THE DRAMA.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14854, 20 December 1913, Page 9

THE DRAMA.

(By "Ctra.no.") I offer my thanks and congratnlatio-l to the Julius Knight Amateur Dramatic Club for their performance of "You Never Can Tell"—thanks for an enjoyable evening, and congratulations on ■* surprisingly good production. Of course there were many faults in the performance. No inexperienced amateurs ("inexperienced" I uso in..a genoral and somewhat looso, sense) could bo expected to play Shaw with any approach to perfection. But tho production reminded mc of Dv Maurier's dialogue between the artist and the critio. before an Old Master. The critic drew attention to the faults of tho picture ono by one, but the artist meroly kept on replying: "Ah, yes, but the PICTURE, you know." I don't wish' to imply that the performance of "Y_u Nover Can Tell" was like an Old Master; but merely to express an opinion that the whole effect was very good under tha circumstances. As a whole theso ama- '

tours were sincere and . conscientious; thoy had the right aims, and they had caught the spirit of Shaw. Miss Uwenn Merrett, in particular, is a player of much promise. Tho acting of Mr Messenger Belles was at times quite worthy of a professional, while Mr Vogan made much of the most delightful character in the play. It was a capita. l production, and the policy of aiming high was justified. If the talent ia ayailable it is much better to attempt Shaw than to choose one of Pinerq'a poorer farces.

Tho club has made* a good start, arid as the most promising organisation o_ the land that has appeared in Christchurch for somo .time it deserves tha support of all who would like" to see a reafly strong and ambitious clnb firmly established here. There is heed enough for it. ' Little is to be expected froja the professional sources or entertainment in tho way of the best drama. It is regrettable, therefore, that the new club did not draw better houses on its first attempt. There was, excused of- course, for tho. poor house the first. night, but the quality of the entertain.* ment should have Brawn a better houa» on the Tuesday. I don't kiiow-whatt the financial result 0f... the; enfceiprisa was, but what I saw made mo a littkn anxious. The mounting was so good that it must have cost money.

. Tho Club, I hope, will not repeat i_e> style of its posters. There'is really: nothing gained by such '. display ,of*_> prominent actor's name, and it is ojjen to a very serious objection.. Iv **woald not bo surprising to learn that,thero were people in Christchurch" who were really led to believe by the wording and type of the posters that Mr Julius Knight was going to play hererin "You Never Can Tell" and "Man-add Superman." The Club should take noto'of tho recent case in London/%,which-a. somewhat similar (though .much more objectionable) use of Paderewski's nam. in the advertisement* of an inferior performer led to court proceedings.

There is a dead season in the drama. in Now Zoaland just now, and. tho strike has caused some anxiety as to fixtures in the near future. It is, - therefore, good news that Mr Bert Roylo, representative for Messrs J. V C. Williamson, Ltd., lias been advised by cablegram that the' new AmericanDramatic Company, playing "Within tho Law," will leave Sydney for Wei-; lihgton to-day, and will- commence a ; season at the Opera House "on" Boxing"" Night. The play ha** been running ' twelve weeks attho Criterion Theatre, 1 in Sydney, and it is described as the • greatest dramatic success for ten years past There is still no official * announcement about Mr Lewis Waller. Perhaps the Williamrcn management - is waiting to see- whether the strike will be called off soon. '.$•...

Mr Clvdo Mevncll. ono of the directors of J. C. " Williamson, Ltd., returned to Sydney recently, after a ten months' trip abroad, in tho conreo of which he acquired some new plays for Australia. These are: —"Joseph and His Brethren," "The Argylo Case," "Stop Thief!" "The Marriage Market," "Sealed Orders," "The Girl from Utah," "The Pearl Girl," "The Girl on the Film," "The Girl in the Taxi," and the revue, "Come Over Here!" It is not an exciting list —indeed it is rathei melancholy. There is an intolcrabb deal of "Girl" to a small amount ji more satisfying fare. "Joseph and Si Brethren" "has already been describein tills column. Tho Sydney "DailJ Telegraph" gives the following particulars of some of the other productions on tho list. '"The Argyle Case," which was running strongly in New York at the time of Mr Meynell's visit, is a powerful detective drama, written by Harriett Ford and Harvey J- O'Higgins, who had had the advantage of assistance from Detective W\ J. Burns* It is in this piece that the dictapbonf is introduced. "Stop Thief!" is ran tling farco, written by George M. Cohan (author of "Get. Rich-Quick Wallingford"). "The Marriage Market" has been having a great run at Daly's, and "Sealed Order?" is the now Drury Lano drama, which has quite a number of sensations, including a diamond robbery, an art sale at Christie's, an escape from a battleship, and tho flight of an aeroplane. "Tho Pearl Girl" is Mr Robert Courtneidge's production at tho Shaftesbury, a bright story of a girl who harmlessly impersonates a wealthy visitor to London from the Argentine, wearing pearls of fabulous price with tho object of advertising the shop where she is employed as a typist. "The Girl from Utah" is 3Lr George Edwardes's latest comedy at tho London Adelphi. "Joseph and His Brethren" wdl probably bo produced in Australia in February, in either Melbourne or Sydney. "The Argyle Case" will probably lie played by tho "Within tho Law" Company. "Como Over Here!'! is to bo tho Christmas attraction of tho WtUi__n«__n management in Sydney.