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THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.) "Look Who's Here!" Wellington took a little time to realise that "Look Who's Here I" was a smart show, run 011 the best of lines, cutting out vulgarity and blatant nonsense, and emphasising the artistic, even in its lightest moments, but in the end it did recognise its virtues. I am pleased to see these are remembered. Tho booking for the return season, commencing this evening, is quite encouraging. Jack Waller certainly lias ideas, most of which run to the intermingling of comedy with good music. We will all be pleased to hear Mr. Dennett at the piano once more, M. Ivanoff's violin, and see Mr. Wylie Watson as "The Fireman." Personally, I will be disappointed if Mr. Watson does not appear as the hero of the flames. Mr. Waller is all very well Napoleonising in a red Moscovian light, but Mr. Watson gets to tho very seat of the fire and sits there. Tho company, I am given to understand, will play hero for three weeks, leaving only a lapse of a week between the end of their season and the Easter dates. With frequent changes of programme they should be able to stave off the rigors of Lent. President Wilson at the Theatre. Unlike a good many of his countrymen, President Woodrow Wilson avoids show as he would a plague. One of his first very definite pronouncements 011 taking the Presidency was that 110 did not desire that the National Anthem should he played whcn_ he entered thp theatre; he merely wished to go to and enjoy the theatre like any other ordinary citizen of the States without being tho centre of attraction or detraction from what was going on upon the stage. 11l consequence of the mandate about the playing of the National Anthem a peculiar scene arose 011 the occasion of his first entry into a theatre after his election as President. He lmd slipped quietly into his seat, but half the audience recognised him and at 011'ce rose to their feet, and the orchestra or its leader, hardly knowing whether to obey the mandate or meet the audience in their desire to show their rosnpet to the President, struck up a feeble imitation of tho National Anthern. Then Mr. Wilson, Breiiig the confusion, rose up and bowed his acknowledgements. Nevertheless, he rigidly adhered to his determination that his entrance to the ington theatres be unheralded. Mr. Wilson is cosmopolitan -in his tastes as far as the theatre is concerned. He is fond of Shakespeare, but that does not dull his taste for good comedy and musical comedy. He looks upon the theatre as a place for amusement, and always manages to look as though ho were enjoying it, and when he is really pleased Tarely forgets to express his appreciation to the management or its representatives on leaving tho theatre. Newest Musical Plays. ' Musical plays at the New York theatres at the end of December were: —"Doing Our Bit" at the Winter Garden. "Over the Top" at the Fortyfourth Street Roof Theatre, "Maytime at the Schubert, "Oh Boy" at the Casino, "Leave it to Jane 1 1 Longacre, "Odds and Ends of 191/ at the Bijou, "The Riviera *Girl at the New Amsterdam, "Her Regiment at the Knickerbocker, "The ® ras Widow" at the Liberty, "Miss 1917 at the Century, "The Land of Joy at the Park, "Jack o' Lantern' at the Globe, and "Flo-Flo" at the Cort.

Nerves and the Artistic Temperament. In one of his confidences Signor J3aruso declared that nervousness is tne secret of his success as an operatic singer. On the other hand, if evideuce were called to show how tho cfforts of musical artists are. marred by "nerves," a cloud of complaining witnesses would darken the sky. ing over "vocal victims" like the brilliant lima di Murska and Annis Montague, the well-remembered prima donna of the Montagu-Turner Opera Company, who is now living in retirement at Honolulu, it should suffice lor present purposes to pick out Paderewski. While in Sydney in 1904 Padcrewski had his "nervous system on a razor-like edge. At one of his concerts u tlie poet of the pianoforte rushed from tho platform and startled tho manager, John Lemmone, by demanding the erection of a screen, which would block out from view "Russian spies," who, the agitated artist said, wero watching him through one of the side glass-doors of the Town Hall. The "spies" turned out to be two of the Town Hall staff in uniform. On the night of October 28 a squeaking noise was heard overhead while Poland s gifted son was playing the Chopin JB flat minor Sonata. Wiien the Funeral March in the Sonata was reached the squeaking made Paderewski tlirow_ up his hands. Bolting into the artists room like a madman the master «f the keyboard capped an outburst of whiteheat anger by shouting, "I have finished with Australia, and I will go back to civilisation by the next boat.' One of the Town Hall attendants had caused all the trouble whilst closing some of the top windows on the St. Andrew's Cathedral side of the hall to keep out a dust-storm. On being assured that the disturbance was accidental, Paderewski returned_ .to the platform. He completed his playing of the Sonata, and, as if to show that he was sorry for getting into a rage, delighted the crowded audience witt no lower than four extra solos at the close of the programmo. Notes. More than 10,000 dnis. was raised in Boston by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Dr. Karl Muck. Mme. Melba, and Fritz Kreisler, for the benefit of the sufferers from the Halifax disaster. Moro than 5000 dols. (£1000) in mail orders was returned, and at least that amount was turned away from the box office. R. C.' Carton's charming comedy, "Lord and Lady Algy,"_has been revived in New York by William Faversbam.' He is being supported by Ma.rine Elliott, Macklin Arbuckle, Lumsdon Hare (here with the original "Sherlock Holmes" Company), and Irene Fenwick. When this comedy was ployed in Wellington many years ago by the Brough-Boucicault Company several local amateurs figured in minor parts. Madame Sarah Bernhardt was in New York in December.

There is still no definite announcement about the chief Easter attractions for New Zealand, though both 'the Allan Wiikie Dramatic Company and ''Winnie Brooke. Widow" (starriec. Ada Reove), are mentioned as likely I comers. "Tlie Easiest Way," staged at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, on Saturday week, is a "nroblsm play." Jwill not escape the criticism to which such digressions from the convention^ 1 are always subjected, thouch it is alleged that Mr. Eugene Walter, the author, aspired to touch the subject so | deftly that the most exacting would b" ■ disarmed. It may ho freely confess'"! : tTint the theme would ronuire the deft- j est possible handling before the production would find universal prront- : ance. Tt is not in ere]v n story of • ' woman with a past. When the curtain falls, Laura Murrbvk. tlr woi under discussion. w>s nut il'to t' ,,r world with the detT)r> ;, uiHon Mi ft lvfuture shall be in keeping; with, if '">' something more tragic than, her past.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19180216.2.14

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 123, 16 February 1918, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,198

THE THEATRE Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 123, 16 February 1918, Page 3

THE THEATRE Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 123, 16 February 1918, Page 3

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