THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 241, 4 July 1908, Page 12

THE THEATRE.

• "The world's a theatre, the earth a stage."— Heywood. By Sylvius. "Tho Prlnco Chap." So much has been said and written of Mr. Harry Roberts and "Tho Prince Chap" (who will appear at tho Opera House this evening as one and tho sarao individual) that very little remains to ho said about either. What is interesting is that Mr. Roberts, who was rccogniscd na a remarkably clever actor before ho left Australasia, is said to have improved in his art, as tho result of the experience ho has gained in America and England. He camo back with a comedy-drama eminently suited to his attractivo personality, and surrounded by p. company of players' that have 'mndo good'' in wider places than New' Zealand. _ Among these aro Mr. Frank Lamb, who in impersonating a man servant, rejoices in tho name of Marcus Runion; Miss Mary Koogh, who has made an impression as Puckers, Miss .Tustina Wayne, little Vera Huggett, and Boryl Yates (tho latter three impersonate tho same character in different acts), Miss Vera Ramee, Miss Florence Redfern, and Mr. Arthur GJreenaway. Sneaking of Mr. Roberts's performance in "Tho ' Princo Chap," the "Otago Daily Times" said"Those who saw Mr. Roberts in the character of Peyton last ovening would bo at no loss to understand tho reason of his great success in tho part elsewhere. It was admirably played, and there were plenty of fins natural touches about it. Mr. Roberts has a fine' stage presence, an excellent delivery of what ho has to say, and is evidently an actor of high merit. His performance was free from exaggeration, and his acting was particularly effective in his scenes with little Claudia." '

MacMahon's Exquisite Pictures. Of course, they aro the great Pathe pictures that tho Messrs. MaeMahon aro going to. show us at tho Town Hall on Thursday evening next, but Patlio films aro certainly exquisite, standing for all that is best iii the world of cinematography, and these belong to the MaeMahon Bros. —hence " MacMahon's Exquisite Pictures.!' The cbarm of good cinematograph pictures has proved to bo a lasting one, ithnngh many of tho 'cutest in the show business imagined it would he as short-lived as ping-pnng, and thero is now n greater number of picture shows touring the colonies than of any other olnss of entertainment that needs the shelter of a theatre. The Mf.cMabon pictures Shown, during the Inst season in Wellington were exceptionally fine, and as the firm has since added tn it 3 folio of films arid secured a new animated picture lovers can anticipate a capital entertainment. It is tho intention of the management to dispense with tho. interval altogether, in favour of n continuous picture show. "Belle of Mayfalr." " Tho Bello of Mayfair," produoed at tho Theatre Royal, Molbourno, on Saturday,

June 20) to one of those fine and highly fashionablo audiences which throng the theatre to welcomo productions of the kind, has boon described as a modern version of "Romeo and Juliet.". It is in some sense, because, on looking at the playbill wo realiso at onco that Raymond stands for Romeo, Julia for Juliet, Meredith for Mercutio, Mount Highgato for Montagu, Chaldecott for Cauplet, and Comte do Perrier for Paris. If after that you have any doubt as to tho similarity of two great productions, you should see "The .Belle of Mayfair" and realise that it might bo a still closer copy of Shakespeare's immortal.love tragedy—and yet singularly unlike it. For one thing, it is not spoken in tho tongue that Shakespeare wrote, but in the strango dialect of Mayfair, which is becoming daily moro refined, even unto tho limit of complete mystification. Tlicro seoins to bo a sort of competition between the stago and society _in this respect, which is producing weird and irritating results; Each in turn goes one better than tho other in the mutilation of mouthmurdered words. In a littla whilo tho Philistine will find a course of lessons in Mayfair English indisponsablo _ as a preparation for tha proper appreciation of either musical comedy • or afternoon tea.—" Australasian." "Tha Th!sf." "The Thief," with which Margaret Anglin commonced hor Australian tour at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, last Saturday, is essentially, a modern play—modern in its environment, its characters, and ospecially modern in its treatment. One of tho now school of dramatists, and ono of tho most vigorous of that school, M. Henry Bernstein, is responsible' for tho play, which turns on the lengths to which lovo of fiiiery maylead.a woman, and that woman a wifo— passionately attached to her husband, who roturns her affection. It is, indeed, for him that she clothes herself in pretty dresses, and .when her allowance proves inadequate steals from hor host tho money wherewith to meet her bills. That host has a son who believes himself in lovo with tho young wifo, and when the former, finding that ho is being robbed, install a dotectivo in tho house, she, fearing discovery, hands over certain banknotes to her youthful adorer, who is accused of tho thoft. Thon, in a poworfu] scene, tho husband finds out tho truth._ Thenceforward to the denouement tho action of \the play grows in intensity. "Tho Sorvant In tha Houso." This is tho title .of what tho Amorican | Press is hailing as an epoch-making play., "Tho Sorvant in the Houso" (by Charles Rami Kennedy) is a worthy play, which, in tho opinion of a loading American theatrical paper, will stand this test of popularity in tho . oommorcial sense. It may not pleaso poople of vitiated, sonsual, and trivial tastes, continues our contemprorary, but its audiences will bo mado un from a wider range than might-bo supposed. It appeals to every senso of justico and propriety in tho conduct of lifo, and to the fooling for brotherhood among men, which is accepted in theory by every Amorican, and which morally and .logically should be practised. Ikia .nlay

roaches its results not only by faith alono, but by works. A certain picturesquenoss and various symbolisms aro involved in it, but its effectiveness is derived from tho substance of it, and not tho shadow.

An English vicar in London is expecting tho arrival of his elder brother, whom he has not seen for many years, and who, during his long absence and spiritual work in India, has becomo tho Bishop of Bonares. The thrco brothers have long been separated. Tho other brothor, older than tho vicar, has bofrionded him in his youth, but h»6 fallen into disroputablo habits through drink. At tho lowest point of his degradation, tho vicar had managed to have his brother's only child, a daughter, taken from him, and had adopted this girl without tho knowledge of tho father. Tho vicar's conscience reproves him bccauso of his noglcct of his brother, tho poor condition of his church, and the fruitlessnets of his work. His wife's brothor is 0110 of the great dignitaries of the church, tho Lord Bishop of Lancashire, a man whose worldliliess, liypocrisy, and venality aro well known to him. This is tho condition of affairs at tho bcginninc of the play.

A'new butler fiegina his services. Ho is an Oriental, picturesque in tho garb of India. Ho is in reality tho Bishop of Benares, who lias chosen this method of becoming acquainted with tho spiritual affairs of England and of tho household in which lie has a brotherly interest. Ho now becomes tho dominating influeiieo in tho play. His views of life are founded on the teachings of Christ, and he has a philosophy of the brotherhood of man that cannot bo shaken. Tho Bishop of Lancashire has been invitod to dine with tho Bishop of Benares, whose arrival is expected.. In tho meanwhile, the disreputable brother makes his apncarancc. Ho is disreputable in appearance, .a man of pliysioal powor, but in ovory way fallen in estate, ona certainly inbuod with no feeling of brotherhood. He is a cleaner of drains, and is to put in order tlio sewers that render the house of the vicar and tho church almost uninhabitable. He meets his daughter, neithor knowing tho other. She mistakos him for a burglar, and by her sweetness of spirit and gentleness of conduct toward him melts him and makes. reasonable their complete reconciliation and recognition later on. Tho vicar's conscience impels him to mnko known to the father tho identity of tho girl. Ho fools that ho has been responsible partly for his downfall, believes that there is something good in him,, and that ho should no longor rob. him of tho filial love to which ho is entitled. His wife, worldly minded, restrains him a while from this act of justice. One of the most effective scenes is where tho Bishop of Lancashire, soated at tho table with tho dis-reput&bls-looking brother, tho drain cleaner, 'mistakes him for tha vicar, and mistakes the butler for tho Bishop of Benares (which he really is, but as yet incognito). This Bishop of Bonares is known to be immensely wealthy, and tho Bishop of Lancashire unfolds' to- tho two men a Bchemo for_ elovating tho poor and establishing 'a society for the brotherhood of men out of which they could mnko millions. Tho Bishop of I/sncßshiro is old, sordid, and shrivelled in heart, conscience, and soul. Ho io nearly blind, and so deaf that when hp is not ongagod in his volublo prouunciamjmtoi re-

sorts to the ear trumpet. Tho : sordid Bishop's proposal is rejected. A change is ooming over the whole household by reason of tho influence of tho servant in tho house. Tho upshot is that tho vicar's wife sees tho sinful nature of hor brothor and no longer opposes, whilo ho is bid to depart. Fathor and daughter aro reunited; tho vicar is henceforth to dovoto his lifo to simplicity and practical work in tho elevation of mankind and the regeneration ,of tllo church; and tho Bishop of Benares beholds tho brotherhood of man re-established at least in his own household. Mr. Tyrono Power, who will bo remembered as Sidney Carton in "The Only Way," has made a big hit as Manson, tho draincleaner, and Mr. Charlos Dalton's Vicar is characterised as a groat piece of work. "Lovo Watches" is tho name of the English version of " L'Amour Veille," which will be produced by Charles Frohman in New York at the end. of August, with Miss Billio Burke in tho chief famalo character. Notes. Mr. Frank Thornton, who has toured New Zealand spasmodically for over twenty years, has opened in Dunedin in tho comedy, "When Nights were Bold," "Tho Privato Secretary," and. "Charley's Aunt," are Mr. Thornton's best-remembered characters. Ono curious point with audiences is that they very frequently like a thing without in tho least knowing why thoy do so. And yet. when they do not like a thing they have a reason ready to aocourit for tneir dislike. But audiences, liko critics, can ha very ox. asperating. Ono attempts, wo will say, in a musical picco, to bo artistic, and for that reason one leaves out a certain kind/ of song or scene which one thinks out of tho picture and commonplace. The public do not appreciate this fact, and ono frequently finds out too. late that tho public miss the very thing that one purposely left out in tha effort to be consistent and not commonplace. —Paul Rubons, interviewed.

While tho world at largo has gained by Charlos Dickens's devotion to literature, tho stngo' lost 0110 who, if ho had chosen to adopt it as his calling, would probably have beon tho greatest actor of his time. Noiio who had,the good fortune to seo tho plays in which' ho acted can forgot his mastery of stago techniquo. Nono who can remember his readings can forgot his vivid and lifelike powors of characterisation. Comedv and tragedy, • humour and pathos, cach came readily within his means. By his mastery of the actor's art, , terror, tears, and laughter were cpmpolled at his command, as by his pen ho' compelled them in his writings—John Hare, ,

. Tho " Aorangi," on her last voyago to Australia might indeed have been called a J. 0. Williamson, ship, for the representatives of four distinct companies under that managonnsnt were on board—Margaret Anglin, Mr. Kolker, and Miss Besseror, v,'lio are in support of her, tho Mrs.Wigga Com. pany complete, Mr. Johu Ford (the "Red Mill" Company), and Mr. Charles Waldron and his wife ("The Squaw Man" Company)*, The strong contingent _ of players mado tho very, most of their holiday on board.