THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 10, 6 October 1917, Page 11

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.)

"Turn to the Right." When a play has succeeded iu running for eighteen months anywhere in the world, it is clear evidence that it has virtues which .cannot bo overlooked, If ono looks back on tho history of those plays which 'have put up record runs one will iind out. two things—first, that invariably they ha-vo not been recounted much to begin with, and, second, that these are the plays VJiicli are in subsanuent years revived most frequently. The Belle, of New York" was an absolute failure when first produced in America, but Mr. George iliisgrovo purchased the English rights from Mr. Lederer for a song, and. made a hiigo fortune out ot it. "Dorothy was a failure st first, and the" composer never gained a quarter the money that he should have done. '"The • Lion and the Mouse" was hawked round all tho American managers by the late Charles Klein, and "Within'the law" was sold for a tritle by its author, and made fortunes for. those who bought it. In the case of "Turn to the Rislil," the authors, Winchell Smith and John Hazzard, were wall aware of the fact that theve was a good idea in tho play, but you never can tell. They took it into the country, and there produced it under the title of "Like Mother. Made," but found to tlioii' amazement that , there were tears where they expected smiles, and. laughter whore they anticipated that the audience would bo touched. Anyhow they decided lo give it a chance in .New York, so gave it a new name wita a quip in it, and there was never a doubt about its success from the play, which does not show the lift nt vork. Messrs. .1. and N. Tail trerb the early birds who secured the "Turn to the Bight" worm, and have had cause to ■bless their lucky stare ever eince. The company to present tho play in Wellington will include the . American leading man, Waltor Perry Richardson, the. English actor, Mr. Stapleton Kent, and tho American comedians, John Junior, Victor Dennis, and Mr. G. Chalmers, Miss Lizette Parkes, Miss Margaret Calvert, and Miss .Eileen Sparkes; The season will commence on Monday next at the Grand Opera House. Some Record Performances. Cyril Maudo has. played Andrew Bullivant in "Grumpy" ovor 10M times. In time he may make a record with tho old chap, but eo far is a long way in the rear, for instance, of Jennio Leu who played Jo over-9000 times; Van Biene, who played,the composer in "A. Broken Molody"'over 30.55 times; Fred Powell, who played Jagon in "A. Grip of Iron," just 5000 times. Mr. Maude's "Grumpy" record, however, looks well alongside of Martin Harvey's thousand and odd appearances as Sydney Carton, and overlaps Sothern's .495 performances of Dundreary, and Henry Irving's 400 nights ae Hamlet. Some other very remarkable records were also put up, however. Dav,id .7;,me| (whose name was David Belasco) plnyed Perkin Middlowiui, the "biitternian, in "Our Boys," for 1362 consecutive nights in London. On lour he must have added another 500 to the.Score. W. S. Penley played Babbs in "Chailey's Aunt 1466 times consecutively in London, and no doubt ran the score well into the third 'thousand ere he died in 1312. Henry Irving must have put up a' bis score as Mathias in "The Bells." Minnie Palmer's record in "My Sweetheart" must have run into thousands. Edward Terry's pppoarances as Dick Phenyl in Sweet Lavender" must have totalled OTer 1000. He played him 634 times in succession in London. Here, it should be said, that in point of time "Our Boys holds the London record, with a run of four years and three montW, against the. four years of "Charley's Aunt." The increased popularity of matinees accounts for the 104 extra performances of the litter play- ' The "Hallelujah" Chorus. K WelsK writer, commenting on' a proposal to hold a Welsh musical evenintr periodically at Aberystwyth, Wales, Bifggests that the first Welsh evening should be opened , with the ."Hallelujah Chorus, "for it is as truly .Welsh as ■•Iβ any music that has ever baen written, It was born in Handel's brain, on the top of a hill, whsro lie had been taken from Hafod to witness an outdoor religious assembly of several thousand people from all .parts of Wales. It so happened that the multitude, was singing one of the-favourite hymn tunes at the moment that Handel reached the top of the hill. He dropped on his knees, and thanked God for having led him thither. On returning to Hafod, Handel immediately commenced the composition of his immortal chorus, and so inspired was ho that tho work was finished in a very short time." New Plays for New York. Charles Frohman, Inc., has secured from H. A. Vachell, author nf The Lodger" and "The Case of Lady Camber," a new comedy with the provisional title of "Humpty Dumpty." 'ViTangements have been made by ino Theatre Workshop for a series of performances at the.Fine Arts Theatre, at Bar Harbour, lie., beginning August 11. Among the plays will be "The Tents ot the Arabs/' "The Infanta,' Barbarians," "A Marriage Has Been Arranged," and "The Pot Boiler." Cohan and Harris announco that iroing Up" will be tho name given to the musical play which is being made over from "The Aviator," by Otto Haucrbacli and James Montgomery. The score mil be by Louis A. Hirsch. . The reopening of "Peter Ibbetson, with John , and Lionel Barrymore and Constance Collier, at the Republic Theatre, took place on Monday, August "'"The Country Cousin " a new comedy of modern American life, by. Baotn lartington and Julian Street, was to be presented by Klaw und Brlanger and K> C. Wcr at the Gaiety Theatre on Monday, September 2. It is rumoured that Mr. J. B. Atholwood, who has been for many .yearn ■with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., and in the. opinion of many ranks as Australia s pre-eminent character actor, ml] shortlj bo seen on the vaudeville stage tndei the auspices of tho Fullers. Allan Wilkie and the supporting Imller Compauy recently gave a performance ot Walter Howard's play 'beven. Days Leave," at Langwarwn Military Camp, ■neat Melbourne. The production was identical with the show at the '.heatre, With the exception' that the submarine spectacle, which supplies the b.ggeat thrill of the piece, hod to be omitted. Mies Camille Clifford (the ( original Cnbsok girl), widow of the late Hon. Lyndhuret Bruce, was married to Captain J. Evans, of the Royal Welsh l'usaliers, iu August.