THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 46, 17 November 1917, Page 11

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.)

The Pantomime Season. Tho J. C. Williamson management is busy villi llio coming pantomime, "Dick Whittiugton," to which many of the cast of "Mr. Manhattan" go. Among those nro Arthur Sligant, William Fullbrook, Ernest LangforJ, Constance Cayley, Dorothy Firmin, Maggio Dickinson, Jack Cannot, and Vera Poarce. Sydney is to have a season of juvenile pantomime this Christmas, at the Theatre lioynl. The J. C. Williamson management is to stage tho child's version of "Tho Houso that Jack Built," using the main features of last year's production. Tho cast will 1)0 entirely of Australian children. Mr. Lester Brown will relicarso the clever youngsters and direct the stage. Somo years ago "Blue Bell in fairyland" was played by Australian children very successfully in Sydney, under the J. C. Williamson aegis.

Christmas Attractions. Among tho outstanding theatrical attractions lor the Christians' season in Now Zealand .will bo the brilliant English comedienne, Miss .Mario 'tempest, who lias proved such a decided artistic success in Australia, who will bo seen in "Tho Marriage of Kitty,'' "Mary Goes First," and "Good Gracious, Annabelle.'" I am hoping that she will also bring "Airs, Dot" to give us all another glimpso of the work of Mr. Somerset Maugimn (author of "Lady Frederick" and "Tho Land of Promise"). Mas Tempest is supported by tiint admirable English actor, Mr. Graham Browne, who has proved almost ris groat an artistic success ns Miss Tempest Herself. Another probable attraction will be the Williamson Musical Comedy Company, playing "Canary Cottage" and "You're in Love," but so far there lias been no official announcement that this company is due in tho Dominion next month. Still ■whilst the pantomime will be in Melbourne and tho "Bing Boys" in Sydney, tho Musical Comedy Company will most probably seek a Held for its energies in New Zealand for a lew weeks. .Some time ago tho Fuller management announced that the Australian pantomime "Bunyip" would bo sent to New Zealand at Christmas, but there has been 110 recent reiteration of that arrangement. Tho Fullers. are to produce a "Kobinson Crusoe" pantomime 111 Sydney, with Mr. Victor Prince as producer anil comedian. J. and N, Tait's pantomime at the King's, Melbourne, will be "Aladdin," produced by Mr. Barry Lupino; and the Williamson pantomime at Melbourne will lie "Dick Whittington" (with Vera Poarce and Jack Cannot prominent). There is just a chance tliat the Tail management may send Miss Evelyn Scotney, the brilliant soprano and contralto, and Mr. Howard White, the noted American baritone, to New Zealand during tho holiday season. It is a long time sinco wo havo. been treated to a real good concert company, and as the artists mentioned nro iu tlio first flight, thoy should bo given a hearty reception. In Australia they have been supported by Mr. Jolin Amadio, tho gifted Melbournq flautist. Old Man Plays. It looks as though Mr. Cyril Matide's "Grumpy" had been tho genesis of a mild cpidemic of "old man" plays. The world-hit that tho English actor has made in tho role of tlio octngenarian criminal lawyer has set managers thinking of plays with parts of .a like character, and tho result has been .tho staging of "Tho Now Henrietta" (Winchell Smith's adaptation of Bronson Howard's olil success "The Henrietta"), in which Mr. Walter P. Richardson is said to givo a very interesting study of Van Alstyne, an old chap, whoso interest in the troublesome side of life is revived l>y the glances of a merry widow. Another play with a very fine character old man as the central figure is Horaco Vacliell's comedy "Quinncy's," which has been produced under tho management of J. andN. Tait at tho Playhouse in Sydney, with Mr. Gregan M'Mahon as old Quinney, a dealer in antiques. ■ It is notable :that this is the first of the author's plays to bo staged in Australasia, and yet iio has probably beon the most successful writer of English comedies during tlio past four or fivo years. It should be a delightful ohango to see such sound English comedies as "Grumpy," "General John Regan," "QuinnoyV and, onco more, "Tho Marriage of Kitty."

"The New Honrictta." Those who have laughed n lot and perhaps wept a littlo at "Turn to the Eight" will ho interested to learn that tlio J. and N. Tait Company, which completes its all-too-bricf season at tho Opera Ilouao to-night, is returning to Wellington on December C, to present "Tho Now Henrietta," another success, fill comedy by tho prolific Winchcll Smith, which lias proved a big laughing medium wherever it lias been played. It was played for the first time in Australasia in Brisbane, where largo audiences welcomed it, and in Auckland it was preferred to "Turn to the Eight." Tho comedy makes a light fanciful play on tho name of Henrietta. It is the name of a goldmine in' which several of the persons in the cast are interested; it is also tho naino of the wife of a man who is interested in tho mine, and to make confusion worse confounded it is tho Christian cognomen of a particularly merry widow, who wrecks the-peace of mind of a dear old man who ought really to know better. One can see possibilities in the idea of great fun. But it is not all fun—that is where the dramatist gets .in the relief so essential to a good play. Mr. "Walter P. Richardson is said to give a very fine character old man study in the rolo of Mr. Van Alstyne, tho gentleman who should have known better. Sir. Stapleton Kent and Misses Margaret Calvert and Lizetto Partes are also happily placed in tho new comedy. "The' Pacifists." Henry Arthur Jones has written a new play entitled "The Pacifists," which was produced in London, towards the end of September. In a recent interview' he he said he would like to explain that "Tho Pacifists" Is an allegory. "It shows the, working of tho pacifist principles in a small town, but I hope the lesson may be applied in a larger sphere. If you ask me Mat is tho lesson of 'The Pacifists' I swear it is the .very simple and obvious one—which everybody eicept tho pacifists can perceive—that when unjust force is allowed to work its way without opposition a pugilist has to bo called in. That is the story and the moral of my play." Tho play is dedicated "to tho tribe of wordsters, pedants, fanatics, and impossiblists who so rabidly pursued an ignoble peace that they helped to provoke a disastrous war; who, having provoked a disastrous war, have unceasingly clamoured against its effectual prosecution; who throw dust in their own eyes lest they should perceive tho noonday truth; whom neither history nor reason nor thundering facts can teacU; whom to convict of having been woefully and blindly wrong in tho past does but drive to be wilfully and madly wrong in the future; who might justly be regarded as pitiablo figments of farce if their busy mischief were not still seeking to bring about the tragedy of a dslusivo and abortive peace." Notes. An excellent company has been secured to support Mr. Maudo during his tour of Australia. It includes the names of such well and favourably known artists as Miss Stella Payter, Messrs. Harry Sweeney, Stephen Scanlan, and H. If. Wallace, together with the following members of Mr. Maude's own company. Misses Betty Murray and Dorothy Cumniing, Messrs. Herbert Ranson, Edward Lester, Frank Elliott, Robert Ayrton, and E. G. Bell. Miss Lizcttc Parkes, (ho pretty ingenue actress with "Turn to tile Eight," has had a good offer from America, but Messrs. ,1. and N. T?it could not spare her from the company she is now with. "L'Aiglon," Rostand's famous play, with Miss Kathleno MncDonell as the sickly King of Ifome, failed to catch the favour of tho Melbourne public on its recent revival. Tho reign of "Mr. Manhattan" in Melbourne was also brief. Miss May Beattio (Mrs. Edward Lauri) has appeared successfully as Frasquita in "Carminelta" in London. Miss Beatty was originally a Chriatohuroh girl, who had a stage training -under, Mr. Tom. Pollard.