THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 87, 5 January 1918, Page 12

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.).

"A Pair of Silk Stockings." Wo have now seen all the plays of the* Marie Tempest icpertoiro for New Zealand save one, "A Pair of Silk Stockings," a farce-comedy of which the public has heard very little The newest comedy 16 just over eight years old, having been first produced at Wiuthrop Ames's Little Theatre in Now York. The motif is funny without being vulgar, racy without ever overstepping the bounds of good taste. The characters are introduced per medium of an amateur rehearsal of a sccno from "Caste" (so lately played here by Mr. Cyril Maude). Sam Thornhill, a goodnatured, slangy, young man, who is one of tho guests of Sir John and Lady Gower, is cast for the role of Eccles, and is in this "make up" when tho wife from whom he is separated arrives at the place, having hod a breakdown with her car. As Captain Bagnal, an old flame of hers (but now engaged to another), is leaving for town, Mrs. Thornhill is given his ■ room. Thither Sam in his Eccles guise makes his way to effect a reconciliation, but, interrupted before she sees him, he hides himself in a wardrobe, at which jum> ture Captain Bagnal (who has missed his traifi) returns, quite innocently, to his room. There are fireworks on the mutual discovery of one another, and Mrs. T. of both, which ends by Sam being trussed up with the aid of his wife's stilk stockings and thrust into a bathroom. Then Captain Bagnal's fiancee (Miss Bristowe) enters—more trouble. Sam effects an escape from the bathroom, and the yarn that he was a burglar gains ground with all save Mrs. Thornhill. in the final act all misunderstandings are cleared away, and the end_ is a comical peace—without annexations or indemnities!

The "You're In Love" Tour. J. C. Williamson, Ltd.'s, New English Musical Comedy Co. opened its Wow Zealand tour ill Auckland on Boxing Night, December 26, and plays there until January 7 inclusive. Then the company will play at Hamilton ou January 8; Wanganui, January 10 and 11; Palmerston North, January 12 and 14; Napier, January 15 and 16; Hastings, January 17; Mastorton, January 18; Wellington, January 19 to February 2; Christchurch February 4to 11; Dnnedin, February 13 to 18; and Timarii on February 19. Two of the biggest successes of recent years in Australia are "You'ro in Love" and "Canary Cottage." Mr. John Farrell is manager, Mr. Welsh treasurer, and Mr. Duncan Neven touring managor for tho tour. Mr.. Harry Burcher, producer of "You're in Love," says that the modern idea _of presenting musical comedy is to include somo touch of sensation, or novelty in the pioco. Thus in "Ycm'ro in Love" thoro lis the sleep-walking song by Miss Maudo Fane. The pretty little actress, clad in pink silk pyjamas, leaves her cabiu in tho High Hope, and walks along a boom, which swings over the stalls.

N'otes. «, ' "The Barrier," now being shown at tho King's Theatre, was produced as a play in New York seven years ago. The leading actress on that occasion was Miss Florence Rockwell, here in "The House of Glass" and ''The Land of Promise" last year. "The casts should be bettor now that all the bad actors have gone into pictures."—Channing Pollock in a recent article on the New York stage. It is not generally known tliat Margnerito Clark, the picture favourite, was once on the musical comedy stago. She figured in the original New York ,cast of "The King of Ca'donia.'" ■ Mary ■ Pickford was an actress of experience years before her picture regime, and Clara Kimball Young was also an established actress on the boards before the movie camera knew her. A young Australian actress who is rapidly coming to the front is Miss Tien Hogue, sister of Bobbie Hogue, late of J. 0. Williarnsou's musical comedy companies, but now on the stage in America. .Miss Hogue was last in Wellington as uuderstudy to Sara Allgood in "Peg o 1 My Heart," and has now been engaged by "the Firm" to support Muriel Starr in the new play, "Tho Uird of Paradise"

[ A striking iiguro in tho "Dick Whittingtou" pantomime at Melbourne Her Majesty's is the representation of War in the"War Ballet, in which the whole ■of the nations in the present great conflict aro depicted. War is a grim, swift, • and black-garbed figure that sways the nations, and thrusting peaco and civilisation apart, sots tho nations against each'other in the terrible clash and slaughter of battle. . War is represented by Miss Ruby Grainger with vivid realism. ■ She looks and acts tho rolo perfectly, and at every performance of tho War Ballet her representation arouses a great deal of comment.

In "You're in Love" J. C. Williamson, Lid., have one of the best musical shows that they hava put on for I many a long day, writes an Australian critic. There are two wonderful features in it —an eccentric dance by Preston, Hooker, and Little 6won Withers, and the big boom number. 'On the ' boom which is carried out over 'ho audience,, Miss Maude Fane sits and sings her sleeping number, while from behind the boom is worked up and down at different angles, dodging the men in the audience who iumj) out of their seats to catch one of her slippers. In fact, the pair go every night, but it makes very good fun, and the house enjoys it thoroughly. Miss Cecil Bradley, who will take the important, part of Dorothy in "You'ro in Love," is said to bo the most promising of the young Australian artists. When Miss Bradley first toured Ne\V Zealand in "The Blue Bird," she wrote a drama, which eho aud other children produced and performed in Dunedin. Madge Elliott, the beautiful young dancer in "Canary Cottage," is a Sydney girl. She is the niece of the lovely Mrs. Maesmore Morris, who was well known on the Australian stage. Leslio Board, tho Sydney scenic artist of the Williamson management, painted in the Cubist manner tho stago sets for "Canary Cottage." The costuming too is after the designs of the Poiutillists, Bakst and Leuiaitre. The idea of the, producer has been to get a cosmopolitan noto into tho entertainment, and ho has succeeded /admirably.