MISS MARGARET ANGLIN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 241, 4 July 1908, Page 11

MISS MARGARET ANGLIN.

Miss Margaret Anglin, the famous and beautiful American actress who is now visiting Australia, and who is to come to New Zealand.at the end of her Australian season, very favourable impression on the minds of the ten pressmen who were waitiDg to interview her when her boat arrived, at Brisbane. ' Miss Anglin, who is slightly above middlo height (says the writer), has a strong, expressive' face, and large hazel eyes, a mass of golden brown hair completing the picture of . - typical American beauty.- She . has a charming personality, and '' a ; keen sense of humour, probably inherited from her father, who was of Irish descent. Simplicity and. a ready interest in her immediate surroundings are also characteristic qualities.' THE'NEW PLAYS. . Asked about her repertoire, Miss Anglin -said: "Mr. Wil--liomson has arranged for mo to . make my Australian debut in' Sydney in Henri Bernstein's famous play 'The Thief.' It is intensely dramatic, and, in my opinion', : is a flawless piece of stagecraft. Following this, ' Ihe Awakenin? of Helena ltitchie' will bo produced. This' is an adaptation of Mrs.. Salmon's ' novel, and and has created a sensation in America, where I hold entiro dramatic rights for it. I first produced it at the Adelphi Theatre, Philadelphia, 'last February, and on' my Teturn to the United .States I shall take it into New York. I am gratified to hear that the famo. of "the novel has already preceded us to Australia. ;Its many readers will recognise its ;brilliant characterisation. Tho play will bo presented in the quaint costumes, of/ the period in which , the story is - laid—tho early sixties. ■ ' ' "I have brought with me several other plays; notably ' Zira,' 'Tho Truth,' 'Frou Frou;' and-' Tho Adventure of Lady Ursula '; and it is my hope to appear, if there is time, as the heroine of one of Shakespeare's comedies."

"THE DAY OF DYNAMIC DRAMA." !

Miss Anglin spoke entertainingly of tbo present-day theatrical conditions of Now York. " Although the recent financial depression .in America might have been calculated to' affect managerial activity, it is ; a fact that the recent season that closed with the advent of summer, has seen somo of the most successful productions of many years. Long l runs have become the fashion again. "One curious feature of the last year or two has been the almost total eclipse of melodrama. The public demand has been accurately gauged by managers in tho production of a higher class of drama. ' Other features havo been tho smaller casts, and tho suppression of extraneous interests.- If I might bo permitted to coin a phrase, this is tho day of ' dynamic drama".' Even on-the lyric stage, tho American managers - have recognised that the public demand a. more consistent.stow than formerly. I might cito Tho' Merry Widow,' 'The Red-Mill,' and Mile; Modest,' as' examples. ■ "Stars in America are beginning.to recognise the essential value of strong personal identities in ther support/. For myself, I was delighted when Mr, Williamson told mo lie had been able to arrange to' include Mr. Georgo Titheridgo .in my company. He has already been associated with mo in America, and I consider it a high tribute to the artistic judgment of tho Australians that they were among tho first to recognise his exceptional gifts. ' • ■ _ . ' . " Accompanying mo is Mr. Henry Kolker, whose artistic roputo in the TJnited States is very high. In 'The Thief/ lie will,appear as tho husband, tho role which in London was sustained by Mr. George Alexander, and in Now York by Mr. Kyrle Bellow. We have had rehearsals on the steamer, and in Honolulu, to sacrifice tho-shining hours; we borrowed tho stage of the local opera-house, and ran through our scenes,"