THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 163, 30 March 1918, Page 11

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.)

Easter Bills, ■ Like Christmas, Easter brings in its train a fresh supply of theatrical bonbons, which usually means sufficient to keep the theatres going in the- centres tor at least a couple of mouths. InWellington we are to havo tho pleasure of witnessing performances of three musical plays (all new to Wellington) by the talented Royal Ooraic Opera Company, boginning with "The Red Widow," a play that is given an air of novelty by .a Russian setting—not an up-to-date Russian setting, bo it understood. Tho music is composed by Charles (Jebest. and llie book and lyric's ara by Retinoid Wolf aud Chaiming Pollock (prominent I\'ew York dramatic critics), wliopi readers of iho "Green liook" will know. 'Tho music is said to be attractive, the comedy enlivening, and the dressing particularly.picturesque and colourEonle. The- second hill will be "Mr. Manhattan," the ■musical play selected by Mr. Raymond Hitchcock for his debut in London, and which has a lot of merit in tho vein of cheerful frivolity. The play was recently performed in Australia, with Mr. Louis Kimball in the title role, now to be entrusted to Mr. Keg. lloberts, a consistently good, if not a sparkling, performer. Miss Young is said to be at her best -as tho scarlet widow. Finally, wo are to have "Xαtiuka," which is the product of the same factory as "High Jinks" and "You're in Love." if it readies tho high standard of the former there will be no complaints. The Christchurch attraction for Easter will be Ada' Reevo. It will bo remoinbered that when last in the south Miss Reeve broke down with a badly, relaxed throat, the' result of sheer over-work. Dr. Lindo Ferguson, of Dunedin, ordered rest or risk losing her voice altogether. She selected the former, and so had to curtail her tour in the south. On tiiis occasion she will keep faith ■with towns she had unavoidably to cut out, and play returns in the big centres. Miss R«evo is solidly supported, and should have a successful tour, which.on this occasion is under her own management. In ' Auckland tho .. versatile .Allan Wilkie Company, which ranges from Shakespeare to the loudest melodrama in a breath, will begin.a tour of New Zealand in a Walter Howard play, entitled "Seven Days' Leave," which , lias a 500-nights' run in London to ; its credit. Mr. AVilkie conies to New Zealand under the Fuller management..

Popular in Pictures, The many friends in Wellington of -.Mr. Hugh D. Wilson will be glad to know that he is amongst them once more, having been appointed exhibitions manager to the New Zealand Picture. Supplies, Ltd. Mr. Wilson was closely associated with Mr. Henry Hayward for some years in New Zealand. ' Subsequently acquired picture interests in Dunedin, which he sold to great advantage. In Australia he was the Queensland representative of the Union Theatres, Ltd., for some time. Later he was manager for tho Waddington Theatres when they joined up with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., ' but when those theatres were absorbed by tho Union Theatres, Ltd., Mr. Wilson left, and subsequently accepted the offer of the New Zealand Picture Supplies, Ltd., to come to Wellington.

"Tho Thirteenth Chair." One of the most important engagements made by Mr. Hugh J. Ward in America was that of miss Margaret Wycherley to appear in. the psychological play "The.. , .thirteenth Uhajr," oy Bayard. Veiller, described by tho New \ork Press as the ono play with a genuine thrill in it, uiid which was:'stilf running in .Now York when -Mr.' Ward left. Constant readers of this column may remember a reference to ,the great success of this play made some months ago. The author was unfortunato in trading his play "Within the Law," which mado fortunes for others, but there was one man. who had faith in him, and bucked him to write another big success. It came with "The Thirteenth Chair," a play that revives the use of spiritualism ou tho stage, inasmuch as tho one murder in tho play is that of a member of a spiritualists' r/rclc, and he is killed during a round-the-table secanco^— bv whom is held to be a mystery until the end of the play. Miss Wycherloy in private life is Mrs. Veiller. "Tho Cinderella Man." ■ To-night (March 30) Melbourne playgoers will see the first production in Australia of ''tho Cinderella Man," a play of lovo and sontiment, in a similar vein to that of "Daddy Long Legs." The author of "Tho Cinderella Man'- , .is Edward Childs Carpenter, one of the best-known and most successful of American playwrights. "The Cinderella Man" takes one back to tho early days of one's first love dream,- when tho first dawning of lovo made itself felt. It is a charming play of youth and romance; and should kindle a •warming spark in. the hearts of tho most blase theatregoers. , Mr. Charles Waldron will play 'the pcnnileßs Cinderella Man, and Miss Kathleen MacDonell tho daughter of the millionaire. Enid Bonnett— Fred Niblo. . - Mr. Hugh J'. Ward brings the definite news that widower Fred. Niblo, tho bright American comedian, has Eought consolation with Miss Enid Bennett, the littlo Perth (W.A.) girl, who won't to the States with tho Niblos, and made good iii pictures. No one .in tho profession is surprised. "Fred always liked Eriid," they. say. Miss Bennett's brief history up to date is interesting. A daughter of a Perth business, inan,. Enid took to amateur theatricals early in her 'teens. On ono occasion a company headed by Julius Knight visited the city, and as luck would; have it, the girl who was playing Stephanus (Mercia's boy friend) and hor understudy were thrown from a motor-car together, and both were so bruised and shaken that it was impossible for them to play. Mr. Charles Berkeley was doputed to hunt tho town to find a makeshift Stephanus. Someone casually mentioned Enid, she was sought out, and paraded before Mr. Knight, who thought she would do all right. So. Enid was given tho script, and in due. course played the part, and played it so well that tho. management said that if. ever she came to Melbourne to lie sure- arid look them up. It was the open door to a career. Enid went to Melbourne within a couple of years, was placed with ono of tlie dramatic companies for :i time, and was eventually drafted into tho Niblo Company, ■ with tho unforeseen result that sho is now the second Mrs. Niblo. And thoy are coming back to Australia, snys Mr. Ward. Notes. Miss Lottie Sargent (Mrs. Frank Greciic) is about to reappear on the stage. It was Miss Sargent who used to do the Apache danco with Bert Gilbert so cleverly in tho "King of Cadonia." Sho left tho stago temporarily for health reasons. Mi. George Highland, who is at present in- Wellington, has Keen reimportod from America especially to produce "Katinka." Sineo he produced "High Jinks" for the Williamson firm ho has been a year in America. Mr. .Walter Baker, formerly of the Bland Holt Company, has gone., to America, for the purpose of appearing in pictures, lie has a daughter in tho chorus of the Royal Comic Opera Co.