THE THEATRICAL HORIZON

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 160, 26 March 1918, Page 8

THE THEATRICAL HORIZON

'AN UPLIFT IN AUSTRALIA. Mr. John Farrcll, ono of tho managerial staff of J.. C. Williamson, Ltd., has arrived back from a holiday spent in Australia. In Sydney ho niot Air. Hugh J. Ward, who has just returned from America. One of Mr. Ward's first inquiries was about the welfare of tho Children's Hospital here, in tho founding of which he played such an essential part, and in which, in the midst of his many activities, ho still retains a live interest. On the same steamer which brought Mr.' Ward back camo Miss Maud Beatty (originally of Christchurch), who is to play under the Williamson management. Mr. Farrcll says that Miss Beatty is looking forward with keen pleasure to renewing her many friendships in New Zealand. Roferring to tho shows, Mr. Farrell states that the renio "The Bing Boys Are Here," in. Sydney, is beating all the firm's best-records! When he left Sydney it had already ran eleven weeks and was still being played to packed business. As tho puntomimo "Dick Whittington" is due at His Majesty's Theatre at Easter, "Tho Bing Boys" is being transferred to the Theatre Royal, so that it was calculated that it still had a long lease of life in Sydney. "It is,the most gorgeous scenic Williamson firm have ever put on," said Mr. Farrell. "In fact, the scenes are so numerous and so bewildering in their beauty and novelty of idea that it is impossible to take it all in at one sitting, and the people go time after time to try and exhaust its wonders by a process of partial absorption."

Miss- Marie Tempest was drawing large audiences to the Criterion, where she was playing "Mrs. Dot." The business was much bigger than during her original season in Sydney. Miss Kathleen MacDonell had appeared in a number of artistically beautiful plays, including the Japanese fantasy "The. Willow Tree," and in Melbourne at Easter, sho is to appear in a,charming play of sentiment entitled "The Cinderella Man." A return visit to New Zealand was in contemplation. The, Musical Comedy Company had revived "You're in Love" in Melbourne with great success, and at Easter were reviving once more "Canary Cottage." At the same time that company has in rehearsal a clever musical comedy called "Oh,' Boy," which is American in thought and action. Miss Muriel Starr, at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, who made successes in "The Bird of Paradise" and "The' Easiest Way,"'had revived "Within the Law," which was again drawing all Melbourne. She was being very ably supported by a company which included Messrs. Louis Kimball and Frank Harvey. This company is to visit New Zealand at the end of the year. The "Dick Whittington" pantomime, probably the best production of the kind to the firm's credit/ was in Adelaide.- It will play in Sydney at Easter, and 'is due to commence a tour of New Zealand at the' end of June. The Royal Comic Opera Company, now in Wellington, will present "The Red Widow," "Mr. Manhattan," and "Katinka."- "Katinka" will receive its premiere for Australasia in Wellington. For that purpose Mr. Geo. Highland, the clever American producer, has come across to Wellington with the company to supervise the final rehearsals. The company includes in its ranks—in the chorus and on the staff —several returned soldiers. "Mr. Farrell also says that Lieutenant Charles Mettam (who was a member of the chorus of the company three years ago) has been awarded the D.S.O. and I Military Medal for gallantry on the field. Mr. Taylor Darbysbiro is now an associate director 'of the firm in Sydney, and Mr. O. B. Westmacott is Mr. Geo. Tallis's lieutenant in Melbourne. .