PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8343, 1 February 1913, Page 10

PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

OPERA HOUSE. In season to Feb. B—J, C, Williamson Comic Opera Co. .... February 27-March &—Rickards Vaudeville CoFebruary 28-March 10-J. C. Williamson. THEATRE ROYAL. Fuller-Ercnnan Vaudeville (permanent). PICTURE SHOWS. New TheatVe, Manners street. His Majesty’s. Courtenay place. Empress Theatre, Willis street. People’s Picture Palace, Manners street. MR J. C. WILLIAMSON’S RETURN. Mr .1 C. Williamson returned to Australia by the Orvieto last week, after an eight months’ tour of Croat .Britain and the Continent. “During mj absence, he remarked, "I visited Germany, and then travelled to Lucerne, where I met my eldest daughter, who is at school at Paris, and was taking her summer vacation. We went thdu to the Swiss Alps. Ajiterwards we made our way down thorugh Italy to Milan, where we word joined by Signor Hazon, of the last Melba Grand Opera Company. At Pans we were joined by Mrs Williamson and my younger daughter, who had come from Australia, and at the present time Mrs Williamson is remaining with the children until my return. Because of the inclemency of the weather at the capital, I went to South France for a month. Then it was that I took the first real holiday I have had in 32 years of strenuous managership, and accidentally spent a mouth in what was the most interesting trip I have made. I went to Egypt and travelled up the Nile as far as the first cataract.” , , , . .. Mr Williamson admitted that at the present time the one-act play is enjoying something of a vogue in a number of the Loudon theatres, but added he was convinced that the people in Australia did not want a curtain-raiser, but rather a play that would t bo long enough to supply in its entirety a whole evening’s entertainment. The reason why the onc-act play had been introduced in the London theatres was that the late hour of dining prevented mauy from arriving until 20 minutes or half an hour after the raising of the curtain. Speaking of the increase in popularity of the picture shows, Mr Williamson remarked that ho did not think they were decreasing theatre attendance any more than they had done from the beginning. He had brought a cinematograph plant to Australia, and although it was looked upon as a great novelty, the general impression was that it would never form a complete evening’s entertainment in itself. "I have not," he said, “the slightest objection to raise against anything like fair competition on the part of the pictures, but I consider it is rather a pity to see some town halls, which assuredly were not built for such purposes, preserved solely for the display of moving pictures. I cannot but regard it os a very short-sighted policy whore municipal authorities, for the sake of a few extra pounds, divert town halls to the uses of picture entertainments, and thus deprive people of the opportunity of hearing the world's greatest singers and musicians.” During his stay in England Mr Williamson completed the details of Mr George Lewis Waller’s engagement, and fixed a date for his coming to Australia before July of this year. With him will be Miss Madge Titheradgo as leading lady. “MILESTONES." There seems every likelihood of “Milestones” playing out the season at the criterion Theatre, Sydney. Already the clever comedy is in its seventh week, and is expected on its present business returns to outstrip the thirteen weeks' run of “'Got-Rich-Qnick Wallingford.” If it realises this "Bella Donna” will not be .staged during Mr Julius Knight’s present season. Indeed, it is quite on the cards (says a contemporary} that the company will make an Australasian tour with “Milestones” alone. The company to succeed to the Criterion Theatre next will be “The Fortune Hunter,” with Mr Fred Niblo in the part. The company now playing “Get-Hich-Quick Wallingford” will undergo reorganisation. Mr Harry Corson Clarke will be released, as will also Mr Manning. As the management states, there is no one in this n-i’t of the world who can safely be entrust *! with the part of the old man in “The Fortune Hunter”—a delightfully charming character—an actor null most likely be secured from America. The desire to bo independent seems to have been the consuming passion of Miss Mary Goulden, the young comedy actress who plavs Hon. Muriel I’ym in “Milestones.” When a girl in Canterbury, England, eho sin prised her parents by setting un' o« a typist. Her savings were spent In periodical visits to London in search of other work. Thus she may be said (o have worked to find the wherewithal to; look for more work. Her first stage ex-i perience was a “walk on” at Is wr week. She also tcured the smaller towns of .Scotland, and later became one < f Miss Horniman’s repertory players, ap pearing at Manchester and in I/rndn ... When a firing season was planned b I Miss Horniman for Montreal, Canada,; Miss ‘iQUhlen was selected a- oilo oi v! ;■ company. The visiting actress has d - velopod a wonderful habit of industn. She spends cart of the day in literary work, part in walking, and portion in sewing.’ Every otitch of clothes • wears’’ is her own handiwork, and ret people say that actresses are not domestic. KING’S INTEREST IN THE THEATRE. To the King’s continued interest in the theatre Sir George Alexander was able to give eloquent testimony when speaking in conned ion with the King Geo nr A Pension Fund, the outcome of the gala performance at His Majesty's this year (says “The Stage”). .The King. he stated had signified Ins gracious Intention to give a command performance duiy ing the coining year. It is though;, added Sir George*, that this fund, which now represented something like may. by annual command performances, asdime such proportions that many an, actor of good position, who has fallen on. evil davs, will he made secure during the rest of his life. Of the speeches, perhaps one of the most interesting was that of Sir John Hare. Mr Marlin.

Harvey, in proposing the toast of ‘The Drama,” remarked on the healthy condition of the drama; on its vitality, which he said, was nothing short, ot explosive. Sir John Hare, in replying, frankly owned himself a convert to a somewhat similar view. He had been pessimistic, he was now optimistic. Ho declared, with verv impressive emphasis, that Uio stage had never been in a healthier com dirion as regards the ability of tb» vounger men and women who act on u. and the literary gifts of those who wnto for it. Sir John made a passing relerence to the recently published diary ot Macrcady, which, he said, every younb iwuir ought to roa<l and study. iVja<I\ dy. he said, “this great but most more bm and unhappy man" had he been ming, would have been proud arm. n «• ashamed of the profession to which h* belonged. ZANGAVILL’S CENSORED PLAY. Mr Israll Zangwill has written a ehort preface to a printed edition ot his pmj. "The Next Religion,” which, being refused a license by the Censor, was Bjv<m a private performance by the New i layers at tin; London Pavilion in April last. In the course of his preface Mr /.an"will says: The notion that the susceptibilities of any particular sect have to IxJ protected by the St.ato is opposed to thu constitutional right of free speech, «aa scorns to rest on an assumption inau those likely to be. offended axe driven into the theatre as tho Jews of the Roman Ghetto were driven into tho church U» bo shocked by sermons- There is, on the contrary, a bar of silver to keep them out. In this instance there is, moreover, a warning title, so that oven those who do not follow the safe practice of avoid--ing first nights could not have been taken unawares. The commercial management of our theatres, tho frivolity of the pubtic. and tho dearth of criticism are euro ]y a sufficient safeguard against serioua work upon our stage. There needs no outer line of defence in. the shape of a censorship. The book is dedicated to Frederick "Whelon. “the chivalrous champion of all forlorn hopes from Taisia to tho British Drama.” “THE GABY GLIDE.” Mies Jessie Lonnen, discussing t.h« “Gaby Glide,” the new dance in “The Sunshine Girl.” said to a Sydney “Sun" interviewer: “It isn’t so much a' glid* as a wriggle. . . It is better than the bnnny-hng, the grizzly bear, the Turkey trot, or tho hygienic roll. They are all too violent, and they make a false pretence to grace that is out of keeping with the spirit of the limes. Besides, one cannot be graceful, if one wanted to, to tho jiggetty music composers are writing. Their tunes don't only catch your feet. They got you everywhere. You want to get going all over. In tho days when onr grandmothers danced minuets and gavel k-s (hey did it a» if they had pokers up their backs. You can’t do a Gaby Glide that way. The music simply wouldn’t let you. And tho beauty of the. glide is -that every individual can express herself just the way the musio moves her. For instance, a bar of melody that would make me wag my head might make somebody else break out into a pleased smile. There are so many ways of looking idiotic and of being idiotic, and tho Gaby Glide discovers them all. You want to let yourself go in this new dance. To enjoy it you just throw off all restraint/’ “My idea is that wo have been all wrong about dancing in tho past. All the dancers to-day who are recognised oa groat keep on harking back to the spirit of ancient Greece. There is a cold classicism about their evolutions and a technique that makes for spirituality. As tho dear old lady says in ‘Milestones't 'lt’s all wrong.’ Nothing ever did dancing so much harm as the phrase: ‘The poetry of motion.’ The natural expression of animal spirits, which. I hold dancing to bo, is not a series of beautiful, animated pictures. These are all tho result of most careful rehearsal. No grown person, in ’ tho first place, would ever dance for joy. She only dances because there are music, bright lights, and a desirable partner, personally, the only time I ever danco is when it is part of my evening’s performance. My salary justifies anything X may do. At the same time X do get a lot of fun out of the Gaby Glide. You try it. The only thing necessary is to master tho simple slither; the body movements are ad lib. As to whether the result is attractive or grotesque depends on tho exponent. But one thing about it is sure; you can 'be nobody else but you.' Immediately you start to imitate, tho fascination of the glide departs, both for yourself and the onlooker. So, you sec, it is a danco for individuals. The last thing to strive for is grace in tho dance; in fact; you don't want to strive for anything. You just want to go as the musio moves you; indeed, the glide may be summed up as a go-as-you-please. But remember this' — yon mustn't lift your feet from tho ground. There are three things to remember. Tho first is. keep gliding; the second, keep wriggling: and the thi look as if you meaut it.” GOSSIP "The Cingaloo,” tho third production iof the forthcoming J. C. Williamson .comic opera season, has proved one of (the most successful revivals for years in ’Australia. Put on practically as a stop igrp for a few weeks, the play, to tho astonishment of tne management, caught 'La immediately. This is duo probably to the fact that the piece, one of the most tuneful of musical plays, had not been done in Australia for over ten years. It was brought to rveiv Zealand eight years ago, on which occasion the Into George Laurie played the wily babu lawyer Chambuddy Ram. Tho part will be taken on this tour by Mr W. 8. Fercy. It is interesting to note that Miss Sybil Arundale, who will lie tho “Nanoya” of tho coming production, was tbs original of tho role at Daly's Theatre, London. Maeterlinck’s new play, "Mario-Magde-Iciuo,” is to be produced at the Municipal Casino, Nice, with Madame Georgette Lebiano Maeterlinck in the name part. Groat preparations are being made for mounting tho play, the scone of which is laid in Judea. After its production at X\’ice "Marie-Magdeleine” will be given it Paris, preparatory to its being taken on. tour throughout nurope. Madame V ivian. Talfeur, at present appearing at the Opera House, was lor three years priucijial dancer at the Im, penal Opera House in gt. Petersburg, a particularly high exclusive position, the taearre being the property of the Czar, ,who personally sanctions all engagements made for that most aristrocratic house. Recently Madame Taiieur received, aa oiler to fulfil a similar position at the .Imperial Opera House, Vienna, but an the terms of the contract would necessitate her becoming a naturalised Vienm«e, she declined the honor. The clever little dancer deplores the fact that Eng. li.-ii countries have not yet adopted the Continental plan of establishing Dancing Conservatories, effectively subsidised by the Government. It would appear that that is the only way in which pupils may receive the very best training, iiadorno Talleur pays a high compliment to the ballets provided by the J. C. Williamson firm, and says that for freshness, youth, and beauty, there is nothing in either Europe or America to equal them. Though the ordinary subscriptions to the Actors’ Benevolent Fund given in connection with the recent dinner reached a good level, the total amount of £3140, which Sir Charles Wyndiuun was able to announce, constitutes, we believe, a record (exya a London paper). In this sum were included the two generous donations of Mr Guedella and Sir Henry Lucy. The former gave £llO9 in memory of his wife, the late Miss Lily Hanbury, of whom it had been said, remarked Sir Charles. "She dropped manna in tho way of starvi-tg people.” Sir Henry Lucy, so well known to the general public as “Toby, eontriliuted JEIOOO, which he described as “the hardly-earned wage? of a working journalist, chperfiillv ehared with comrades in a kindred high calling, who, with no lack of honest endeavour, have fallen, by the way.” .