Two Theatres With Histories

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 880, 25 January 1930, Page 24

Two Theatres With Histories

j Memories in Melbourne LOOKING BACK AT THE ROYAL The passing of two theatres in Mel bourne will be regretted by many playgoers, not only the middle-aged and elderly, but the comparatively young; for, allowing for all variations of quality, both the Royal and His Majesty’s have magnificent records, says an Australian writer. The first Theatre Royal was in the occupation of those early celebrities, George Coppin and G. V. Brooke, a comedian and a tragedian who had entered into joint management, as long ago as 1856. After purchasing the lease for £21,000 they began with “She Stoops to Conquer,” Coppin play ing Tony Lumpkin. The interior of the theatre, unin sured, was burnt on March 19, 1872. The house was held at that time by Coppin, who rebuilt it and let it to two successive managements in which he was a partner. The first —Harwood, Stewart, Hennings and Coppin —opened on November 5, 1872. Though the auditorium was reconstructed a quarter of a century ago for William Anderson, and other changes have been made from time to time, the theatre is to a large extent what it was at its opening. J. C. Williamson, who had made a great success there with Maggie Moore in “Struck Oil,” when they first arrived from America, became the lessee in the early eighties, and with his partners, Arthur Garner and George Musgrove, he began there the performances of the celebrated Royal Comic Opera Company. Nellie Stewart, Howard Vernon, Henry Bracy, Leonora Braham, John Forde, Clara Merivale, Alice Barnett and Clara Thompson are among many names remembered from the early days of that company. Afterwara, when Williamson and Musgrove took it to the Princess, there were opportunities for Florence Young, Violet Varley, Flora Graupner and others, and a number of favourite players accompanied it to Williamson’s third theatre, which he had converted early in this century from the Alexandra, a house built in the eighties, to her Majesty’s. The change of name to His Majesty’s is recent. Seasons Remembered

Modern comedy and drama and Shakespeare were given at the Royal on many occasions before and after its occupation by the Royal Comic Opera Company. A few among the names remembered are those of George Rignold, Charles Warner and Essie Jenyns. Bland Holt, with his spectacular melodramas, was a frequent visitor, and he held the theatre for a long period after Williamson had left and Coppin had let it to various Australian and visiting companies. Then 'William Anderson offered melodrama of another type, and when he had gone to the newly built King’s the Clarke and Meynell firm, under its various changes of name and membership, gave musical comedy as well as drama and melodrama. “The Arcadians,” “Miss Hook of Holland” and “The ■ Blue Moon” are well remembered. Then, with an amalgamation, the Williamson management returned to the Royal. That theatre has been operated by It ever since in association with Her or His Majesty’3, and many of the plays and people have been seen at both houses. Favourite Players Her Majesty’s began as a Williamson house with a brief presentation of Gilbert and Sullivan, followed by the appearance of the gifted Nance O’Neil in “Magda,” and in other \yellacted productions of tragedy and comedy. Soon there were seasons of Italian opera and Shakespeare, with such fine productions of musical comedy as “Floradora,” “The Country Girl,” “The Runaway Girl” and “The Orchid,” and more Gilbert and Sullivan. The theatre has provided three seasons of grand opera with which Melba has been associated, and many players and singers from overseas in addition to Australians have appeared there. A few names recalled are Florence Young, Carrie Moore, George Lauxi, Hugh Ward, Wallace Brownlow, Charles Kenningham, Thomas Kingston, Tittell Brune, Dolly Castles, Dorothy Brunton, Gladys Moncrieff, Maude Fane, Phil Smith, Jack Cannot and Minnie Love. Most of these were also acquainted with the Royal, and at one or other of the two historic Williamson theatres there were seasons by visitors in such variety as H. B. Irving, Oscar Asche, Margaret Anglin, Fred Niblo, Ethel Irving, Julius Knight. Maud Jeffries, Cuyler Hastings, Edith Crane and Tyrone Power, Lady Forbes-Robertson, Katblene MacDonell, Sybil Arundale, Muriel Starr and a great many others. In certain cases, such as those of “The Blue Bird” and “Peter Pan,” the play was more important than the players, and that is as it should be.

Several leading English actresses | and actors have been snapped up by American film firms. George Grossmith has signed up with the Fox Film Company to write, produce, and act in films. Jack Buchanan is the star of a new talking picture called “Paris.” Evelyn Laye joins the Samuel Goldwyn Company as soon as the American production of “Bitter Sweet” permits, and Beatrice Lillie is to star in three pictures for the Fox Com pany. * * * Mdlle. Lydia Kyasht, the celebrated Russian dancer, has written her de- ; lightfully frank “Romantic Recollec- j lions,” in which there occurs this passage, relative to a command performance, “Queen Alexandra sent for me. I hastened to obey . . . expecting to receive some congratulations. In- j stead, her Majesty inquired in tones J which could be heard the length and breadth of the crowded reception room. ‘Tell me, Mademoiselle Kyasht. do | you wear corsets when you dance?' ” j