THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3030, 17 March 1917, Page 13

THE THEATRE

i-By Sylvius.] "Seven Keys to Baldpato." An especial treat is promised, playgoers in Wellington at, Easter in a Williamson Comedy Company, that will produce George Cohan's masterpiece "Tho Seven Keys to Baldpato." and "Broadway Jones." Tho company will hn headed by Mr. Eobert Greig and Miss Beatrice Hollowny, who are wellestablished favourites on this' side. Mr. Greig, though a big jolly man,, has become a convert to quiet, subtle comedy methods as opposed to more boisterous and obvious methods of laughter-getting. On this aspect of the business Mr. Greig recently said: "Comedy acting has been greatly improved of late years, by what the Americans aptly ' call 'team acting,' that is, everyone working for each other, and not for self. Any actor, who merely considers himself —no matter how good his performance —robs the play of smoothness, and tho result, although he may make his performance stand out in the eyes of tho uncritical, can havo but one result, and that is detrimental to the play as a whole. Any comedian, provided ho has. the personality for his part, should score without using tho old-fashioned, illegitimate, and often selfish, methods. Combination is the secret of success."

Charles Frohman's Epigrams. The late Charles Frohman was known to his friends as a master of epigram. Some of his distinctive sayings are these: "The best seat at a thcatro is the paid one." "An ounce of imagination is worth a pound of practicability." "The man who makes up his mind to corner things generally .gets cornered." "You cannot monopolise theatres while there are bricks and mortal - ." "When I hear of another theatre being built I try to build another." "No successful theatrical producer ever died rich. Ho must make money for everybody hut himself." "Great stag© successes are tho plays that take hold of the masses, not tho classes." "Where Is He Now?" A London correspondent of tho "Sydney Morning Herald," under date January 11, deals with a one-act play, "Where is Ho?" put up by Miss Horniman and her company of Manchester players at the Court_ Theatre. It is written by D. T. Davies, who first set it out in Welsh and then translated it into terse, strong English. Tho story is a simple one. In a sitting-room in a well-found cottago sits a newly-made widow. Heart-broken she stares into the fire. Her husband lies in the bedroom upstairs, killed in a coal-pit at tho adjacent works. He was an intelligent fellow, a good husband and father, only, as. the widow Marged said, "he did not believe," and sho perpetually asked each friend who came in that humiiitr question. "Where is he now?" Various chapel people drop in arrange some kind of service, but Marged will not allow anything contrary to tho wishes of tho deceased. Lastly, a clergyman explains to her that her husband was probably an agbut urges a few prayers at the crayosido. Tho touching conversation is interrupted by the return of a nit cirl announcing the recovery of the dead man's mate, and the news that tho latfcor was saved by tho devotion of his comrade, who stayed behind. The clergyman listened with great seriousness and then turned to tho widow, his hand raised, "Greater love than this no man hath, that, he lay down his lifo for bis friend." She bowed her head, and as tho curtain vent slowly down he said:. "We shall havo the prayer meeting, and T. will say some words at hits graveside," . she bowing her head in acquiescence.. Our correspondent describes the acting of Misn Margaret Halston (Marged) as wonderful in its embodiment of tragic sorrow, and declares that the play has made quito a sensation. A Great Creation. There aro so many angles from which ono can look at "Intolerance" that its tremendous success at the Theatre ■Royal is not to be wondered at. Whero other productions invito attention, it insists upon and gets it. There is a fascination about tho picture that cannot bo overcome. It simply staggers and dazes after three hours of piling climax upon climax. Thcro is nothing paltry, nothing trivial. Everything has significance, everything is on tho grand scalp. Splendour vies with magnificence. Ono leaves the theatre wondering, and nexfc day one's mind returns to the marvellous sweep through history, aud begins to got a focus of the crimes that have blood-bespatiered tho world. All tho bigotry and narrowness and the welter of agony that has followed in their wake flashes before one. Surely history is not going on repeating itself through all eternity? That is the seed Griffith sows. He prepares the brain to receive it, and ono yaguelv feels that love will rule mankind. Concealed choruses effects and a thematic orchestral score all contribute to tho improssiveness of tho production. The illusion is never lost. That "Intolerance" has forced itself upon the popular imagination as has no other super-feature from the kinematographio studies of the new art is apparent. The Williamson management is hard put bo it to cope with tho crowds, and there is every indication that this will bo their lot for manv_ weeks to come.—Sydney "Sunday Times."

Stage Morality. Dealing with stage morality, tho New York "Dramatic Mirror" liad the following reply in its editorial columns to the charge against American theatrical managers of producing immoral plays:—"ln many of tho new plays characters of questionable morality have been introduced) to New York audiences. To this apparently discreditable record should be added the word that only ono of the plays still running purports to bo a discussion of marital relations. In the other twelve plays still on the boards the 'shady affair is reduced to 6uch a sketch that it is almost eliminated. There are a few other productions that flit airily along the edge of what moralists term 'propriety,' and sin only in respect to good taste. But in considering plays mado upon the modern method it is pertinent to say that there has been little of great interest or value in many generations of drama, apart from the rosily romantic or the fairy story, that did. not relate to the vital contacts of the sexes. Such elements of drama, are seen in life on all sides. They have coloured lifo through tho ages. The theatre, to have any ethical value, must reflect life as it can, upon a basis of actualities or through imagination spurred by fact. Many are prone to say that the theatre, in its representations to-day, is more brutal in its pictures than it ever was. _ But is tins-a fact? The older dramatists who touched upon the relations of tho sexes did so cither with artificiality or with a deliberate intention jo shock the moral sensibilities, and with no underlying purpose. Tho avorago modern dramatist who goes to actual lifo for dramatic motives may also shock the sensibilities, but often ho has a lesson to convey. Thoro aro many who find fault with the means be employs who cannot legitimately impeach the moral he points." Kates. Alary >vill regret to hear of the very j serious iliuoss of ill". Harold Ashlon.

the director of .T. C. Williamson, Ltd., whose condition is giving bis friends ciiich anxiety. Mr. Ashton is suffering from cancer in the throat, arid Ms condition recently was such that Sir Aloxandor M'Carmaolc refused to operate. Mr. Ashton is one of tho finest characters that have adorned tho managerial £]"de of tho theatrical profession in Australasia at any time, and everyone was glad whoa, on his return from South Africa, about nine months ■aco, ha was admitted to tho directorate. He has been tho fathful servant of many managements, an honest, sincere, goodnatured, and resourceful manager or "advance," and a man who know a success when ho saw it.

B. W. Morrison, who staged "Pee o' My Heart" for the Taits, and "Within the Law," in Australia, for the' ,T. 0. Williamson, Ltd., management, is coming from America to produce "Daddy Lena Logs" for tho firm, with Charles Waldrou and Kathleen MacDonald in the leading roles. The first performance in Australia of this delightful play will he given in Sydney, at the Criterion Theatre.