THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 9, 5 October 1918, Page 11

THE THEATRE

~ ; —$ ". (By "Sylvius.") MacDonell-V/sldron Season, An interesting return season of comedy is in progress at tho Grand Open House. Tho opening performance of "Outcast" was given last evening. This (jiieer little play will bo performed again this evening. "Daddy Long Legs" .will he played on Monday and Tuesday,, and tho concluding porformanco of tho tour will ho a revival of ".Romance" on Wednesday evening.

Lan M'Laren's Intentions. Mr. Lan M'Laren. of "The Thirteenth Chair" Company, stated when in Wellington that ho intended to tour New Zealand shortly, giving elocutionary recitals, in the manner, of Mr. Alexander Watson. Mr. M'Laren is a lino Shakespearean scholar, and a ripo actor in a bjg lield. Hβ has played Shakespeare all over England, .is a good reciter of Kipling, and has a rare knowledge of the plays of the hest of our modern dramatists—who are practically unknown in New Zealand— Yeats. Synge, Lady Gregory, Barker, and G. If. Shaw. He.has played with Miss Horiman's "Irish Players," and was associated nt times witli Miss Sara Allgood and her sister, Miss Mara O'iS'eill. Mr. M'Laren says that Mis.? Allgood (the irresistible Peg in "Peg o' My Heart") is seen to the best adVantage, in the roles of old Irish women. Some of her impersonations l in that lino wero absolutely classics.

Notes. It is a curious coincidence that the four lady principals who are to figure in the coming performances\of Gilbert and Sullivan's opera "The Gondoliers" by the Wellington' Amateur Operatic Society all hail from the South Island,: and three of. the four were originally from Dunedin. Tho four ladies referred, to are Miss: Helen Gnrd'ner (Gianctta), (if'Dunedin; Miss Hathie Howie Stuart (Tessa), lato of Dunedin, and. at .one time a member of. the Pollard Opera Company';' Mrs.' Dallas (the Duehoss of Plaza.Toro), formerly Miss Mabel Ksquilnnt. of Dunedin; and Mrs. Walter Fuller (Casilda), formerly Miss Dolly Cameron, of Cliristeluircii. The cast as a whole promises to be one of the very best .over, arranged by tlm local society. Mr. Tom Pollard, will arrive' in '.Wellington during the first week of .October to direct the produc-' tioii. ' "' . ' . Miss Dorothy Cummiuj. who left Sydney ,imder .tho best of.;ciraimstances, having played lead to Mr. Cyril Maude in his inimitablo "Grumpy,".has been engaged to appear under the Helasco maiiagenienfc at tlio theatre; of that name, in Edward Knoblauch's-latest play, "Tiger,; Tiger." (?) Miss Francos Starr is tlio leading lady, and Mr. 0. P. Hccjrie— another Australianhorn —the leading man. Miss Dorothy .Gumming is to bo the. juvenile .lead at a salary which should.keep her in clothes, even in New York, with something over for meals and stamps. T.t is understood that the next .T. C; Williamson, Ltd.'s, attraction will be tho dramatic company headed by Miss Muriel Starr, The American actress will bo secn_ lie.ro towards tho end of next.month in "The Uird of Paradise," "Tho Easiest Way," and "The Man Who Came Back." • Messrs. Louis Ivimball and Frank Harvey are members of tho company.