THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3142, 21 July 1917, Page 11

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.)/ "Eddie" in Auckland. : "Very Good Eddie," the sparkling American musical comedy, with whicli Mr. Ba.rry Lupino returns to New. Zealand, made the same favourable impression in Auckland that it has created in Sydney and .Melbourne. Jlr. Lupino, who has hitherto linen known to us only as a pantomime comedian and dancor of rare capacity and originality, leapt a.l, once into favour as poor littlo' Eddie, who loses his big buxom wife on his, honeymoon trip, and has;, through force of circumstances over which he is deprived of any control, to acknowledge another woman as his wife. Tho quiet .little fellow, who in his sensitive, touchy modesty wishes to disclaim any part in the dreadful mix-up, is a distinct creation that stamps Mr. Lupino as a. comedian of the type of "Dot" Boucicault, and Australia, never know a better one. The company is rich in new faces. Miss Lillian Tucker is a lovely woman of refinement and womanly grace; Fnyotte Perry is a vital epark; and John Beck, a somewhat different, comedian, scores heavily right through the screamingly funny hotel scene.

Gaby Doslys in a Fury. Mdlle. fiaby Deslys, the well-known French rovne actress, after having lost an action in which the sum of .£2O was claimed by an. artist for her portrait in oils, was leaving the West London County Court on Thursday whon she borrowed a ponknifo and, slashing tho picture out of the frame, exclaimed, "That's what: .1 think of tho picture" Tho defence was that Mdllc. Deslys did not order (lie picture, and refused to aceopt it, declaring that it, did not please her.

"(Tut There." Mr. ,1. Hartley Manners, author of "Peg o' My Heart-," has written a. wor play thai is said to be better than anything he has done before, yet is not,the big war play which has yet to be written. "Out; There," ono critic said who realised ils good points might have been the clarion call of u bugle to «. nation, but it is only a. tin whistle. ".As a. dramatic entertainment," says Charming Pollock in the. "Green Tiook," '"'Out There' is amusing, effective and theatrically untheairieal. In observation and significant depiction of life. Mr. Manners has made long strides since tho days of "Zira* and "The Great John Ganton, and Teg o' My Heart.' ITis latest work, like 'Mr. Bri'tliug,' is a surrey of the influence of war upon a single family, and, in particular, ■ upon a single member of that family—in this case, a cockney Joan of. Arc. There aro the alcoholic mother, the solfish elder sister to whom marriage means 'dish-washing, babies and gin,' and tho shirking slacker of a Brothel , , who exclaims: 'Wat—me. enlist, with the ■ bloomin' war goiu' on!' And there is Annie ,tlio younger sistei —"Aunted Aunie,' they call Tier— whoso ambition in life is to do her bit, .who sews'a pathetically ridiculously rakish red cross upon a white apron and be*<s the departing doctor to 'Take me.' It would bo difficult to imagine anything more wistfully gallant than .Annie, telling flat comic stories to the doctor and watching him the whilo for visible appreciation of her -potential value in cheering woundod soldiers-ranythingmore dramatic than her quivering face, with the 'aunted eyes, looking straight, before hiT as she listens to. martini music in the street."

A Patriotic Actress. At tho recent farewell to Miss Ada Eeove at the Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne, the charming uomedienno was cheered to the echo, and In responso to the call for "Speech!. Speech" from all parts of t'ho crowded house, Hiss Keeve came forward and said: "Thank you all very much for your great support of my effort to raisn money for tho Aazac Buffet in Londoi* The matinee realised over .£IOOO. (Loud cheering.) lam sending =65000 to London on Monday as A r ictoria's contribution. (Prolonged applause.) I don't wish to take uuduo credit, but it speaks volumes that my appeal of three, -weeks ago has resulted so finely—that a ruoro woman has been able to inspire you today to loosen your purse-strings/' Elderly lady. "You're an angel!!' Miss Eeeve: "No, I'm not an angel; just a. mere woman, that's all. (Applause.) Well done, Melbourne! You have made me tho happiest woman on earth, so good-night and God bless you all!" (Frantic applause.)

' Elderly lady: "Now, everyone give three rousing cheers for the angelic Ada iteeve!" .And they ivoro given as neyer before in the theatre.

Maude and Melba. Melbonr.no is greatly stirred over tho fact that at Her Majesty's on Tuesday, July 24, tho opportunity will be afforded of seeing two most notablo artists appearing togother—one the star of the lyric stage, the other England's greatest character actor. The occasion will be a great matinee performance in aid of the soldiers' funds, organised bj- Madame Melba and Mr. Cyril Maude. The .7. C. Williamson, Ltd., management has placed Her Majesty's Theatre itnd the -wholo of. ■their organisation at tho disposal of Madame Melba and Mr. Cyril Maude, who are working enthusiastically to make the matinee not only unique, artistically, but a record success financially.

Notes. Mr. .1. B. North, the etago manager of "Daddy Long Legs;" , was originally a Christen urch boy. Hβ toured Australia and New Zealand with Nance O'Neil in 1901-2, and afterwards went to Africa, and London with that remarkably gifted actress. After her famous failure, in London, Mr. North remained for some in England, and returned to Australia a couple of years ago. Mr. Louis ICimball, the brightest light comedian now under the 'Williamsonbanner,- is to get .his hip chanco in "Mr, Manhattan.* an American rausica.l comedy, duo for production ill Melbourne shortly. As the reporter in ' "Under Fire," as Jimmy ll'Bridc in "Daddy Long Legs," and Tony i|i "Outcast," Mr. Kimball simply radiates ulectrical fun, and good humour.

It-is said that on their return to Australia, the Williamson Pantomime Company is to play the American musical play "Mr. Manhattan," which was played in London last year with Mr. Raymond Hitc'hceck in 'the tßle role. That honour, it is understood, is to fall to Mr. Louis Kiraljall, of tho "Daddy Long Legs" Company. ■