THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 277, 15 August 1908, Page 12

THE THEATRE.

"The world's a theatre, the earth a stage. Heywood.

BT Stlvidb,

Humpty Dumpty. Iho long and arduous task of preparing a pantomimo is something that only thoso connected with such a production can 'realise. Jho collect ion of material is in itself an undertaking few aro in a position to appre"Humpty Du "»Pty." tho pantomimo Wellington theatre-goers aro to witness on Monday evening, was gathered from all parts of tho theatrical world and tho still laiger portions of tho globo as represented by commerce. Mr. J. C. Williamson mado a tour of England, tho Continents of Europe, and America in search of pantomime ingredients, and the result of his quest finally camo into the hands of Mr. Gerard Coventry. Tho "book"- Mr. Williamson purchased from Mr.--Hickory Wood, from whom a year before ho had bought "Mother Goose." This I--u Was i 111010 than a framework upon which to hang comedy, and give scope to tile creativo imagination of the scenic artist. In London, Mr. Williamson was fortunate m catching Mr. Bert Gilbert on tho nop. Ho mot him just as ho was on his "n? .negotiate , f or a p r j no ip a ] ro j o j n lom Jones," which was then going into rehearsal. Ho mado Mr. Gilbert an offer of an Australasian tour, which was accepted. . Mr. Williamson secured several novel ideas, and the wheel of life effect, for which the inventor got a handsome cheguc. Ihe - welding of tho features into a single production was tho work of months. It is a specially important factor in pantomime that the stage must always bo animated. I here must be something doing. Tho eyo has to' bo pleased, the ear tickled, and tliero piust bo "laughter no end." To accomplish these desiderata called for ingenuity that jvould have set back a less experienced resourceful producer than Mr. Coventry. He took hold of the material, and within ten weeks of tho time that he had worked out his plans, "Humpty Dumpty" was going through rehearsals, getting the rough edges cut away, and gradually talcing shape. There was activity in every there pro many departments in a theatre. The paint room—a great, bare, draughty place, with frames on the walls whereon the scenes aro I] r V I1 t c d; tho property rijom, where tho modelling of all kinds of quaint things progresses; tho room where tlie ballet mistress schools tho dancing corps j tho wardrobe mistress, whore the brilliant costumes aro made; tho room wliero tho songs aro tried over; tho hall—generally outsido tho theatre—wliero tho orchestra is licked in trim. Tliero aro one hundred and two departments and sub-departmonts. From a jumble of grey aobscurity and formless groupings, "Humpty Dumpty" soon emerged into gay coherent lifo, and finally burst upon tho gazo of Uie public. To quote tho Melbouino "Argus," it proved "an amazing succession

of; appealing artistic pictures, a wonderful union of illusions graced by colour harmony bovies of charming damsels lavishly cos- . turned, wonderfully clever little people guaintly earnest in their business, tuneful incidental music, and, above all, a "book' lar abovo the average." The Melbourne season was of threo months' duration, and $o Sydney season the same, to a business that eclipsed that a "Mother Goose."

" Tho Thundorbolt." Y' ,- p ' noro ca,ls his latest play ine .thunderbolt," and describes it as "an episode, in four acts, in tho history of a provincial family." The "Bra" describes tho play _ as a study of middle-class life in tho provinces, and goes on to say:—"lts motive is the mean contempt felt by the wholesale trader for the potty shopkeeper, and Mr. Pinoro manages to use the oft-ridiculed, but indestructible, prejudico as tho mainspring of what might well have developed into a tragedy. 'I'lio result is a play which is deeply interesting from beginning to end, entircly unconventional in its eliaractcrs and its treatment, and worthy to take rank with thoso modern examples of French art which come within tho pale of 'literature.' 'Tho Thunderbolt' is certainly ono of Mr. Pinero's most honourable, creditable, and admirable' contributions to the English drama. "It opens in a most original way, on a complotely-filled stago. The drawing-roorii of thohouso of tho late Mr. Mortimore, in the Midland town of Linehpool, is occupied by his brothers and sisters, and their wives. Thero is James Mortimore, a strong, rough, and rather brutal builder; there is Stephen, the diy, cdd-looking editor of one of tho local papers; there is Colonel Tenting, a retired colonel, a puffy, pretentious, and genteel humbug, who has married tho pretty sister, Rose Mortimore; and thero is Thaddeus, a musician, whoso wife, Phyllis, was tho daughter of a Linehpool grocer in a small way of business. All theso peoplo arc moro or less in want of money, and when tho wealthy Mortimore dies, apparently intestate, they are eager to divide his property among them. The mystery is, how did Mortimoro como to dio without making a will? lie detested bis family, and his affection Was given to his illegitimate daughter, Helon Thornhill, a girl of spirit and intelligence, who has boon studying painting -at Julien'a, in Paris. Slio arrives just after thoro lias been a warm discussion whether

sbo shall have a small share of the dead man's money, and great is the relief of the prospective heirs when she declines to accept any assistance from them. Finally it is arranged that every solicitor in tho kingdom shall bo circularised, in tho hope of finding one who may have drawn ftp tho last testament of tho deceased.

" Miss Thornhill stays with Tliaddeus, whoso wifo has, since the death, been strangely unhinged. She helped to nurse the late Mortimore through tho last stage, and since then has been subject to insomnia. In the end slio confesses to Tliaddeus that sho got possession by accident of Mortimore's will, toro it lip, and throw pieces into tho river which runs through tho town. Tho affectionato and simple-minded Tliaddeus only thinks of saving his wifo from suffering and disgrace, and ho goes to the family and states that he stolo and destroyed tho document. But under tho severo cross-examination to which lie is subjected by James Mortimoro and two solicitors, Tliaddous's story breaks down, and lie leaves tho room distracted, all his hearers being convinced that his wife commitod tho felony. "As the situation now stands, Holen Thornhill, to whom the wholo of tho property " was left in the destroyed will, is likely to como into possession of tho great wealth of the testator; but tliero is tho difficulty that it will bo impossible for her to prove her claim without subjecting Phyllis Mortimoro to trial, conviction, and a scntenco of imprisonment. Helen refuses to do this, and matters are at a dead-lock. Then the rugged, brutal builder comes to tho rescue. Ho tolls the girl that _ both ho and his brother Stephen aro struggling men, who, in tho expectation of their inheritances, have incurred ruinous liabilities. Supposing the brethren agree to admit her right to the property, what will she do? "Will she 'share and share' alike wit hthemp Helen agrees to this proposal, with certain qualifications. And so it is settled. Tliaddeus and his wife aro spared tho ignominy of a public trial; the craving brethren aro placed beyond the reach of want in old ago; and Helen, with whom a young curate has fallen in love in her supposed poverty, has quite enough to justify her in marrying him, even without tho Twickenham living with which ho hopes to bo presented." In the original production tho casto was as follows: —James Mortimoro, Mr. Louis Calvert; Ann, Miss Kate Bishop; Stephen Mortimore, Mr. Norinan Forbes; Louisa, Miss Alice Beet;' Thaddous' Mortimore, Mr. Geo. Alexander; Col. Pontine;, Mr. Wilfred Draycott; Helen Thornhill, Mis 3 Stella Campbell; lloso, Miss May Palfrey.

G.B.S. on the Continent. An article in "La Sooiote Nouvello" upon "La Carriero do Bernard Shaw," by.Mr. Archibald Henderson, contains 110 specially striking criticism, and nothing, I think, about Mr. Shaw's life which has not already been said in othor articles in English magazines. But it docs contain some interesting details showing how much attention Mr. Shaw lias excited in Europe. In 1902 threo of his best known picces were translated by' Herr Subitsch, a Viennese dramatist; Dr. Gcorg Brandos welcomed him on the Continental stago as the most audacious of living English dramatists; • and Hermann Bahn, the Viennese critic and dramatist, paid him high compliment. In the spring of 1903 "The Man of Destiny" and "Candida" were played in the Neues Theater, Berlin, with a picked compaliy; while "The Devil's Disciple" was staged at the Baimund Theater, Vienna. The ncamo the aetiiig of "Candida" in the Voiles Theater, Vienna: "Arms and the Man " in the Dcutsches Theater, Berlin, and in the Josefstadt Theater, Vienna; and "The Devil's Disciple," "The Man of Destiny," "You Never Can Tell," and "Caesar and Cleopatra" in tho best Berlin theatres. "Arms and tho Man " has also been played ill Copenhagen, and " The Devil's Disciplo " in Buda-Pesth, in each caso with tho greatest success. But, as everyone knows, it is only very recently that Mr. Shaw has been played in French,. before French audiences.

Carrie Moore and tho Income Tax. The comedy of Carrie Moore and tho income tax had another act added to it recently, when tho department issued a distress warrant against her for tho recovery of the judgment given a few days previously. Miss Moore, hard at work on rehearsing "The Dairymaids," had therefore to interview policemen, who waited for hours "on the mat" at Her Majesty's Theatre and bogged her to pay up. But that was just what Miss Moore had dono three days previously per typical Government office did not receive for threo days, owing to there being " no attendance " wlten tho lottor carrier eamo round. Tin's last phases of the joko woro reached, when a member questioned tho Treasurer 011 tho inattef in tho Legislative Assembly, and received tho assurance that "something would be done." Thorc aro more ways than one of advertising a popular actress.

Mass on the Stage. In "A Woman of tho West," a play written by tho Rev, L. J, Vaughan, a Roman 1 Catholic priest, and produced recently at tho Bush Temple Theatre, Chicago, the scone of the second act represented the interior of a Catholic Church, and an actor in priestly garb, with an acolyte assistant, performed tho offices of the Mass. On being 'interviewed, Father Vaughan said:—"The celobration of Mass is stopped before tho consecration of tho Host. It is simply a picture, a living painting, and'should offend no one any more than a representation of tho same thing in water colours or oils. The subject is handled reverently both by tlio matter of tho play and in the acting. I hope it will load people to think rather than to criticise." ,Tlio character of tho pribst in the play was represented by a nephew of Father Vaughan. Notes. 'The Julius Knight-Ola Humphrey Company is en route from. Launceston to Melbourne to-day, Tho futuro itinerary is as followsGeelong, August 17 and IS; Bendigo, August 19, 20, and 21; Ballarat, live nights from August 22; Adelaide for three weeks commencing August 29. After Adelaide tho Company proceeds to Western Australia, returning to His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, on October 31 (for the Cup season), when a now play, entitled "Tho Flag Lieutenant," will bo produced. It is rumoured that the costume play "Beau Brocade" has also been secured for this Company. The Herbert Flemming Company produced "Simple Simon" (by Mr, Murray Carson and JS T ora Keith) in Adolaido on August 3. The play ran 80 nights _at the Garrick Theatro in London, which indicates that it was a very fair success, but it is said to bo even better than may bo estimated on its run in" "tho hub." Briefly, tho plot is as follows:— Gladys is induced by her mother, Lady Caroline Gwyn-Stanley; tb break off a sort of tentative engagement with Captain Villiers, a weak drifter in the army, and proviso to marry_ Simon Straiigo, a financial magnate, who is known in tho city as Juggernaut, because he could ride rough-shod over everybody and everything, to marry him. Gladys, to be helpful to her old pal Villiors,;' who has to go abroad, is guilty of some harmless litjlo lies, and -81111011 Strange takes her away 011 the honeymoon only to toll her on the return home that lie knew of her deceit, that he had paid the price demanded, and had tho greatest contempt for his wifo. Gladys, who. had had a painful interview with the vacillating Villiors, had learned to love her husband, and in the third act sho was ablo to prove what a cad he was. After great anxiety, as to the floating and underwriting of loans the Juggernaut comes out on top in tlio money market, and by reason of a generous, fine-spirited wifo lie was ablo to participate in a happy reconciliation in tlio last act. The pieco was beautifully staged, capitaaly cast, and played in a manner which impressed one 'intensely for a first performance. High praise was best-owed on that excellent actress Miss Beatrice Day for her acting as Gladys. Miss Margaret Anglin appeared in Sydney in Clydo Fitch's successful play "The Truth" 011 Saturday last, which seems to indicate that "Zira" (tho dramatisation of Wilkie Collins's "Now Magdelon") was not so favourably received as "Tho Thief." Miss Anglin's season in Melbourno begins on August 22.

The ruins of the ancient kirk of Kinkell, Aberdeenshire, of which thero is only ono wall now standing, but still bearing some curious sculptured pictures, are to bo taken .over by H.M, I3oard of Works for preservation. .