THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 86, 4 January 1908, Page 13

THE THEATRE.

(B* Sxivius.) "Tho world's a theatro,. tho earth a ... stage."—Heywood. . "Humpty Dumpty." < v The change from stagnation to a rush of Christmas attractions is. (says tho "Australasian") so great that wo liavo space this week only for-rofcrenco; to a few features'of tlio psntomimo. But there is lots of; time. Tlio now year will be fairly old before, "Humpty Dumpty" in tho natural course of development, has . changed from tho: erudo custard —which his. dross suggests—into- a summer chicken fledged for flight, ready to follow theother bircl, "Mother Goose,".on. her; migrations. Even a world of colour superlatives would clog if there were not human interest,, ii re-' Uection that'has mado more than ono Bohemian sceptical as to- the joys of' Paradise. Tho cast of- "Humpty Dumpty" -is .-strong-, in comedians,-, and . foremost amongst them is Mr. Bert Gilbert, whose chronic, ailment as King Solium is that; he'cannot''laugh,/, but who manages, , nono tho less to make other poople laugh.; Mr. Gilbert presents tho strango contradiction that he i 3 most mirthful when most lachrymose. Many , people, when overwrought are the better for, a good cry, but Mr. Gilbert- is not iii tlib.le'ast overwrought. Ho weeps, and tho audience laugh for tho pure pleasure of tho thing. "In addition.to his general capacity for mirth-making,' Sir.. Gilbert has managed, to' wedge in'.one of his music-hall specialties, called; "Mnddleton Junction," which has nothing whatever to do with "Hmnpty Dumpty," either beforo Lor after his fall, but you would not have. it excised on any account. . ~.i - , , Miss • Florence Youhg is the pantomiihe boy, Rudolph, or Lord Rudolph—it really doesn't. matter as long as he. is-also ;Miss Youfig. She has-beautiful costumes and many songs, tho most catchy of-which.'.'The Grind Bayou,'.' sung' with dccorative^accompaniments, ono of them a canoo load of minstrels glidinfr through .tho Virginian bayou ill tho moonlight. iMiss: Maud- Thorno is the Priil- ! ccs Aurora—very dainty,''rather . 'subdued, I as is tho fashion of the time with pantomime girls,' but' singing lifer songs, prettily, and | always a piethro in whatever kind of framo she chances'.to be enclosed; Miss Irene Dillon, on her first appearance,. .is study in black and white ; always an .interesting study) too, whatever tho cut and .colour of nor costumes. . Mis Olga Grey. is. a hew girl from Ballarat, whoso -art is imitative, and who has a littlo sceno all to herself, in a burlesque of girls with.mannerisms moro'or. less known in stageland.: The imitations ; which the audience wero best ablo.from recent experience to appreciate, wero.. Miss Fanny Da ago, in tor "Girls of Gottcnborg" apng, ■ "Mitsa, the Maid of tho Inn," and Miss Maud Fanning, whoso song and dancc of tho coon character, : wis .marked by abandon. , Thore was, I nothing in Miss'Fanning's. dancing or singling. particularly out -of. tho Common,';, but- it had a certain amount' of character,- and in that • sonso the imitation, ,'done with spirit but not exaggeration, is more' clovor, than tho reality. Jliss Grey's first 'appearance, even with a company of noted comedians, was distinctly a success. -Miss Beatrice English is fairy, or fairy queen of the piece,. and when Mrs. Brough, years ago, played-the fairy, queen in "iolantho" she' established the cult of Amazonian fairios. Your pantomime fairy is no longer ■ an Ariol, sipping nectar from convolvolus cups, she i 3 a Sandow girl originating rather earlier than iSandoW: ;Mr. Harry Phydora is, of course) old woman/just as he was" in "Mother Goose,"; and has., to, play up to and with Mr/' Bert Gilbert ill oroating most of the laughter. Wo liko the nice note- of satire upon fashions of; the day which Mr. Phydora's dressmaker , or ; tailor, or' whatever sox it happens'to be,-manages to .'introduce into his gowns. Mr. Barton, who made'his first appearance'as Humpty Dumpty, is a kind of Spoil sport : or'marplot, and lias to do a good deal of shooting through trap doors; while Mr. Harry -Shine, as a circus proprietor, makes good use of a part which; will inevitably grow,_ as'; Mr.' Shine's sketches havo.. a way; of and Lo lirun aro exauiplea of'animated ;ii'nd intelligent nature, as a baby elephant,; cats, and 'bus horses, but tho pantomime is full 'of "iiatural. hiitorj!—sea horses (much moro interesting -than Hippocampas Nova)- Ii'ollondia:), ' prawns (boiled,, because • Unquestionably piuk) and devil-fish' being elaborations upon the ordinary live stook of nursery literature. i Arthur Greenaway. Talks.'''.' Mr. Arthur E. Greenaway, who left Australia for America a . couplo of years ago, after playing Borneo and otlior characters in tho Tittell Brune Company, is now appearing unfortunatoly in the thankless rolo of Lord Anthony Dowhurst—in tho romantic comedy, "Tho Scarlet Pimpernel,"'in Sydney. After his departure, the New Zealand actor went straight to San Francisco,'-and joined Miss Nance O'Neill and Mr.' M'lvco; Rankin, who sailed from Sydney in tho same vessel. One of his parts was Malcolm to tho Macbeth of Mr. Jonrt Glendinning, an English actor who, since his dobut in New York with the Ken- . dais in 1896, lias come to ho regarded as an American. After six months Mr. Greenaway wont to London .to support Mis Jessie Milward in the "School for : Husbands," produced at the Scala Thoatro in March last year, but though tho comedy was 'admired in America, it failed to please, and was. withdrawn somo weeks later. During tho same soasoti the Now. Zealander supported' the Sydney actor, Mr, H. It. Roberts, in "The Prince Chap," at tho Criterion. Herein Mr. Roberts, who eamo from tho United -States, was associated with a strong Loudon cast. Tho picce ran until the autumn, when Mr. ■Greenaway was engaged for "Tho Prince Chap", provincial tour, which closed at Edinburgh last Christmas Eve. Tho whole enterprise was directed by Mr. A. H. Canby, an American manager, who has boon several times to Sydney—twico with, the .Jean Gerardy concert parties and once with Andrew i Mack. Early in tho present year Mr. Greon : I away was engaged for a long tour of South I Africa, where he played such important parts as Detectivo Bedford in "Rallies" and King Richard in "Robin Hood." The actor had also visited tho country during the Jameson raid in> 1897, aud he _ found it much 'changed for the worse. No' one has any money there, nor is tho Capo likely to recuperate quickly. The visitor considors that the Boor problem haS been solved in a quite unlooked for manner. The, Dutch liavo firmly secured the upper hand- as the result of their dofeat, aud evidently intend to reign over the Britons ill poacc and quiet under— tho British flag! Mr. Greenaway'remarks "that an Englishman has to turn several mental somersaults beforo understanding this, but facts aro stubborn things. Perhaps it is all for tho best —'p r'haps,, and p'r haps not.' " In the meantime tho whole country is in a state of poverty, and tho coloured races, under a too - liberal British rulo, havo become a nuisance, The only other news Mr. Greenaway. brings is that Miss Jessie Milward, tho Hero of Irving's "Mncli Ado" at the Lyceum in 1882 (Miss Ellen Terry was, of courso, the heroine), and for long years in melodrama at Drury Lane and the* Adelplii, recently married'tho.Mr, Glendinning referred to abovo. This event took place just'after tho actress's success in the original New York production of Jones's new comedy, "Tho Hypocrites,"' in which Glendinning played a leading part. "Scarlet pimpernel" in Sydney* Criticising "Tho Scarlet 'Pimpernel," tho "Sydney Morning Herald" says:—Sir Percy Blakenoy is essentially an actormanger's part, a judicious mixturo of character and high comedy and in no wise "juvcnilo." Sir Porcy is first introduced as a weird hag, with raucous voico and leering eye, driving a scraggy horso and cart through tho barricades, and returning tho soldierly chaff of tlio Citizen red-caps with interest. Mr. Julius Knight clevorly assumed the disguise, and a littlo'lnter entered in the exagceratcd dress of the "Incroyablc" fashion, which tho magnificent bucks of that day affected. The actor hit off with a good deal of skill and lightness of , touch tho vacant laugh, expansive good-nature, and slow-witted manner of tho baronet, whose excessive use of oxpletives, by the way, might very well be moderated. Messrs. Gordon, Board, and Little had painted a wonderfully picturesque tableau of a reach on tho Thames as viewed from a garden that facod j>n Elizabethan mansion of red brick, and it,

was hero that Sir * Percy removed the I mark of folly in a forcibly enacted scene withMarguerito. Tho latter , character is also difficult. Miss Humphrey exhibited tho art .of indicating the heroine's -Ifrench- origin leis by. mispronunciations, which , sho; avoided; than by inflections. of voice; .This tender sing-song m tho lines had the.drawback of 1 a cortajn artificiality of effect in somo of, the earlier scenes, and; further involved a rather pianissimo treatment; but always' liandsomoly in the picture, tho actress camo-out of herself admirably in tho third' act. / First m, the tearful emotion of the. scene with Sir, Percy already roferred to, and a little later in the impassioned excitement of her appeal, to Sir Andrew, Miss Humphrey.' roused -the audience, and there word recalls of enthusiasm v.-hen the' curtain .fell. Mr. - Harry PliiSmer/,,a fiiie figure in the black velvet and silver laco of tho Pnncc of .Wales (afterwards George IV); showed dignity and aplCjiab, The important character of Chativelin fell tb Mr.. Leslio -Victor, who played it smoothly and. with polish.' At the-same time, without departing from comedy ,'lines, he might have put—and probably will d0,,b0 —a little moro "colour," a littlo - more "body," into his portrait of this envoy "with yellow eyes,; bony hands, -and the face of .a fox." vAt the end' of the first act,'where Chauvelin "has the curtain," Mr. Victor did not show sufficient dramatic power and depth toi dominate tho. situation—partly bccauso everyono from 'stars to supers nervously insisted on ' Miss Humphrey's; big sceno seemed: to walte tip the whole company,- and this- clover comedian thereafter became - more vigorous -where needed. - ."The Scarlet iPimperncl" will bo repeated until further notice. 1 "When Knights Were Bold." : '■Tho idea hit upon by tho author of "When Knights Were Jiold,"-: says . the. ' "Sydney Morning Herald," is a novel one.. Sir Guy do Vore is a modern baronet who takes life as ho finds it, and has-no. "beastly pride" in the doughty deeds of ancefetora who acquired property by tho simplo , ( process . of forcibly taking it from someon'o else. •He indulges in high BOciotv slang, and as'long its Ilia. friends and relatives are hayirig:• a "jolly good time'?-.- ho; eschews tho ancestral tree, and plays,the -popular- host, to perfection. ' Lady: RowertaC"Eggingtori,'!\oii' whArn his affections are fixed, is, however,'« thorough Lady Vere de Vereyaiid being of - a romantic disposition she ha 3 dipped deeply into twelfth coiitnry history:. In, and out; of season she reproaches Sir Guy jfor his indifference to-'the memory and exampjo of his mighty forboara, and with impassioned eloquence rominds.him of'tho "days of bldj"?.when armour-clad Sir Guys made their enftmies "bite, the dust." The modern sciqa'i'of.a' haughty; bouso'isays it's all "tommy rot," arid reminds his,'couain that' biting the ; du9t affords no nutriment to tho.biter.; and, what with the physical;worry, engendered: by a.;cold in the head flud tho mental chaos intaiWhieh his. romantic cousin drives him, ho imbibes too much whisky,' and falls asleep in> the .-knight's, r<tom-at ;Beechwood Towers. i,;...,;. I .'-.i;; : "' .

."With' tHo. funicsfof""sJroing.Scotct" ;in hjs head and' hot water.: and mustard at ' his ieet, ho dreams .. fantastic - visions, 'in ■ which 'the years roll back to, 1196, and . the baronet , of, 1906 .finds-himself' standing in > modern' evening Jdress on,.tho ancient battlementa of Becchwobd Tow»rs,/surrounded by the conr-; tiers -and' servitors - of : , tho; period.- . Aniong them he recognises- all- the 'friends, ''relatives,: and servants who have, been, with liini" on tho previous day, but their, quaint medieval costumes suggest .to;-him'-that.they are ideallytho ancient representatives of modern'fami* lies. This idea is strengthened the consternation created when; he > strikes a! wax vesta, and lights a cigarette;- It is easy to concoive what ■■■ laughter-provoking situation's may be evolvod from the clashing of present-day manners, costumes, and speech! with those ofitho middle ages. . Tho: author iof ''When Knights Wcife Bold" has made full use of ' the'material./; At tho closo.'of the second ; act tho twfelfth eoiitury Rowena, who ■is an inmate of an AMey hard, by, the castloj appeals to Sir Guy for protection against Sir Brian Ballymote, an,lrish raider, and,' donning' his ancestor's -'armour, which : .fits ;L him nowhere, he tackles'tho oriemy, and'finally, defeats him—not with 1 ; the" sword;. ;but;;.'with, fists.. In tho.Jast..act / the .herofakes',from his: dream/' but not.'.having .recovered'from tho; frenzy.: of. Battle": lie' gives his guests, a lively half-hour. ' .Ho, however, becomes calm when-lie has'drivßii Sir Brian;-' his modern rival, from the ancestral halls; and secured the affection of Rowena. Irving as the Cardinal.' ' _In an articlo on Seymour Lucas and his j pictures,-Rudolph, de Cordova, writing in "Cassell's' Magazine," says that Lucas designed some ot. the dresses worn by Sir Henry Irving in "Henry VIII." That Sir Henry's dress as' Wolsoy represented ono which might actually have been worn by tho "proud prolate," -was A■ -matter of common gossip at the time in London. .' -Those who movo in tho inner circles of the. dramatic world aro aware that Sir Henry was -offered tho uso of a dres3 which dated back to the pro-Reformation' jioriod, . and ; had actually been worn by one of the princes of, the Church. AVithout a moment's hesitation ho refused tho Joan on the ground that as tho dross had actually been worn in the service : of tho Church ho preferred not to uso it in the servico of tho stage, great power for good though the stage always was in his' l eyes. Ho therefore to. Italy.'to havo mado tho wonderful dress of .rose-pink silk ho wore, and ho willingly paid for-it a. very largo sum, which 'ho might have saved had he been so minded. ■ A Mansfield Yam. if any anecdotes aro told of tho late Richard Mansfield. Ho hired a private secretary a few y-Cars ago, hut was compelled to discharge him because ho could not spell, and was otherwise rather lamo in tho: matter of education. When tho young man had received tho notice of his- dismissal ho went to tho actor, and asked for ah explanation. "Tho fact is," ho was told, "your education is too nieagro' for tho requirements of tho position." Greatly offended, tho ex-secretary exclaimed —"Why, sir, my parents spent 5000 dollars on my education." "Then, my dear boy," said tho actor, "I should advißo them £sj institute proceedings for the recovery of tho money. They woro swindled." .. • Notes. None of the ladies selected and brought out from England by Mr. Julius Knight appeared in tho cast of "Tho Scarlet Pimpernel." tho burden. of which, on tho female side, is borno. by Miss Ola Jano ; Humphreys and Miss Susio Vaughan. Miss Elbert Orton, Messrs. Bentley, M'lntosh, and Mr. and M'ra. .Willis return to England in a week or two, .having completed a year's' engagement. Miss Sydney i£ to marry Mr.Mackay, of tho staff of tho "Daily Telograph." ' . '

"Waiting for tho Birch" is tho namo of a parody on "Waiting at tho Church" that is boing' sung in "Bluebell in Fairyland" in Sydney.

Mr. Bert Gilhert.has a tale to toll of somo hot water that; ho found. himself in on ono occasion through 'championing tho causo of theafcrioal management in Australia. During his last visit "to Australia ho was very much impressed by tho efficiency displayed by mombors of; the profession generally as o'ro all miting artists of whatever character and country. ~. Ono evening in Birmingham ho entertained a mimbor of people at an hotel tbero with his. opinions on tho subject. During liis discourso ho waxed eloquent and informed tho assembled company that from the principals to tho chorus girls and from' 'tho" stiigo manager to tho carpenter, ovcrybody was thoroughly up in what was required of thein so that a chorusgirl could tako a principal part if'called upon and that tho stago hands wero all masters of tho carpontering trade. , A reporter happened to bo in' tliat littlo gathering, and next day Mr. Gilbert's opinions appeared in print, thereby calling down tho wrath of tho Birmingham residents upon his devoted head, mt ho still held to his opinions in spite of all.

Ucorgo Titheradgo was included in tho cast of "A Pair of„Spccfcaclos" for tho command performance given by Sir John Haro and his company at Windsor Castlo. Madgo Titberadge appeared at Sandringham on November 9, with Cyril Maude in "French as Sho is Spoko" for tho King's Birthday celebration*.