STALLS GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1916, Page 11

STALLS GOSSIP.

MCSIC, MIMES AND MOVIES. Kudyard Kipling's "The Light that failed" and Sir Gilbert Parkers "The Weavers" have been adapted to pictures by the American fitm companies. » * ■

At the flarriek Theatre in London, a playhouse built by W. S. Gilbert, revue has taken the place ol the legitimate, and the conclusion of this production) entitled "Looking Around," is a reproduction of the burnt-cork performance 0/ the Moore and Burgess Minstrels. The revival was extremely successful. 1

In Chicago there are now GSO motion picture theatres, anil more are to be built. Thomas Ince, who has been in the motion picture business almost from the beginning, gave it as his opinion that there will soon be about ten or fifteen high-class picture theatres, real big ones. These houses will screen only the highest class of photo-plays, and will charge prices much in advance of the present ruling rate.

The big combination, made up of the Vitagraph, Lubin, Selig and Essanay Companies, known to the trade as "the V.L.5.E.," began the New Year' with an output of eight productions a month. The first picture of the year was a dramatisation of one of -Rex Beach's novels, said to be a stronger picture than "The Battle Cry of Peace." The second wai a drama especially written for Miss Nance O'Neill, which was unnamed wnen the last mail left. Each of the individual companies of the V.L.S.E. has' adopted a standard which, when it reaches the plane set for it, will give to this organisation a high general average of merit.

On more than one occasion J. C. Williamson, Ltd., have got ahead of London and New York in their production first in Australia of various dramas and inusieal plays. For example: Australia saw "The Whip" before it was staged in New York, "Within the Law," "High ' Jinks" and "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" before London audiences saw them: and other instances could be quoted in this connection. But "So Long, T.etty," has been produced in Sydney before even New York saw It —and for a musical play that comes from America this is a pretty good record. Mr. Hugh J. Ward saw "So Long, Letty" at Los Angeles, and was so impressed with it that he immediately bought the. Australasian rights, and forthwith hurried on arrangements' for its production. The musical play had not then been staged in New York, the first production being given at Los Angeles. Up to the present it has not yet seen the light in London.

The name of Mr. George Titheradgc, whose death is reported, will be indelibly associated witli the history of tile drama in Australia. It is long since he came to 'Melbourne with a London reputation and entered on a most successful career in leading, as well as eccentric, roles. He appeared in conjunction with many combinations, but will be best remembered in connection witli the famous Hrougli and Boucieault Company, who had such a long run in Melbourne and Sydney with light comedy. Mr. Titlicradge was generally recognised a? one of the best all-round actors of his time. Of "The Village Priest" ha made a wonderful success, and he was one of the first to play "The Silver King' in Australia. ' Some lime since be re-visited London to resume an honored position oh th>' stage there, and recently he came, back to Australia to undertake several engagements with the Williamson management. For some ftme hack, however, he had been an 'invalid. He will be kept in kindly recollection by many playgoers and all members of the profession, who held him in the greatest admiration. # # #

About ton years ago. when moving pictures had asserted their right for serious consideration, and the man with money to invest was feeling the pulse of the market, so to speak, almost everyone in the theatrical world was asked for an opinion as to the chance of, tlie pictures becoming a permanent institution. Tiie opinions of the Weinlieimeva ranged from "Oh, how long can any fad last? Say three years or so." "Well, I don't see why pictures can't last a considerable time. Look at skating; that has not yet disappeared.'' The result or these opinions was that the present industry, which is about the third biggest in the I'lutetl States, was left to struggling showmen to nurse and foster. And now many of the struggling showmen of those days are reaping the reward of their \vn>k, receiving reports of their always increasing wealth from iheir secretaries. Those days it was the last resort of the showman—a picture show; now the biggest theatrical syndicates in the world arc struggling "for u place in the sun."

Mr. George Musgrove, whose death wtitt announced last week, was wellknown throughout Australasia as a theatrical entrcpeneur. Me entered the theatrical business many years ago, and became prominent in partnership with Arthur darner and J. C. Williamson, when they assumed the managership of the' Princess' Theatre in Melbourne, Later, on the death of Mr. Garner, Messrs Williamson and Musgrove continued in business for many years. They dissolved partnership seven or eight years ago, and Mr. Musgrovc's activities were chiefly concerned with companies in which Jliss Nellie Stewart, his wife, was the "star." Under his management she first played "Sweet Nell of Old Dmry,'' in which she also toured in America. Mr. Musgrove was also responsible for the tour in Australia of a grand opera company, in which were Madame Larraine, Madame ■Tensen, Madame Slapofl'ski! Baron Berthold. Umborto Snlvi. Charles Tilbury and Lemptiore Pringle. A few years ago a German grand opera company also toured Australia and New Zealand. Another big theatrical venture in which he was interested was the magnificent Shakosperean Company which visited Wellington and there produced "A Midsummer Night's Dream." For some years 'Mr. Musgrove bad control of the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, where. Miss Nellie Stewart played a season, and where "The Belle of New Vork" was first produced in Britain. Vox; some considerable time he has been in Illhealth, and when Miss Nellie Stewart last visited New Zealand he was not well enough to tour through the Dominion. His brother, Mr. Frank Musgrove. died in Australia from pneumonia immediately after returning from that tour. His daughter, Miss Nancye Musgrove, who was here last year with the Nellie Stewart Company, is with one of the J. C. 'Williamson, Ltd,, companies iu

On New Year's Eve the latest Fran* Lehar comic opera was produced in Berlin. It is called "The Star Gazer!" This is llie, first time that a Lehar opera has had its initial performance outside Vienna. l.t'har has been serving, pji Dalmatia an an officer. ■-•-.,

.Maurice Costello, the Vitagraph star, Has played in movo than a thousand screen plays, and has portrayed almost every character from a servant to our Lord. His opinion of pictures is that •'they have broadened in their scope of usefulness to the public. Their educational value is already assured. The cheap, meaningless pictures aro toeing crowded out toy the high-class variety that one sees upon the screen which teaches a moral lesson or instructs, elevates and delights." His two daughters have appeared on the screen, and he hopes to see them some day win a high place in the motion picture Wffrljt

Mr. Clement Wragge, after an interval of six years, has decided to give a series of his famous scientific entertainments in the Dominion, and will visit this district at an early date. Since Mr. Wragge's previous tour he has visited many countries and added new information to his already large fitoclc, which will be introduced into his new subjects. Mr. Wragge's reputation as a scientific entertainer is well known. Special inducements t are offered to colleges and schools. Mr, Victor Beck is managing the New Zealand tour.

i/ust recently, in America, a manager had a Mirror glass screen put into his theatre. It was claimed that mirror screens were the best things invented. The screen cost the manager nearly £2OO to instal. One night, during a performance of a melodrama, when the villain was pursuing his second act career, and the heroine was pleading for mercy, the words of the villain were thrown on the screen: "I will make you the vilest creature that walks," and the picture following showed that the villain had bound the suffering heroino with ropes, and was walking off with her, when a voice from the back wu heard to shout, ''Drop that girl!" 01 course, the villain went 'on with tho business. Then came a shot from the excited spectator. Result, £2OO worth of mirror gone, and several of the archestra laid, up for repairs. • ft • .frVK

Mary Pickford, who has not left tho Famous Players Company, as was reported in an American magazine, is now called "The Spirit of the Screen." This title was given ner because of her marvellous performance in a drama called "Rags." When Miss Pickford made her first appearance on the screen she was not considered to be of sufficient account to have a name, and was not even asked her name. When salary day came along, 1). W. Griffith, her first employer, said to the treasurer, "(live this (25 dollars) to the wisp who played Morgan's daughter." Miss Pickford signed the salary sheet "M. Pickford." '.'What is your Christian name?" asked "the treasurer. ".Mary," replied the new screen star. After that she was known as "Little Mary"; hundreds of actors knew her then,as "Little Mary" who did not know her maiden name. As she rose in the world she was known to the public as Mary Pickford, Since then she has been called every endearing name, from "Little. Mary" to the "World's Darling," and now "The Spirit of the Screen." » • •

Genevieve Ward, who was acting in Melbourne mid Sydney before most pre-sent-day Australian play-goers were born, was booked reappearance at the St. James's, London, on New Year's Day. George Alexander, who runs that fashionable playhouse, describing the now four-act comedy, "The BaskeJ-," with which lie proposed to inaugurate 1010', and asked about his lending lady, remarked: "Ah, there comes something of a surprise, but I think you will agree I could not have made a better choice. The role, because of ita complex character, is rather difficult to fill. Still, I think 1 have found an ideal representative in Miss Genevieve Ward. Theatrical biographers give her age, I know, as 77, but if she doesn't prove the youngest in the ea6t I shall be vastly mistaken." "The Baskev" is a four-act comedy written by Mrs. Clifford-Mills, part authoress of the successful "Where the Rainbow Ends.'' Alexander sums it us as a ''bright, breezy, cheery" piece; which sounds like a new departure late in lire for the. stately and dignified Genevieve.-- Bulletin.

Slowly but very surely (says the' Dominion) the Australasian stage is becoming Americanised. We are being drugged, or perhaps I should say "doped'' into the practice of American ways, into the use of American words and .phrase*, and to view all things through American instead of honest Knglish spectacles. Through their plays "anil hooks and pictures we are all "unconsciously coming to regard that which i-> Knglish—conservative English—in books and plays, as something too veiled, perhaps rather abstruse for these! hurry days, and, on the whole, "a bit slow." The American dramatist either cannot write or seeks to avoid a "fine phrase or polished period. He goes in for plain words in plain setting, sentences "with a punch," garnished as often a? not with the slang of the day, and decorated nearly always with a swear word (spoken, of course, by the most adorable young lady in the cast for eli'ect's sake), the use of which twenty years ago would have made people jump from their seats. Xo\v such cheap means to an end are received with n smile, and are considered smart In '-Bought and Paid For," Miss Muriel Starr ends an act by spitting" out the word.-'. "I'm going to marry you- i»bm you!" And. dining the interval this bit of daring talk keeps the women .'oik chattering. But is it clever tu T>ut such a sentence into the mouth 01 a pretty girl* If so, why stop at a mtu' "damn" or so?; Why not go the whole hog and use the whole of the Billingsgate vocabulary at once? English dramatists have often used the word in, question, and 0. B. Shaw has used one just a little more lurid, but as a rule (Shaw is the, exception to every rule), the habit of women swearing on the stage lias not been cultivated. Such giants as Sardon and Dumas did not lind it necessary to indulge in the use of the world merely to produce an effect. They could always find language infinitely more impressive to express an idea or emotion, without lowering the character concerned. The habit of swearing becomes no one at any time, and on the stage it sets an example that cannot be considered edifying. American writers, too, are amazingly blunt in their snggestiveness. The palm for that sort of thing was formerly held by the French, but the French were, delicacy personified compared with the straight talk indulged in by some of the plays from America. If a censor is needed for the pictures, his duties could perhaps be extended to the stage proper. .Where is it all to. ead* i(