THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3012, 24 February 1917, Page 13

THE THEATRE

LBy Sylvius.]

Dazzling Prospects. J. C. Williamson, Ltd., have done a wise thing. In the most . important contracts recently made tho Americans havo been given a rest, and wo are to see Mario Tempest, ono of tho most brilliant comediennes of the age, Mr. Graham Browne (her talented leading man), and, what is equally as exhilarating, we are to 6eo Mr. Cyril Maude, a. very delightfail and cultured English comedian, Mr. Cyril Maude, in his creation, "Grumpy." It was Cyril Maude who was the original old salt in "Beauty and the Barge," and has played successfully in many coivxlies of this and tho last century. He confesses to being fondest of Sir Poter Teazle in "Tho School for Scandal" than any other role. Hi 6 most enduring successes have been "Under the Red Robe," "A Marriage of Convenience," "The Little Minister," "The Second in Command," "Cousin Kate, and in recent years "Grumpy," with which he has 'toured America. Miss AVinifrod Emery is Mrs. Maudo (the actress who says she never reads Press notices, and loathes being interviewed. A rara avis!). All the world knows Marie Tempest. Her origins in parts would fill a column. Marie is no longer young. She will bo 57 years of ago, but she has tho divino afflatus in comedy, just as Sarah Bernhardt has in tragedy, and is always richly entertaining, in whatever she does, and her popularity _is just as great in America as it is in England. Sbo first appeared in "Boocacio' in 1880. and worked up through opera bouffe to. legitimate comic opera". She scored an enormous hit as "Dorothy," and followed it up as "Doris" and "The Red Hussar" in the opera of that name. Then she went to America, and took a higher flight by appearing as "Carmen," "Mignon," and "Manon' in the grand operas so named. On her return to Loudon she joined l Georgo Edwardes's forces at Daly's, and created the leading roles in such successes as "Tho Artist's Model," "The Geisha," "Tho Greek Slave," and "San Toy." She severed her connection with the Gaiety management in_ consequence of a dispute which was flippantly summarised in legal language as "Trunks v. Trousers—Tempest • nonsuited." Then,"- turning her attention to legitimate comedy, 6he .appeared in 1900 as Nell Gwynne in "English Nell," "Becky Sharp" (1901), "The Marriage of Kitty" (1903), "The Freedom of Suzanne" (1905-6). Miss Tempest is the wifo of Mr. .0. Cosmo Lennox, son of Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox. It is rather curious to note_ how parallel havo been the stago experiences of Miss Tempest at Homo and Miss Nellie Stewart in Australia. Both' actresses wore beautiful singers, both had rare qualities as to personal charm, both commenced their careers in the same class of work-, and graduated through comic opera to legitimate comedy. "Daddy Longlegs," the dramatisation of the late Jean AVobster's delicious letter story, will be warmly welcomed. Mr. Charles AValdron, who i« going to produce the play, was here with "The Squaw Man" and "The. Virginian." He is just a,s good straight actor,_ with a prepossessing appearance, but is nothing distinctive, as a star. The big success in "Daddy Longlegs" in America was Miss Ruth Chatterton. When Mr. AValdron was in Australia he married a Sydnoy lady.

People in "Turn to the Right." J. and N. Tait have engaged a cast of high intelligence and 1 ability for their production of "Turn to the Right," which is promised at the King's Theatre, Melbourne, on February 24. Among those who have arrived in Australia to play tho principal parts are: -Walter "P. Richardson, John Junior,: Alncent J. Dennis, StapletOn Kent,-'and-;Mrs.. Calvert. These-.are. all people of proved ability who can be'expected to brilliantly the roles allotted to them. In addition; two or three prominent Australians have been secured. Miss Lizetto Parkes, - who will play the leading ingenue part, is one of the acquisitions, and two others are Miss Eileen Sparkes and Miss Nancy Musgrovo, who haye already been seen in various productions on the Australian stage. Gaston Mervale, who was specially brought out from America to handle "Turn to the Right," will bo ■the producer.

New Plays In New York. The New York season, which starts in earliest in November, has brought a lot of new plays to New York, and,' as was to be expected, they are mostly comedies—comedies of sentiment, of adventure, and those that have been fed on the famous farce mixture which never fails. Among the high comedies is a version of Thackeray's "Peudennis," served up, with the "Thack" colours slightly faded, under the title of "Major Pendennis," with John Drew in the part. The play is described as tedious. One of the critics said that it would be dasy to make a better dramatisation than did Mr. Langdon Mitchell, but difficult to make a worse.

"Old Lady 31" is a very sweet comedy of sentiment that one laughs at with a tear in tho eye. It is a comedy of old people, only two of the charac-, ters being under 60 years of age, and the story is worked out in an atmosphere of sunshine not usually associated with a boardinghouse which has become a sort of old people's home. But there the characters arc as richly diversified as in "The Passing of tho Third Floor Back," and more interesting. Miss Emma Dunn makes another hit as Angie, a very charming addition to tho gallery of silver-haired old ladies, this young actress has made her own. Reginald Barlow, as Abe. and A 7 ivia Ogden were also credited with being beautifully suited. AA r illiam Faversham and _ Henrietta Crosman have been seen in G. B. Shaw's polemic comedy, "Getting Married." Of this play Channfng Pollock wrote: "Anyone who reads 'Getting Married' must wonder why its author didn't print the play and play the preface." "Getting Married" is not a play in any sense any more than the first act of "Damaged Goods" was, and as a dialogue it is below tho previous Shaw low-water mark.

"Come Out of the Kitchen," by A. E. Thomas, is another addition to the string of Cinderella comedies, such as "Peg o' My Heart," "Daddy Longlegs," comedies that arc all heart on a thin stalk. It relates, of two poor, but proud, southerners, who are so much up against it that they have to let the old home to a beastly hemoneyed Yankee, and then, as he is about to quit because of the difficulty he experiences in getting white labour, the family enlists as his servants without disclosing themselves as propertyowners. After a lot of domestic fun. the Yankee does not seem so very beastly after all, for the prettiest girl finds him good enough for a husband. Of Clara Kummer's' queer comedy, "Good Gracious, Annabolle!" ono critic writes: "Here is a work without form or cohesion, without characters, or action or situations. literod with loose ends and threads that lead nowhere, so vague ami bofoggod that the memory fails to retain anything hut the bare outline of the simple plot. On the other hand, it sparkles with the glint of perverse and bizarre humour." "Anns and the Girl," by Grant Stewart and Robert Baker, is a war comedy. It tells brightly the fresh and amusing story of mi American, Riilh Sherwood, in Belgium, who prevents tho execution of a fellow countryman, Wilfrocf Ferrers, hy declaring him to ho her long-awaited fiance. Tho_ genoral in command, being of a suspicious

nature, promptly orders the burgomaster to "marry these two." What follows is admirably and continuously entertaining.

Mr. Cyril Maude, soon to eomo to Australia, was appearing at tlio latest in New York in a comedy called "The Baskor," in which' the clover English actor, was ever such a noble, but amiably idle heir to the Cheviot fortunes that he, when overwhelmed with boredom at inheriting the title, arranges with his next-of-kin to "take on the job." And this worthless fellow has a picnic of a timo, until the Basker finds him to be an arrant rotter, and begins to set bis house in order, -with more "chin" than anyone suspected him of having. As "The Baskor" he gives n polished and agreeable performance, and Miss Maude Milton (can ono ever forgot her Maria in "Twelfth Night" hero with the Musgrove Shakespearian Company?), is prominent as the Duchess of Cheviot. Charles Dillingham arid Florenz Zeigfeld (Mr. Billy Burke) have done a daring deed in taking over the magnificent Century Theatre (erected by millionaires as a grand.opera house) arid opening. it as a music-hall. No ono will doubt that it is the finest music-hall in the world, and the bill that opened the theatre was the costliest over got togother in America. Under the title of "Tho Century Girl," devised by an army of authors, with music written by Victor Herbert and Irving Berlin, it is simply an all-star vaudeville performance, against a background that outfollies tho Follies, arid'out-hippodromes tho Hippodrome. Tho entertainers include Elsie Janis. Sam Bermard, Leon Errol, Harry Kelly, Louise Dressier, Hazel Dawn/Frank Tinney, John Slaviu, Maurice and Florence Walton, Doyle and Dixon, and tho concentrated beauty of Broadway after dark. One writer, in referring to tho enterprise, said: "It is no wonder that Tinney confides: 'Dillingham and Zeigfokf, they says to mo, they says, 'Frank, if we .do the. business we should do, wo won't lose more than two thousand dollars a wook!' " I Raoy ComDriies Coming. Prior to leaving for America, Bobert Greig and Beatrice Holloway arc to head a comedy company which is to visit New Zealand under the manage-' ment of J, C. AVilliamson, Ltd., Tho repertoire will comprise "Seven Keys to Baldpatos," "Broadway Jones," and "Tho Travelling ■Salesman," in which Mr. Greig and Miss Holloway will play tho parts taken respectively by Fred Niblo and Enid Bennett. The tour will open at "Wellington on Easter Saturday night. This ■is tho best news we have beard for a long time. "Tho Seven Keys," in particular, is a great comedy by- Geo. Cohan, and is bound to bo popular in New Zealand. Notes. The first fruits of Mr. E. H. Sothem's determination, to devote his salary during his farewell tour in America to the British Kcd Cross have appeared in the snrii of nearly £1.00, which he has cabled to tho society as a result of two performances at Wash-, ington, together with a personal donatio'n of over £600. Mr. Sothern is nlayinp; for 20 weeks, and is giving every penny of his personal receipts to the Red Cross, oven defraying all the cabling, travelling, hotel, and other expenses. •

Tho members of the Now J. C. 'Williamson Comedy Company, which arrived in Sydney from South Africa, include Thomas A. Braidon. Daisy Atherton, Percy Marmont, Elma Rpyton, and May Nightingale, all of whom are weir known in' London. Their opening nieco will be "Fair and Warmer," at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, on February 3. i

Mrs. Adeline Billiiigton, a wellknown identity of Iho English theatrical world,, died in London during the. week at the ago of 01 years. ..She made many notable.successes in her. day with her husband, the late John Billington, and Miss Mary Anderson and oilier prominent artists. Her later years were mostly devoted to the instruction of stage novices, and she was a beneficiary to a small extent under the will of the late J. L. Toole.

The Allan Wilkio Company in Melbourne is diverging from Shakespeare' to play such plays as "She Stoops to. Conquer," "Comedv and Tragedy," and "The Bells."' '' ■ '