THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 306, 19 September 1908, Page 12

THE THEATRE.

■ "The world's a theatre, the earth a stage, i Heywood. Br Sylvius. Bland Holt Once More. Tho Bland Holt Company, headed by the Bland Holts, commenced a tour of New Zealand in Auckland on September 9, and will in due course renew a warm acquaintance with Wellington theatregoers. The season opened with a drama entitled "Tho Great Millionaire," said to bo a play above tho ordinary melodramatic typo, and well suited to the average theatregoer who. likes his sensationalism tempered by some degreo of art, histrionic, mochanical, and scenical. That Mr. Holt recognises that lie has friends in plenty in this country is evidenced in tho opening advertisement, a portion of. which reads: — "To Friends in Maorilaud. —Eight years ago wo regretfully bade you 'good-bye.' That we have not returned sooner is not duo to tho fact that we would not, but that we could not come. Through thoso eight long years wo havo cherished in our hearts tho many kindly memories with which wo departed, and treading the soil of dear old Maoriland, the feeling steals over us that it is well 'to be home again once more. In fact, we venture to hope that wo have been not quite forgotten by our friends—tho audience." Amongst old familiar names those of Miss Harrie Ireland, Mr. Arthur Syan, Mr. A. Harford, Mr. Max Maxwell, and Mr. Charles Brown stand out in tho memory of things Holtian, and it is noted that Sir. Christie Simonscns is still in charge "in front." Other members of the company are: —Miss Jennie Pollock, Miss Muriel Dale,, Miss Violet Caiitoy, and Mr. Godfrey Cass. " Tfic New Zealander." "The New. Zealander" is tho name of a new piece—described as a fantastic comedy— by Caroline Bruce Patten, which is to bo produced by William A. Brady in New York. Tho motive of it is said to have been derived from Macaulay's idea of the Antipodean surveying the ruins of London. " Our Rogimont." The Mountebank Dramatic Club, which burst upon tho public a few months ago in "Our Boys," and put up a very decent performance, has secured the Opera House for September 28, 29, and 30, when the bright military comedy "Our Regiment" will bo produced in aid of tho funds of tho Wellington branch of St. John Ambulance Association. Tho following cast has been arranged:—Mr. Dobbiii3on (a retired merchant), Mr. W. P. Bastinj .Mr. Ellaby (his friend), Dr. D. N. Isaacs; Captain Fo'therstono (Bth Lancers), Mr. Dunbar Sloane; Mr. Guy Warrencr (Bth Lancers), Mr. Frank Lampen; Eov. John Talbot (curate at Mudborough), Mr. Middlcton Scott; Batters (Dobbinson's servant), Mr. Horace Graves; Mrs. Dobbinson, Miss Evelyn Culverwell; Olive Dobbinson (hor daughter), Miss Kathleen Evenson; Enid Thurston (Mr. Dobbinson's nieco and ward), Miss Olive Moore; Aland Ellaby (EUaby's niece), Miss Lottie Ogborne. If tho club wishes to continue comedies with names in tho possessivo case they will still /havo material to draw upon in ' tho comody "Ours" and "Our Girls," both suitable pieces for amateur effort. Tho club doserves every consideration from the public in view of cho good cause it is serving in cheering up tho funds of well-intentioned institutions. Hard Times for Actors. Tragic stories of privation lio boliind a short announcement in "Tho Stage," which states that tho theatrical season cannot begin too early for actors, who have lately fallen on very anxious times (says the "Daily Express"). The present year has been a terrible ono for tho unknown nctor and actress. "I never remember such a bad season," Mr. Blackmoro, secretary of tho Actors' Union, said to an "Express" ropresontativo on July 2-1 last "It is always a diffioult and .trying timo between tho spring and autumn tours, but this summer has broken the record. It may bo that tho largo exhibitions have made a dilferonco in London and tho suburbs.. • In the provinces I thmk tho increased number of music-halls has gono a long way towards emptying tho theatres.- A serious oomplioation is to be found in tho competition of unpaid or premium-paying amateurs on the stage, which makes it so hard for professionals. _ Tho profession is very overcrowded as it is. "Tho cases of distress aro heartbreaking. A girl. camo to me tho other day—a elever girl—who is literally starving. She has been working with tho Church Army to keop herself alive. Numerous cases come under my notice of actors and actresses who havo signed contracts with managers, and cannot' afford to pay their fares to the place where the company is playing. Tho bogus manager is another danger. Ho takes out a company of peoplo, and if tho theatre is not wall filled at tho first place, goes off and leaves them in tho lurch. They havo no money to seek legal advice and obtain redress. Salaries, too, havo been greatly reduced of lato years, and any money that has been saved during working hours dwindles away during the 'resting' period in the summer. Wo have organised a small benevolent fund—pennies are put into the box during our meetings— and with this fund wo try to help tho cases of acute distress which como under our notice." Notes. It is an axiom that it takes tho theatrical expert five years to learn what the man iu tho. streot could teach him in five minutes.— "Daily Express," London. Tho chief requisites to make a play accepted by a manages arc, first, a taking title; secondly, it must treat of a popular or favourite subject; and, thirdly, be written in a 3tyle easily intelligible to tho common herd of playgoers.—"ll Mattino." It is hopeful news to learn that during the Melbourne season Margaret Anglin. (Miss is superfluous in her case —it will ho Anglin only later on) will appear in "The Taming of tho Shrew." Wo can only yearn that sho will includo tho Shakespearian comedy in her New Zealand repertoire. Apropos of Margaret Anglin, Franklin Matthews, ono of the American pressmen with the Fleet, quotes Modjeska, the famous tragedienne, as saying to him.ono day: "l saw Margaret Anglin last night. Sho made me cry. I ought to hato hor for it, but 1 don't; I lovo her." Mr. Myles Clifton, who is to play Grumio in the Margaret Anglin production of "The Taming of the Shrew," was a Shakespearean actor before he joined the musical comedy stage, and Grumio was one of his star parts. With the Herman Vozin Company, that excellent school of acting of ten and fifteen years ago, he played all tho Shakespearean comedy roles, including Launcelot Cobbo in "The Merchant of Venice," and Grumio. ; "Tho Scarlet Pimpernel" reached its 100 th performance .in Australasia at Adelaide last week. Life is not all "a game that's just begun" to the American actor, according to ono experience of Mr, G. S. Titheradge in Australia with Margaret Anglin. Ho was engaged during one of his visits to that country by a very well-known actor-manager whoso ideas on a fair day's work coincided with thoso of a slave driver. He began his rehearsals usually at about nine o'clock, went right through tho day with them, and only finished when tho house was about to bo opened for tho evening's, performance. The first day Mr., Titheradge went down to tho theatro ho waited in vain for tho luncheon adjournment, and when that interval seemed to bo never coming he calmly told tho star that ho was going out for some food. Tho star was smitten dumb by his temerity, and so woro tho company, who looked to see him "fixed" on tho spot. But Mr. Tithoradgo went out. The samo performance was repeated for a day or two afterwards, tho suppressed excitement each timo threatening to do something serious to his fellow-playors' equanimity. But the outcoino was a notice on the call-board establishing a luncheon interval, and tho company came up in a body to Mr. Tithoradgo to thank him for tho gallant stand ho had made. Thoy had never darod to do it for thomsolves.