STAGE JOTTINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 101, 27 April 1912, Page 14

STAGE JOTTINGS.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

To-night—Jansen. T l f^»'S ) * tO T M , ay 4 ~ Amate nr Opera Clnb. June 24 to July 3—"Ben Hur " Augnst 14—"The Bine Bird " September 23— "Oscar Asche "

TOWN HALL. June 17 to 22-The Bngltoh Plerrotß.

_ PICTUBES. King's Theatre. Royal Albert Hall l-yric Theatre 2™. n ictnre Pa" 1 " (continuous). Queen's Theatre (continuous). Empire Theatre—Dominion Boad. VAUDEVILLE. Opera House, nightly. In a speech which she made at her farewell a.pearance at an evangelical mission in Sydney, Miss Ada Ward said that before she left London she had been offered a vaudeville engagement at which she was a little shocked, It was pointed out to her that sucli great genuises as Bernhardt and others were now accept ing vaudeville contracts, and a big effort was being made to secure her services for the London halls. That she supposed she would accept, "unless I have such a position offered to mc as will induce mc to remain in Australia. It has been hinted to mc," she added, "that a very big public appearance is to be given mc before I leave. If it is so it will probably be in one of my greatest characters. I can tell you no more than that now. but in a few days' time you will find perhaps in one of the daily papers a few fuller details." " The other day Ivy Schilling, the clever j danger of Williamson's Opera Company, had stolen from her room in an hotel m , Sydney three brooches and two necklets | valued at £30. "I have nothing to say •_ on the matter," said Ivy Schilling, when seen. "I am the only person in a position to believe it, and sympathise with myself. Actresses have had their jewellery stolen ever since there were act- ' resses, and nobody ever believed it. It is my bad luck to be the first authentic case that I have ever heard of. I think the thief who would steal an actress's jewels is the meanest thing in crime." The Norwoods have amalgamated with Yon Arx, a brother of Nicola, the magician, and have done record business in Wellington during Easter. The new organisation appears in His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, from May Cth to 25th, having purchased a New Zealand tour from Messrs. J. C. Williamson, Ltd., which embraces these dates. A curious notice may be seen in one of 'the theatres of Constantinople. It solves the problem of people at the back obtaining a clear view, and is very much more radical' than the polite request made in English and French theatres that ladies should remove their hats. The notice reads:—'"ln order to render the performance agreeable to all those present, the management of the theatre have decided that the spectators of the first three rows should recline, those of the next three rows should be on their knees, and all the others be standing up. In that way everybody will be able to enjoy the play." This notice is followed by a note: —"It ie strictly forbidden to laugh, for it is a tragedy that is being performed."

There was a good deal of curiosity excited on the stage of the Criterion Theatre (says the Sydney "'Daily Telegrapa"') when it became known in the company that Miss Ada Ward was occupying one of the boxes. For several years TVliss Ward's evangelistic work has had special reference to the stage, one of her addresses being "Can an Actress be a Christian?" Miss Ward sat the performance of "The Blue Bird" through and expressed herself delighted with Maeterlinck' 3 play at the fall of the curtain. It is quit* , a number of years since the ex-evangelist visited a theatre, and in the old familiar surroundings Miss Ward confessed herself agreeably at home. In her heart, she says, she has always loved the theatre, and looks forward to the time she will be once more behind the footlights.

Catling from Xew York to his partner, Mr. Dbc, in Newcastle, Mr. R. S. Baker advises that he has completed Australian arrangements with several "celebrities of the lecture platform, including Franklyn Matthews, a prominent Pressman. Mr. Matthewe accompanied tie American fleet on its visit to Australia ac representative of the New York "Sun." Miss Mary Prootor, who makes a platform study of astronomical subjects, and Elbert Hubbard, the founder of the Roycroft fraternity of East Aurora, in the State of New York, are the other lecturers. Miss Proctor is a daughter of the eminent astronomer, the late Richard Anthony Proctor, who lectured in Australia some thirty rears ago. " "

John Powers, actor, is under arrest at Los Angeles on a charge of having attempted to, avoid paying a board bill by circulating the report that he was dead. Powers owed three weeks' board at an hotel. A fellow-actor informed the proprietor of Powers' death, and thy» police were notified. Powers' mother in Indiana, on receipt o.f the news, directed that the body should be cremated, and stated that she was sending £20 to cover expenses.

It took a great deal of persuasion and £6000 in money to induce Bernhardt to play "Camille" before the camera, but when she finally made up her mind she entered into the arrangements with the enthusiasm of a schoolgirl. -She visited motion picture-shows in all parts of Paris, spent hours in studios, and talked with operator* and actors. In a short while she was an encyclopedia of information about the new art. "Camille" was rehearsed a few times with the watch to get it timed right, and then on a se-t date Bernhardt and ncr powerfulK-ompany went right through the performance before the motion pictirre camera. She played with wonderful tire and expressiveness. Great genius that she is, she suited herself to her medium and the result is a long series of photographs that are staccato in their expressiveness. The story is revealed as plain as print. "Camille" was never more pitifully eloquent than in this dumb record. Bernhardt could hardly wait to see an exhibition of the pictures in the studio. When the operator started and the pboto-piay began to transpire upon the screen sh». was almost hysterical with excitement. After seeing the two reels she insisted that they b e run off over again, a\d this was done.

"Camille" h a perfect photo-play. The story lends itself to the purposes of the camera, and Bernhardt 13 eloquent in every movement. Someone ]tas said that the pictures fairly crackle with life and project wireless messages to the spectator? All over Europe the photoplay "Cavnille -, is a sensation, and New Zealandeis will look eagerly for the release of these reels. The .exclusive Australasian rights of the ffla here been lecurcd by W«*t'* 1

Mr. W. Noble, manager of the Criterion, administered a quiet rebuke to a theatre patron of his acquaintance last week. A group was discussing "The Blue Bird." "It's a lot of rot," said one of the number. "Don't you think you ought to qualify that statement?" said Mr. Noble. "'How?" he was asked. "Well, you should say 'I think it's a lot of rot,' and you would be on safe ground. Your opinion would then be taken precisely for what it's worth." The inexperienced critic retorted, "That's a bit rough." "Oh, I don't know," said Mr. Noble. "If I couldn't appreciate a play like 'The Blue Bird' I'd hate anyone to know it." •

The dresses in "The Sins of Society" at the Adelphi Theatre, Sydney, are much out of the ordinary, notably "in the racecourse scene. No less than 21 gowns were made and designed for Miss Violet Paget and Miss Nellie Mortyne. Most of the designs were from London, but in a few instances the later fashions were adopted. The whole of the outfits were made by Sydney modistes.

Mr. Walter Bentley will be well remembered by theatregoers in Auckland, and, after a long absence, a return visit by this popular actor would be heartily welcomed, He is now at the head of a college of elocutionary and dramatic art in Sydney, which has made such rapid strides that it has been decided to rebuild the premises next year, cojnmencing about May. The sujsrestion has been made that during this period Mr. Bentley should make a theatrical tour of New Zealand. The repertoire would bo taken from the many plays in winch Mr. Bentley was seen here in years gone by.

! Nowadays London managers must I needs look ahead, and already there are j those wlio, thus early in the year, are maturing their plans ir,r the" autumn j (says the "London Daily Telegraph , '). J Among them is Mr. Tom'.B. Davis, who lias definitely decided to tempt fortune once again in the realms of the musical play. Accordingly, in September or October next, he will produce at the Apollo Theatre a work upon which he has built I high hopes. Some months ago Mr. Davis commissioned Mr. Arthur Anderson to make an adaptation of '\Schneeglockchen,' , a comic opera of which the book is by A. M. Willnor and C. Wilhelm, and the music by Gustave Kerker, famous a? the composer of the enormouslysuccessful "Belle of New York." This is the piece destined for production at the Apollo. But, as a matter of fact, Mr. Anderson has in this instance done far more than accomplish a mere adaptation, having deemed it advisable, in consultation with Mr. Davis, to effect considerable alterations in the book, with a vie* more particularly to strengthening the comedy element, and, among other changes, he has introduced new character. The music of the piece <s spoken of as being extremely melodious and taking—a fact, indeed, for which its composer's name should be sufficient to vouch, and to Mr. Percy Anderson has been entrusted the designing of the costumes.

Mr. Henry B. Harris, who was amon" the lost passengers of the Titanic, was a personal friend of Mr. J. C. Williamson, who, speaking to a Sydney Pressman, on receipt of the sad news, said: "Mr. Harris was one of the most important producing managers in New York, and he was destined to go far. My firm has done i"i'ob < a of'business with him. It was from Mr. Ha.-ne that we secured the Australian rights c c the Klein plays, 'The Lion and the Mouse,' and "The Third Degree.' The principal reigning success of Mr. Harris' during the past year has been "The Quaker Girl' which Mr Malone, our London agent, went across to New York to produce for him. He stage a great number of the principal London successes on the American side of the Atlantic, and had numerous companies touring. The late Mr. Harris in an interview before leaving London, said: — •I made it a practice to set aside a percentage of my profits up to a certain amount each year, and to devote this money to the production of a play selected for its artistic quality alone, with the full faith that I should not only gratify my love for that sort of thing, but some day hit the public plumb in the eye with a production. But he found that the best work he ever did —artistically, scenically, technically— best efforts of hie career were failures. He produced 'The Pilgrim's Progress,' under the title of 'The Christian Pilgrim,' at a cost of one hundred thousand dollars. The costumes and scenery of the play were made in Vienna. There were one hundred and forty persons on the stage at different times, and he played to an average business of one hundred and fifty dollars a performance. This was at hie principal Xew York Theatre, the Hudson, and in addition to the production cost lie lost two thousand dollars a week on the play."

Another failure was "The Struggle .Everlasting, ,, by Milton Royle. the "author of "The Squaw Man." Compared with ""The Squaw Man," he said it was a gold dollar to a penny on "The Struggle Everlasting. -, The production cost fifty thousand dollars. It had the backing of all the club organisations, pledged to support meritorious productions, and yet it played to as little as eighty dollars a performance. On the other hand he made a fortune out of "The Lion and the Mouse"—a play that was technically and logically wrong, and failed utterly under analysis, and would not stand se/Vere criticism for five consecutive minutes.' .

"Fortunately.'" remarked. Mr Harris, "a successful drama will pay for the losses of eight ordinary plays and perhaps three musical comedies in America. The musical comedy, be it understood, sometimes costs sixty thousand dollars, whereas the ordinary drama may cost from five to fifteen thousand before it is sent back to the storehouse—a failure. The Lion and the Mouse' would pay for twenty ordinary failures."

"To reduce the risk," he continued, "the manager turned to the successful playwright for material. But here again he found small comfort. Klein's great success, "The Lion and the Mouse,' was immediately followed by two abysmal failures—The Daughters of Men' and The Step-Sister.' His next play, The Third Degree,' was a hit. and the one following. -The Xext of Kin' was a frost. This was his experience with most successful playwrights.

"Often he set dramatists to work with an idea. Robert Edeson suggested as a hero a college-bred Indian boy. and Mr. Harris yet William ('. dp Mi'lle to work on the scheme, paying him in advance for n year's work. Within a twelvemonth he handed the play in. But it had to be re-written seven times— fact, two years' additional work was put in on —before it was ready for production." Referring to present-day productions, Mr. Harris commented that in former days everything was a sham; to-day every bit of stage furniture 3 real. 'This painstaking realism makes a production cost 20,000 dollars, where it could have co3t 4,000 dollars years ago." -<. THE). JMCATttnCATt