THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3053, 14 April 1917, Page 13

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.)

"A Pair of Sixes." It was in "A Pair of Sixes," to be played this evening, that Mr. Bob Greig anu Miss Beatrice Holloway achieved their greatest triumphs in South Africa, where they both "starred" under the management of J. G. Williamson, Ltd. In this piece Miss Holloway received much becter opportunities than in "Seven Keys 10 Baldpote" to show what a brilliant young actress she is. The Actors' Association, anxious to exhibit their good wishes, sent a cablegram and a noral tribute to Mr. and Mrs. Greig (Beatrice Holloway), which were handed to them at the close of tho initial performance of "Seven Keys to Baldpate." "A l'air of Sixes" concerns a pill partnership—one member of the firm having invented the pill itself, and the other, its beautiful violet coating, l'hej each claim the credit for" the pill's success, and become so excited over the point that they agree to refer it to a. lawyer, who advises them, after mature deliberation, to play a game of poker for tho honour. They do so, and a pair of sixes wins. That is all good fun, hut what follows is a deal funnier, and must not be told here.

Honoured in His Own Country, Prophets are sometimes honoured in their own country. An Australian actor who has come rapidly to the front is Mr. Robert Greig, tho producer and loading man "in "The Seven Keys to Baldpate," and one whose big, smiling, "peace-on-earth-and- goodwill - towardsinen" personality makes him. as likeable off the stage as Ms abounding comedy sense does on it. He first came into prominence as a member of the Hugh J. Ward Comedy Company, in which his "type" figure and big outreach ensured him many successes. After Mr.. Ward's admittance to * the firm of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., Robert essayed to play some of the comedies under his own management in Melbourne, '. but the fates were unpropitious, When Fred .Niblo, that livest of live wires in American comedy, came to Australia, Mr. Greig was secured as "just the very typo" for a round of excellent parts, m which he was admirably amusing. His wife understudied the late Mrs. Niblo (Miss Josie Cohan), played her parts on many occasions during that lady's illness,. and also made good. .'The Greig's had ideas of America, and were making ' inquiries about that country ; when J.. C. Williamson, Ltd., commandeered them for comedy work in South Africa, where both succeeded in pleasing in no ordinary measure. Returning to Australia, Mr. Groig was called upon to fill important parts in the Williamson Musical Comedy- Company (a new line for the comedian), and .again he exhibited a versatility that surprised even his best friends. He afterwards supported Miss Florence Rockwell in "The House of Glass", (in which he played the attorney), and finally, with America still on the brain, ho was offered the chance to take "Baldpate," . "A Pair of Sixes," and "The Travelling Salesman" through -New Zealand on terms too- desirable to refuse, and here we are. When America does get Mr. Greig and| his talented little wife, it will bo Australasia's loss, for men' I know say there is lots of work for comedians of his type in the land of our cautious ally.

Lines that Tell. "Turn to the Right," the J. and N. 'fait success at Melbourne King's Theatre', contains two or three lines that never fail to arouse a roar of laughter. One of tho best of these lines is uttered by Sam Martin, the country yokel, in the last act. Sam has suddenly become wealthy,' and' acquired New York manneis, and ho is genuinely upset when Muggs and Gilly, also wealthy and not so polite, help themselves to c'gars -by the handful: "My God," says Sam in indignation, "you guys are provincial!" The most impressive remark, however, is made by Gilly in the first act. The ravenous safe-breaker is engaged on his sup'per, and is'littlc disposed to conversation. AVhen he learns, however, that Deacon Tillinger is pressing Mrs. Bascom for\ tho payment of 125 dollars, his interest is excited. He "has previously declared that he would do anything to help the old lady, and; on being informed of the amount of the debt, he gets up and inquires with thrilling significance: "Has anybody in this town got 125 dollars?" The line, delivered with great emphasis, ig invariably productive of vociferous merriment.

You Never Can Tell. An instance of the fallibility of managerial judgment is given by Miss Marie Tempest, the famous comedi-' enne. Clyde Fitch's play, "The Truth," failed in New York. Miss Tempest was attracted by the newspaper reviews of the play. She waited upon the late Charles Frohman, and asked him for the comedy for London. "My dear Miss Tempest," said the great manager, "that play goes into tho waste-paper basket. I won't havo anything iuore to do with it." Tho celebrated actress urged that a play might fail in New York and still be very acceptable in London, arguing different standards in taste. Mr. Frohman refused to entertain the idea. For weeks Miss Tempest protested that Mr. Frohman was wrong. Finally he yielded. "The Truth" ran to ■ enormous business for over a year in one theatre in London. '■•..■

Authoress and Producer. ■ / Mr. Graham Browne, the distinguished English actor, who is leading man with Miss Marie Tempest at Melbourne Theatre Royal, enjoys a fine reputation as a producer of plays. During Otto Stuart's management in London, Mr. Browne prepared the plays for the public. It was he who voted for the presentation of "Lady Frederick," in which he rehearsed Ethel Irving, who appeared in the comedy in Australia. On one occasion Mr. Browne produced for the London Stage Society a play by Mrs. Humphry AA'ard. '"I was told that she would not have any 'cuts' in the script," said Mr. Browne. • "I made a certain suggestion to her, and she excised "four lines. After that I took the play home with me, went through it carefully, and interleaved the manuscript with written reasons why it was necessary to delete scenes and portions of scenes. Two days afterwards the famous novelist returned the manuscript. Forty' pages of it had been eliminated!"

Miss Kathleen MaoDonell. There is no questioning the big success Miss Kathleen MacDonell has made in Sydney as Judy in "Daddy-Long-Legs." Miss Mac Donald is not pretty, but she is alive with temperament arid that elusive quality, charm. One writer says that' Miss MacDonell has thoroughly entrenched "herself in the hearts of her audiences, and her performance is considered to be ens of the most delicate and appealing seen in Australia for a long time. The Sydney girls have taken posses-'' sion of Miss Kathleen MacDonell, the brilliant young Canadian actress, who impersonates Joan Webster's heroine in "Daddy-Long-L'egs" at the Criterion, Sydney. • Miss MacDonell finds herself embarrassed by the number of invitations sh'e receives to afternoon teas and similar functions, arranged in her honour. The young star has also been asked to visit various ladies' schools, evidently from the fact that she impersonates a school-girl. School parties have bean simultaneously arranged to attend the Easter holiday matinees,,

and already several hundreds of Eeats have been asked for by the lauies' colleges^ It is understood that "Daddy-Long-Legs" will come to New Zealand in June. i

Drury Lane Pantomime. "Puss in New Boats" was the title of tho pantomime at Drury Lane, London, at Christmas, the book Laving lieen provided by George It. Sims, Frank Dix, and Arthur Collins (who is still tho general manager of the old theatre). The music was, as usual, by Jimmy Glover, with added numbers. The cast included Mr. Robert Hale (brother of Mr. Hale Munro, the Harbour Board's wharfinger) as the Baroness, Mr. Will Evans as the Baron, Mr. Stanley Lupino (Barry's brother) as Polydor, Mr. Clifford Spurr as Fritz, Mr. Reginald Cromptou as the Magician, and Mr. Fred Emeny as the Squire. The ladies in the cast were: Misses Florence Smithson, Lennie Deane, Nancy Buckland, Lily Long, Ethel Davies, Kathleen Anderson, and Madge Titheradge. The specialties were the Tiller Troupe of acrobats and Ritchie's Rough-riders. - An innovation was a series of Shakespearean tableaux representing the outstanding scenes in "Much Ado." "Merchant of Venice',", "Winter's Tale," "Merry Wives," "Romeo-and Juliet," and "Midsummer Night's Dream."

Notes. "Tho Vicar of Wakefield" has been successfully filmed in America, with Frederick AVarde as the vicar. "Joan, the Woman," a wonderfully humanised adaptation of Joan of Arc's life, was ono of the big picture draws in New York when the last mail left. Miss Geraldine Fcrrar is the Joan of the cast. Mr. Geo. Arliss has revived "Tho Professor's Love Story" in New York at the same time that Mr. H. B. Irving has done the same thing in London. In the English playgoers memory this plav is associated with the name of the late Mr. E. S. Willard. When Mr. J.ulius Knight plays Napoleon in "A,Royal Divorce", in New York it will be the first occasion Wills's play has been performed in that city of original first alights. The cast oi. "The Marriage of Kitfcv," in whirl' Miss Marie Tempest rnade'i her first appearance in Australia at Melbourne Theatre Royal on Easter Saturday night, included Mr. Graham Browne as Sir.Reginald Belsize, Mr. Sidney Stirling as John Travels, Miss Gwen Burroughs as Madame de Semiano. Miss Millie Engler as Rosalie, and Miss Marie Tempest as Miss Katherino Silverton.. Two of the latest mummers to 'don khaki' are Wallace Brownlow (a former opera, idol) and Edmund Sherras (who was last here with "The Climax"), Mr. Reg. Kenneth, formerly with the Williamson Musical Comedy Company, is now farming in the West. Mr. Oliver Peacock, late of the Dandies, is now appearing in "Canary Cottage", in Melbourne.