THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 116, 8 February 1908, Page 13

THE THEATRE.

(By " Sylvids.")

"Tho • world's a theatre, tho earth a stage."—Hoywood.

Beerbolim Treo on Shakespeare,

On Friday December 13 Mr. Trco lectured bcforo tho members of tho Birmingham University Shakespeare' Society, when tho medical theatre of tho' University was crowded by an appreciative audience, presided over by tho'Principal. Mr. Tree, after, referring to Sir Oiiver Lodge's contributions to tho humanity of scicnco, said: "If I wero asked what quality it is that distinguishes Shakespearo moro than any other, I should say it is tho quality of humanity. Imagination, observation, pdetry, passion, humour—all these aro his in a supremo degree—wo aro dazed as v<c look up at them, rising liko mountains from tho common ground; but. tho highest peak of all, that which is tho first to bo touched by the morning sun and tho'last to retain its setting glory, is his radiant humanity. His is tho supremo.gift of viewing human naturo from-tho heights, of discerning tho reality of things below, ami of dealing with them in that serene spirit of tolerance which is the attribute only of the great few—tho mast.er poets of the world. Homer, Milton, Goethe, and Tennyson— tneso have also drunk doep "from that Olympian spring. Shakespearo never'strikes tho noto of a self-conscious moralist; indeed, it. is often dilUcult to determino where his sympathies aro, In. thisimpersonality, this impartiality of mind, ho stands almost apart. Ho never holds , a brief for his characters, labelling this one good and- that ono bad, this ono penny;plain 'and'.that ono twopence coloured; ho is the judgt>; not : the advocate, allowing each.character to develop, as it wero, his own case, leaving the. jury of ' c own' conclusions'. XtLo uwells .tor tho time being in tho minds'of tlia men ho is portraying, revealing' the.truth, tho. wholb, truth, and.,'nothing :but tno truth of their natures—extenuating thing, nor setting down aught iii malice.' His ■heroes, hayo their weaknesses; his weak;men in-'i-'ii 1013111 ?'. He does not .hesitate tb altliot tho noblo character of tho iio'or .'with a foolish- and unreasoning - jealousy;''hhro r appears even to liavo a sort of intellectual sympathy with, tho dastard ; Tago: v Like Uombrandt, he is tho .supremo .'artist'who will paint with equal zest tho front of Jovo himself or, the carcas.o of a 'bollock.'' After analysing the principal characters of Shakespeare to illustrate his point, -Mr. TrcVwent on say; "I now pass' from tho contemplation ot Shakespearo 1 s wbrk to a consider-anon-of tho' treatment which his interpreters, should devote to that work in /order 1 ' to -bring_home to the spectator tho .truo meati-lng.of-tno poet. " And hero it is the actor's highest aim to give that'note ; of humanity wluclv makes the wholo world kin. It'is in this spirit- of' humanity that 1 havo sought to apptoach. those plays of' Shakespeare with which, 1' havo been 'associated 1 as;producer, and.it is this quality (which is' tho•'poet's own) that has, 1 venturo.'to think;, been tho secret of- tho,success of' those 5 productions l . 4 if the fashion to sayj that .'the. mounting l or ohakespearo is the main consideration tho-modern actor-manager has in view. That , 1]0 " SGI1S0 * '-'These ;are tho■ outward flourishes, and not tho :' essentials. ■ .- ' It' has been 1 thought necessary . (I remember-many' instances of it in ; my : :boyhood) i .tliat the actor should-,put on stilts:in order to reach tho 1 Shakespearean heights.: I maintain that;' on tho contrary,' ho author demands a moro natural, a. moro sincere, a moro human treat-ment-at the;hands of actors-;-lie.demands tho : most moderii treatment. Ho is-not : -of yesterday, or to-day; hci is of. tho j day after to-morrow. ~ Tho actor's own;humanity—that ; is,..tho all-important question. ; How far is ho to allow\ that.: to bo; infused with tho. character .lie... is called -upon ..to- represent? Certain it, is that, -whilst ~ tho : .actor's. selfsuppression is- amongst- - the ;.' mostucsscntial J®®* I .®?®-. P f . sUccosa in liis.art, so also his own individuality, his a word, his, ~it.ll-important. I mean, you cannot lmagiiio a characterless person ■ playing tho_great characters- of Shakespeare, lou say,;.'On, it doesn't matter.;' Shakespearo has taken caro; of all. that.', .'Yes,' I reply,;.;'but it-requires individuality- to inter-' pret.individuality.; power,; force, character, w;Wa«so tho; creatipho-'of; the' master brain? Nothing elso than individuality ; will make tho .humanity, of-theso characters''stand'out .sharp and clear..from the mass of grouped behind/it., After all, it. is so'/in literature. A good writer., always puts a -great, deal of himself into his .varied characters-- rfor, to be sure of this; you'cannot.guess, at human nature. , To mated a iiiark upon Jiteraturo of : ; your day,-or of - any' clay,' you can only writo from your own personal experience, .observation, or instinct! "and ,tho greatest of 1 theso is instinct. : for: instinct is tho knowledge supplied by heredity. 1 Somo men aro horn educated; some aro hot. : It is not less so'with tho actor. He cannot mako cockshies-,at humanity. Human naturo is, after all,;-, tho most, modern .thing wo know,'and. I supposo it is tho;most' ancient,'. too.\ But ono thing is certain—it'is never do. mode, never out of' fashion. Empires and principalities, nations and institutions lade away,, but humanity 'remains to-day exactly as it was, in all essentials, a liundrcd' thousand years ago—as it will' be a hundred thousand years heiice."'-

Amusing Incident. .Tho following is a true story told to me by a;friend who lias a cousin--in,' onoof our colonies' (writes a London . Tliis'mun, being .on'oho , of!: his raro, visits to- the nearest town;, after completing his business, visited tiio local; theatre,' and patronised that, part of the 'house known, as •'the gods," obtaining a' seat' iii tho front row. Ho had provided himself with refreshments before, entering, in the .form "of a bag of cakes and. a bottle of ! mineral water. As. tho, performance progressed lie consumed these,''and, becoming absorbed in a thrilling passage, was, absently toying with the empty bottlo on the ledge in front'of liiin, wlien ho allowed it to ( fall oVer' -'accidentally : 'Horror-stricken, he looked below, :yul was. just in time to see tho-.bottle., drop heavily on !to tho bald head of a 'ihan below,' who, not noticing wlienco'the attack-camo, jumped to the, conclusion that his neighbour was tho aggressor. Ho. seized tho bottle,., and hittho,other, mail smartly across tho- head' also. Our friend above had now seen- enough,' and hastily but quietly quitted the place; observing when .ho reached the . exit, two aiigry ■■■' struggling men, being ejected. Wino v. Water. ' Comyns-Carr,' the dramatist/has been '"per-; sonally -acquainted with somo. of tho most lfitoresting literary mimof the Victorian era'. Ho tells stories which .soem. to'-indicator that' there is a connection between poets and port, 1 On.'onoi. occasion: when: Henry Irving .called upon Tennyson, tho-poet said, "Irving, you' li.lto a glass of port, don't you?" "i'cs,l. do, '..said tho actor;., whereupon -Tennyson poured him put glass of port—and.finished tho bottle himself. ; In later, years tho samo littlo ceremony, was. ■ gono through up to, 'a certain point, but oil this occasion tho podt ! was, under tho doctor's restrictions, and Irving, in relating tho incident 'afterwards said, " rennvson took the glass, and I finished the bottle.,, Tho following morning tho poet asked Trying how ho tfas, and-when-jio replied, "Very well," Tennysoii said, "Ah you drank a lot of port last night;" Browning also liked his port. "Ho onco ' told says.; Air. Carr,'-"a story .about his . rather, >vho also loved nort-. lirowning's father, seeing tho poet drinking a /glass of watoiy turned to him and said, 'Water Robert, for washing purposes I belicvo is useful. I<or navigable canals I am told it is indispensable. But for drinking, Robort God novcr intended it,'" \ Doing—Cone! A young actor who was—even: for an actora little proud of his imaginary. genius - had, been engaged for a week by the manager of a touring company, in order that ho might be given a ohanco to - prove his claims to being "a popular favourite." On tho first' night,, howover, ho went through his performance with scarcely a sound of applauso, and on .tho sccond night his success was, if anything scantier still. On tho third night, howevor, at tho conclusion of his great sconej a compassionate spectator at the back of the

pit applauded in a chastened manner. As tho young man swaggered Off %). Stage ..lie' met tho manager at tho wings.* - -Pointing'to tho direction of tlie apjilauVej-lie "said gleefully: "I say', by Jove., old fellow, I do go, qo" t I?" "Yes," replied the manager: with a sad smile. "Yes, my boy, you do. On Saturday." " Honour for a Spanish Actor. Tho official Madrid ' li Gazett;o"" ann6unces that it has pleased King : Alfonso'to I 'confer upon Ijernando Mondoza'j" Spain's' foreiftost actor tho titles of Coinifc' V;i 1 azote;" quis of I'ontanar. This- r is j thc- first timo in the history of the Peninsula' : 'that"": a member of tho Spanish stage has., be'chi raised to the rank of a Spanish grandee, and it is" a significant sign of the times- .that' 1 tlio announce-" ment of tho distinction' conferred' for- artistic lr.ent alono has evoked "iltt protect, 'ahcl 'cvt'n caused littlo astonishment' aniong, tile'proud Spanish aristocracy." Spanish- grandees havo seats in .tho House of "Peers and are addressed as "your exce]lchcy."-'"""'His "excellency tho new count Ktia. marquis,";docs; 'hot intend, it appears, to say l fai;ewell to'his profession Ho proposes "to undertake a tour through the .United States..' A rcal livo Span-, ish grandee on the btage".'is. a spccthcle that has never been seen before.:''; 1 !'/,", An Early Debut.' • ■ •-.-.j ''.;/ Maud Adams, the famous . American 'ac-. tress, is ono of those who ai'o, so \to "speak', born on . tho stage. • _Het; real riamoj, by'the i W c a^" H'? no ' i P ar ticularly duphocious one of Kiskadden, and her father was. at tho g™? born, engageel 'in business in v oalt Lake City, where tho Mormons coine trom. But- her mother,. acting under-, her maiden nanio of Adams, -which her daughter" afterwards adopted, was. tho..leading character, actress m the local stock company: Maud mado hor. debut at the' maturo-ago of- nine months, in a play called '.'The Lost' Child." But it was an entirely impromptu .'appearanco. ■•- ■■ '• ■. • It appoars that one .evening she was tin a particularly cross humour,/being in tho, midst of the delights of the teething process, and when her mother startod.'fof the, thcatro'-'pro-tested violently and refused to ,be comforted. In dosperation Mrs. Kiskadden told the nurso to bring tho baby along, and wait in - tho dressing-room at tho theatre.As- it : . happened,' just before.tho: curtain : ,yrenti.",'up..the youthful Thespian, who. was past.,for, the title' role, -was suddenly seized with' a,fit-of, colic, and yelled so.-loudly, andv otherwise' demoiistrated her,ability to.play'.lier part just .therij that the manager was',in.despair. ,He began to fear that .','Tho Lost Child'.' ;would.havo to ~'bo. played like "Hamlet,' with the Priiics of .Denmark.left out. And'then his' eye. fell/upon tho now tranquil Maud,and' hardly: waiting to ask her. mother's permission, , ho .toroitbo baby, out of'the nurse's arms, , and' popped'her. oil a tray.. .Thus did she make'her.-debut. - Off the stage Miss Adams'if "very, reserved, and pays very litttlo att.entionltp-thp outside world, j Except for the .society- of, three or four friends /of. her girlhood sho.. lives a' life quite .apart. It is only/ on rare,occasions, that sho will go out to dinner evenV at the'liouse. of an old acquaintance, hnd eon-: dition that no pther ( gucstfi'arotojbe present. When /she is\not 'actijig,.,shel''v6ry'/seld6ni ;■ thinks: of entering a thehtrqV': Slio is an' in r satiable 'reader, and lias for some years been deeply engrossed in .the,-study^.'of .French'. 7Ai ,tliq same .time she is s6tnethmg , of ~'ari, "put 'door.girl." ..Sho loyes rldjtig' aiid long/'WalkS'," and is great on rgom. .When sho .was'buildiiig.lier'cou'n'try homo. in. Long, 'Island! 'she' had: tho /entire ground floor made into/a/singlo/huge'ropni, so. that fresh . air might- sweep through in every direction., ,/. !, '.'.'-'A "'' ; "r.

Tho New York opera Season... „ ; , ' , The Opora season was in full svring in NewYork during the first:'week of: December.At; tho Metropolitan Opera- House "Dor Thiegendor Hollander I'—1'— had been produced , With Van Rooy,. Knoto; / Bass and l AVippel in the cast. /This was ; 'f.pllowe'd by "Aida," with Gaski, Kirkby./jLunn,', Caruso,. Blass, and Muhlmann taking"tie song- parts. Then ca'niq ."La Boheme!'.- with/ Sombrich and Boiici,"'. Mascagni's; noiy'i^lrisj. I ,'. /with, Erma Eames,,Le Fornia, Catu,so/an'd:,Scqtti, in the cast; "Mefistofero," "with /Chaleipine, and "Lohengrin. I '. ...-At . the/;Manhattan'^V.Opera: Hribso' , -.tKer6'Vd';bi^:^d4\i<^.i'- , .cl , Hoffniann, > '!..'''^Wis^ Bresslcir-Gianoli in tho part'of "La Gibcondo.!'' Miss. Mary Garden..is;, bu'siness' by acting: as agent, for pf the Opera' Cpmiquo, and jS;t--Jiaviiig/; auditions, noarly : every .day . at' which .future''"divas ifaro' heard'- and approved Jot" sian impresarios! are eyidontK'. impressed fwith' the idea that thero is kolmotliirig to' be'mado out of American voices';/, , : G. 13. /Shaw's much'-discussed " unsavoury • play;-. "Mrs. Warren's;.'Professioh7'' was performed in -Dccember//at Imperial Theatre, : St. li'eing playwl-by the leading/company of. actbrs.'in/that citv. Mrs.' Warren nyas enacted''by!', Madini&'y; Sayih'a I .', Press criticisms-reveal : t fayourablp, reception ,of the play./ -The' "TRuss," 'for inV stance, says: "In, England Mn , \Sha'w ,, is, : ,aii; enfant terrible;;hero 'ho/is'bbiisiderSl, solely as an author to > whom','/adyinced 'ideas aro, not' altoget)ier ;:oreign.'' -' AVo' : consider; . the play a moderato' one, ! tremo.of .the drama.-"„V'/a/

/ Mrs. D'Oyly Carto has 'arranged;'with Mi 1 : Rutland Barriiigton .to'.' -; in "Tho Mikado," when that piece a't tho Savoy at the April.next.- It.is probablo;that' a regular-series of> revivals.,will follow, including . "Thoi'i .Yeomen! '■~pf,„,'.tlid Guard,". "The Gondoliers,,'/..etp:; a,ntl; that somp of tho parts will be in.the hands of. the original players. Mr. W'. H. Denny,, for' 111Etanco, who is on' tour/in-the , in : "Tlio;Hypocrites," may,,.bo. seen.,in. .somp* of liis' old parts;: !. -.a;'... ..■:'^^! "The Merry : Widow"/wn^ /i the_ comic opera hit'of 1007.; It, has ai'.-Valta.-thaf-isii^iris : tho world 'tune-crazy. i-

: Tlio now comic i^ouhdfid.-,on,,Gg.q'rgp Bernard Shaw's "Arms ;and ,tho., Maii,";„tlic 'music 'qf which has beeii composed^by' Oscar Strauss, it is anno, the'-,Gcribari papers, will bo first .in'oVio!HW.,lllid composer is. not related, ,to, the ;better r known Richard Strauss, wlioso;'. setting of ; Wilde's ''Salome" has rious continental cities,..lias'.', achieved' much popularity- in . Austria A and.., (Germany with a lighter kind of music,, and; his. new '■'Droam Valso" .is now-, the. "rage -■ Soutli of Gernnm , , ;Tho name of Miss Eosv .Barton, appears ill tho cast of "The Night qf..tho, l'arty,": tho 20715t performance of. 1 which' was; given, at tho Apollo Theatre, 1 London, on December. , 16.": Mr.. Wecdon Grossmitli is tho star actor of tho successful cisl&etljrv>■ % Notes. , •"" l:; • ' : Bransby Williams played' ari'' • execllcnS'. pactical joko during a 'rCceHt.vqyjgo Lusitama. Ono of the",speakers at ,thb;'concert held on board.proposed that the ,sTokers' should not bo forgotten.','. 'Prp'cii'ririg soino, stokers', clotbos, . WilliiYiis"vspefeflily"'made. up, and walked /. into, tho' drawing-room among tho, first-class.< saloon" evening dross brigade, and had a. .very, 'hearty receptidri,' tho brilliant company '.taking'.'Brdnsljjr fbr.'a; real occupant of tlio stoke-iliolo.;; Ho'-mado a' speech as an Irishman^and;' {Key .rcsjwhftcs. to it ; with a, subscription 'amounting'.'i'o '120. dollars for. tho. stokers.':. 1 . Th6;. : daring impersonator, boing peremptorily r-ordcred-be-low by tho. purser, and officers, iiad'to diecloso' his identity amid surpriSd'alClittghtepi'Olio New .York paper had a big hea<lliues , ' , 'dfEccrs li'aolcd by Bransby .AVilliams.'-' .". 5 Competitions ; aro tho ;,crazo', of:, tliq and ::tho latest, suggested, by ', Arthur tiol-.'-Jins, in which iliQ children'of I*6n9oti'iiro-'in* vited, free of. charge, ;,tir.,try";tlV6ii i .'"Sj<ill' , ih' copying coloured drawings of tho Drury Lan.o pantomiino, "Tho,Babes in tho Wood," lias "caught on.' 1 ; Tlio pai)it-boxes and' models which form tlio latest;'"anriaa] '.gift-of Jlio' theatro will,, if properly ..used, 'lead; ty'morp boxes, tho. • successful Z'compositors''' Bbing' awarded a privato box'kt DfurvyLane'Thtatro, iaiid many other boxes or sweots and ohocolatos, selcctod in.Faris by Harry Frag-, son.

•The new knight—Sir 'wont to tell a Glasgow story r , Whicli.liad flavour' of the .'.'bang-wont-saxpfneo I '. liatiiro.Tho great actor, on 0110 visit", to - Glasgow, l raised tho pit price from ono'shilling fo two shillings; One of tlio natives aim his wife had, .without consulting tho list nf .prices, decided to visit'; tho; ; theatre! Ait 'tho pay-box, when. tho : ;.increaso'j was. iiiti-; mated, tho husband economically sent his wife home, and. expanded the two shillings on.a seat for himself. •••'