THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 330, 17 October 1908, Page 12

THE THEATRE.

» "The world's a theatre, the earth a Btage."— Heywood. Bt Sylvius. Hall Gaine on Irving. N Writing of Irving in "M.A.P.," Hall Caine says:—"No man could sink a personality liko that of Henry Irving, and towards tho end of his life, with tho ever-increasing domination of his own character, and the limitation of choice which always comes with advancing years, it was only possiblo for him to play parts that contained something of himself. Ho was painfully conscious of. this for a considerable time, and, therefore, it was with brightening eyes that he brought to my room one day the typewritten copy of a play on the subject of Mohammed. 'It is not right,' he said, 'but it's the right subject. Seo if you can do it over again.' I spent months on 'Mohammed,' and think it was by much the best of my dramatic efforts, 'but immediately it was made known that Irving intended to put the prophet of Islam on tho stage, a protest came from tho Indian Moslems and tho office of the Lord Chamberlain intervened. _ This was a deep disappointment to Irving himself, for tho dusky son of the desert was a part that might have suited him to the ground, and to me it looked liko an overwhelming disaster, • slamming tho door on the efforts of years; but the story of this incident has been told by Bram Stoker, with such truth and such sympathy in his tender and affectionate memoir of our friend, that I hesitate to say more. I have produced many plays since then, but I have never again attempted to lit my subject to the personality of any actor, not oven in tho case of a personality so pronounccd as that of Mr. Tree, and I have never tried again to writo independent drama, being content with such chances as the material in my novels 'afford for treatraont in the art of tlie stage." Theatrical Rivalry. English translations of a popular Viennese drama, "Tho Devil" (mentioned in these columns a fortnight ago), ,havo precipitatcd_ an interesting dramatic war in New York at the opening of the season. Henry W. Savage, a manager connected with tho so-called Theatrical Trust, had announced the presentation of this play of Fereno Molnar's in the early fall. Harrison Grey Fiske, frankly antagonistic to tho trust, sprung a coup by giving a full production of tho sensational play after a public notico of 48 hours, offering a wellbalanced rendition with Georgo Arliss, the distinguished English actor, at tho head of the cast. Mr Fisko assembled his company and rehearsed them secretly in a small country town. Ho announced tho first performance of his play in tho newspapers of tho day preceding. Stirred by 1 sue lia masterstroke on the part of his rival, Mr. Savage assembled his company, hurried forth rehearsals, and in 36 hours gavo tho premiere of his production on tho same night as the Fisl;o production. Both companies are most capable. "Tho Devil" has had the best advertising ever given a new play in New York city. It is, however, a much over-rated play. It is talky and drags fearfully, were it not for its sensational dobut in New York it is doubtful if it would havo enjoyed a longer run than the majority of indifferent dramas. An American Comedle Francaisa. The founders of the New Theatre, now in course of erection on Central Park West, Now York, havo at last selected a director for their sumptuous playhouso in the person of Mr. Winthrop Amos, a well-known literary man_ of Boston, Mass. Mr. Ames will havo as literary associato, Mr. John Corbin, recently dramatic critic of the Now York "Sun," and as business associate, Mr. Lee Shubert, tho well-known theatrical manager. With tho appointment of this staff the policy of tho Now Theatre has been definitely outlined as follows: — ; " The theatre is to be devoted to the production of dramas —not musical comeaies, spectacles, or the like. But that its repertoire is to.consist mainly of 'classics'; that it is intended primarily for the amusement of a smairsocial sot; or that its plays are to bo mainly ' advanced,' ' faddish,'' and ' literary,' is as far as possiblo from the truth. The New Theatre will make its appeal, and depend for its success, upon the whole body of _ intelligent playgoers. It is hoped to make it as distinctly democratic and civic an institution as is tho Comcdio Francaise. Brisk, wholesome comedy, and popular drama will be as welcome to its stago as they are to the stage of that famous theatre. "While tho New Theatre will attempt to include in its repertoire the best work of modern English and Continental dramatists, ;a primary object, as becomes an American institution, will bp to foster and exploit American playwriting; and productions will be given each season to as many good original plays by American authors as it can secure. To this ond, a reading committee, composed of competent, broad-viewed and experienced men, is'to be formed, and every play submitted to tho theatre will hare a prompt and careful reading. " Another novelty in the conduct of the New Thoatro will bo that one evening a week (and perhaps one matinee also) its stage will be given over to a performance of the higher class of opera comiquo. Those operas will bo performed by tho singers and orchestra of tho Metropolitan Opera Company, and will be of the lighter typo, unsuited to the larger auditorium of the Metropolitan Opora House. "There will bo 'stars,' and stars of the first magnitude in its company, but the theatre is not to be conducted on a ' stir' basis. No performer will bo allowed to overshadow the others to a greater oxtcnt than personal ability, and the scope of : tho part assigned gives legitimate warrant. " Tho financial scheme adopted by the founders is as follows: a low annual rental is set upon tho land and building, and this the theatre will be required to earn in addition to its running expenses. But it will pay no profit. If funds accrue they are to bo devoted to the general development of the enterprise. In this way the founders hope to shield the thoatro from the temptation to sacrifice quality to financial profit; while, on tho other hand, tho fact tliat the enterprise must pay its own way should ensure it against ignoring public opinion." A New Barrie Play. Mr. J. M. Biirrio's new play, produced at the Duke of York's last month, and hailed by the critics as a great success, is entitled "What Every Woman Knows." What slio knows, according to Rarrie, is that men are merely big babies, who want women to look after theui. In this play, in pressing homo his subtlo lessons, ho is just as audacious and whimsical as ever, actually making fun —who will believe it?—of Scotland and Scotchmcu. His hero, John Shand, a railway porter with a dogged determination to build a career for himself, is a Scotchman, absolutely solf-opiniated, quite devoid of any sense of humour, and with_ a poor opinion of women. Ho prospers in the world, and becomes a member of Parliament. He is perfectly confident, of course, that his prosperity is duo to his own immense, unaided whereas tho truth is that it is due to his wife, a good, quiet, philosophical creature, who is quito content to remain in the background, and direct her big husband, while permitting him to flatter himself that ho is having his own way. Miss Hilda Trevelyan, whoso Wendy was' so charming, appears to havo achieved another pronounced success as tho wife, Maggie, and Mr. Gerald du Manner's performance as John Shand is also noteworthy. Jottings from London. Mr. Charles Vane, recently in Australia with Moyncll and Gunn, lias been engaged to play leading roles in. a tour of Mr. Bandmann's eastern circuit, in India and tho East. Miss Florence Hamer, also wellknown in Australia, will bo the leading lady, and tho now company will include Mr. Douglas Gordon, Miss Blanche Forsytho, Miss fismo Gordon, and Miss Sibyl Harcourt. Amongst tho plays will bo "Tho Flag Lieutennnt" (which Mr. J. C. Williamson has acquired for Australia), "Jlrs. Dot" (also secured for this part of tho world by Air. Herbert Flamming), "Jack Straw," "Tho Scarlet Pimpernel," and a number of farcical comedies. Two nlara in tho thoatrical profession uro to begin, management in London, One is

Mr. G. P. Huntloy, so well-known in Australia, whoso first venture in this direction will bo at tho Hicks Theatre, in a musical pjeco called "The Hon. Phil," written by himself, Mr. Herbert Clayton, Mr., Ralph Allison, and Mr. Harold Samuel. Tlio action passes in Franco, and all tho characters are foreigners, with the exception of the Hon. Phil, the part to bo represented by Mr. Huntley, ana that of his valet, a role to bo sustained by Mr. Horac<y Mills. Miss Eva Kelly, who in private lifo is Mrs. Huntley, is also a membor of tho company. Tho other enterprise is that undertaken by Miss Evelyn Millard, whose campaign at tho Garrick has begun with Mr. ' Roy .Horniman's adaptation of Mr. W. J. Locko's novel, "Idols," and she has been fortunato in securing a brilliant company,. among tho actors she has engaged being Messrs. Allan Aynesworth, Herbert Waring, C. W. Somerset, Alfred Brydone, and Charles Rook. Notes. The Julius Knight Company commenced a ten nights' season at Kalgoorlie on October 10. Tho company is due in Melbourne at Cup time. Mr. J. M. Campbell, of the Merrymakers, has commenced a tour of New Zealand with a completely now series of animated pictures, under the management of Messrs. J. and N. Tait. _ Mr. Campbell is one of tho best comedians seen in New Zealand for quite a' time, but tho public has been a little bit fed up with kinematograph pictures lately. Mr; Bert Royle will leave this morning for Auckland to take charge of the "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" Company, which commences its New Zealand tour there shortly. Mr. Charles Berkeley is the advance representative. Mr. R. Stewart is to leave the Bluff for Hobart and Melbourne on Monday with the "Humpty Dumpty" Company. It is not generally known that some years ago a Mr. L. 0. Armstrong, of Montreal, realising the wonderful possibilities of "Hiawatha" as a drama, had it translated into the Ojibway language and dramatised. It was first produced at Desbarats, in the heart of the_ Ojibway country, for the edification of Miss Alico Longfellow, tho poet's granddaughter. Then it was thrown open to the public, but the . place was too far away for the average tourist, and so for several years it has been played at Ya-Way-Ga-Mug, which in ordinary English means Pound Lake, noar Petosky, Michigan, where a large number of tourists seo it played overy year. * Henry Bernstein, the author of "Tho Thief," in which play Miss Margaret Anglin will be seen in New Zealand, has written another striking play entitled "Samson." The drama entitled "Tho Great Rescue," to be played by tho Bland Holt Company during tho last woek of tho Wellington season, uses as one of its chief incidonts the rescue of tho miner in the flooded mine in Western Australia of a couple of years ago. It will be remembered that olio of the inen bolow when tho mine becamo flooded was able to climb to a high and dry position, but the "leads" filled with water effectively blocking all prospect of escape. Ultimately, aftor great excitement,, ouo of the man's mates volunteered to get through the wator in a diving dress, and thus equipped he groped through the flooded "lead" successfully and conveyed food to tho famished man, who had all but given up > hope of a rescue being effected. This was managed oventually amidst great excitement, and tho rescuer waß hailed as a hero of tho doepest dye. The other great sensation will be a race between a motor car and an express train. _ From all accouuts "A Great Rescue" is as full of thrill as a politician is of promises.