequent to the sitting of the committee he found-no modification in the performance. Mr. AVilliams called Hie applicant, who said he attended the first performance each week in order to guard against the introduction of anything objectionable. In tho case of a song which had been instanced, he stated that it, had been stopped after the first performance. He admitted that at the rehearsals of a revue the words were not spoken, only the music being dealt with, and Mr. J. H. Hart, the manager, said he was prepared in future to have the whole of a revue, rehearsed before being presented publicly. Sir John Benn moved that the license be refused. This was seconded bv Mr. •Smallwood. and Mr. Domoney said that as it appeared that, in spite of the committee's warning, the things complained of - had been allowed to go on. ho would support the amendment. The license )vas refused by 38 votes-to 3.

Notes. C. J. Dennis, the author of "The Sentimental Bloke," which Lawrence Campbell, the Australian elocutionist, is now busily interpreting to Now Zealand audiences, is now engaged on a work of stronger import at his bush homo at Toolangi, A r ictoria. Annette Kellorman was at the latest appearing in a crystal tank act at the New York Hippodrome, with half a dozen other fair mermaids. "Tho Daughter of the Gods," the last big picturo sho appeared in, lias not sent the world crazy. One critic said that in reducing the picture from 90,000 ft. to 12,000 ft. the censor has clipped the story out. The local picture managers say that Charlie Chaplin films are not nearly tho same draw they used to be. At one time a Chaplin feature meant packed sessions all day and night. That is not the case now. Charlie is a very comic person, but he is ever the samesame walk, clothes, stick, run, front and back kick —only the scenery and those associated with , him change. Strange, but true!

"I take my exercise on the stage," remarked Miss Dorothy Brunton recently, discussing methods of keeping oneself fit. 'In "So Long. Letty,.' I dance about a quarter of a mile nightly. AVhen tho performance is oyer I nave had quite enough physical exertion for a day. And the best of it is that it's enioyable. I don't feel a bit tired until it's all over, and then tho reaction sets in. Applause is my stimulant—when I get it. It's wonderful what a vice it becomes. I've known it to go to the head!"

Miss Amy Murnhv is playing, the Fairy Queen in AVilliamson'fi uantomiivic, "Tho Houso that Jack Built.". The ,1. C. AVilliamson Publicity Department received something of a shock when' the new star, Florence Rockwell, expressed a desire not to bo interviewed. "It is my opinion that tho personal side of an artist, should not bo brought out," cxnlained Miss Rockwell. "The stage sido only concerns the public, and I dotr't know why they should bo interested in our private life any more than in that of other people." < Mr. AValter AVcoins, tho negro impersonator, who was so long on the Tivoli circuit, has left again for America.

Mr. Trod. Bluett is onco more back in Australia, this time as one of the Tivoli Follies. Daisy and Sydney Yates, tho clover society dancers, who were in "Hijrh Tiuks" when it was' -first' produced here, .ire also' with the 'Follies. The cast engaged for the Australian production of ' "Very Good Eddie." which will have its .-premier© at the Sydney Palace Theatre under the .J. aiul N. Tait direction on. February 10. includes two fine-'types'of'beauty in. Lilian Tucker and Fayette Perry. Miss Tucker is ,v charming blonde with a fine soprano voice, which was recently heard to much effect in "The Soldier. Roy" in Philadelphia. Miss Fayette Perry is cnually fair, but she is of the dinty, diminutive type, and is as vivacious as may be. She was the life of "Tho Amber Princess." a musical cnmodv which was recently staged in New York.

The death of Mr. Frank Desprez, formerly editor of "The Era," took place at Hampstea<l in November. Born in 1853 at Bristol, where he was educated at the Grammar School, became to London in 1875, and joined the staff CT"" J TSu lira" seven years later, eventually succeeding the late Mr. G. Spencer Edwards as editor. Mr. Dosprez wrote a number of popular songs, and was the'author of several successful, comediettas and sketches, many of -which were afterwards collected and published in a volume entitled ."Curtain Raisers." Ti'or the D'Ovly Carte Opera Company in the old Savov days he wrote at least two musical sketches—"The Carp" and "Mrs. Jarramie's Genie.',' Other pieceß from, his pen.were'.: "After All," "In ■the Sulks." "Brum-" /.'Mock, Turtles, and "Quito an Adventure." He. was also the author of the well-known recitetfoh "The C'rect Card," and wrote soveral short stories.