THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 342, 31 October 1908, Page 12

THE THEATRE.

"The world's a theatre, the earth a stage."— Heywood. Br Sylvius. "Mrs. Wlggs of the Cabbage Patch." This ovening tho Wellington public who have or have not made the acquaintance in print of Mrs. Wiggs and her "human environments" in tho forms of Miss Hazy, tho bibulous Hiram Stubbins, the sneering Mrs. Eichorn, tho fat and frowsy Mrs. Schwartz, and dear littlo Lovoy Mary, will have the folicity of meeting them as nearly face to face as tho interior architecture of the Opera House will permit. Alice Hegan Rico's book had a wonderful run "in America, and is well known amongst local readers of fiction, who have placed it on tho same shelf as "David Harum," "Huckleberry Finn," and othor American books so cram full of highly-coloured character. Americans love a book in which every character is "extraordinary" in some way or othor, and of this type "Mrs. Wiggs" is one of the best, and I am looking forward with pleasure to this evoning's performance. "Diana of Dobson's." This play has been entrusted to Miss Tittel Brune, Mr. Thomas Kingston, and Co. for its production in these parts. The Now York "Evening Post" was not enthusiastic over the play. It said: —"The career of 'Diana of Dobson's' at the Savoy Theatre will be brief, as was pretty generally foreseen. It is to bo withdrawn at the end of next week. If more intelligence had been displayed in its production, it might _ have survived longer. Regarded as a play, it has very little to recommend it. The story is lacking in credibility and sympathetic quality, and is not very skilfully told. But tnere are potentialities of humour, pathos, passion, and satire in the central character, which were not even- suggested at the Savoy. The expression of them would demand histrionic faculties lying entirely beyond tho present artistic range of Miss Nilsson. Probaoly the management expected to make a sensation with the dormitory scene, which undoubtedly helped the play, when it was new. But bedroom scenes have been abundant since then, and whatever latent humour there ever was in the mysteries of back-hair and bustles long ago evaporated."

J. M. Barrio's Latest. It seems to be the pretty general opinion of tho London critics (says the London correspondent of the New York "Evening Post") that Mr. J. M. Barrie is seen at his best in his latest comedy, "What Every Woman Knows,", which has just made a great hit at the Duke of York's Theatre in London. In tho first act old Aleck Wylio and his threo sons sit up to catch a burglar, who turns out to be an ambitious young railroad porter, whose only object is to study the books which tho Wylios own but cannot themselves read. Thero is a family conclave, and finally it is agrood that the Wylies will help Shand, the porter, to complete his education at the University, on condition that ho will marry Maggio Wylie at the end of five years. _ Shand goes ahead amazingly, enters Parliament, and is soon recognised as a coming man._ But he redeems his ; pledge to Maggie, who is tho possessor of rare .humour —a quality of which he is entirely destitute—and 600n proves herself of inestimable value by putting the neoded spice of wit into his speeches.' When he is about to'become a : cabinet'• minister he falls in love with a fine lady, who responds to his passion, and little Maggie is temporarily neglected. But she leaves the lovers to, their own devices, and Shand soon discovers that in losing his. wife ho would, loso all. So a-perfect reconciliation,,ia effected between them,' and Maggie tells'.''hita the secret,'that every woman ..knows,' namely, that Eve was made, not out of Adamls rib, but his funny-bone. Mr. A. B. Walkloy, in concluding his review of the pieco, says:— "As will have been seen, it is throughout a true Barriers, delightful, fantastic Barrio. Indeed, it becomes, perhaps, as it progresses, a little too .fantastic, a-little too far'removed from the realities and possibilities of life, so far. as..the 'fable' goes. - But 'fable- is-not-Mr. Barrie's strong point. His strong point is genuine, lovable,.humorous character, and he certainly has given us 110 moro lovable oharacter than, that ; of the charming little woman who modestly supposes herself to bo without 'charm.' This beautiful little bit of humanity is most beautifully played by Miss Hilda Trovelyan, who was last night the darling, the acclaimed idol of a house excited to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. Next favourite to her was Mr. Gerald Du Maurier; delightfully natural as tho prosaic, downright, sham 'strong man,' while excellent work was done by Miss Lillah M'Carthy and Mrs. Tree as (more or less) 'great ladies,'" by Mr. Vibart, Mr. Valentine, and Mr. Gwenn as the three Wylies, and by Mr. Norman Forbes- as a pleasing (if quite impossible) Cabinet minister. In Days- of Old. The death of Mr. Herbert Flemming in Sydney is sure to induce a crop of reminiscences about tho "good old days" (in their theatrical sense) —tho days when acting was Acting, and there wero no such meretricious aids as those afforded by the modern scenic artist aud stage mechanician of to-day. In no profession have the salaries advanced so materially as they have in tho case of the actor. Tho player with the sis or eight-side part gets as much today on an average as did the "leads" of thirty years ago. Conceive what Dunedin must have been thirty years ago (in 1879), and yet in that year two companies, headed by big "stars," flayed against one another for three months in classical repertoires, and those "stars" wero Louise Pommeroy and the other Mr. D. H. Harkins, a fine American actor, who came to Australia "starring" in "The Colonel." Not only did the leads of these rival shows loom large histrionically in thoso days, but the personnel of their companies was such as to astonish thoso capable of judging of the capabilities of the players of thirty years ago. They were both playing with practically " all star " casts—but how theso people fared on salary day _ is another story. Playing with Miss Louise Pommeroy wero Mr. William Hoskins (to whose ability the late Sir Henry Irving paid tributo), Theo. Hamilton (an American actor who came out starring in "Tho Danites"), J. J. Wallace (another American star), William H. Leake (who "starred" in "My Partner"), Herbert Flemming (juvenile lead), William Holloway (heavies), Clias. Holloway (character heavies), J. J. Kennedy (first low comedy), John D. Foley (sccond low comedy), Nat Douglas (subsequently 0110 of tho bost "Silver Kings"). Then of ladies thero were—besides Miss Pommeroy—Mrs. Walter Hill, Miss Annie Mayor, Mrs. W. J. Holloway (Kate Arden), Kate Douglas, and Essie Jon jus. Of the male members of the company only W. and C. Holloway are now alive. Tho repertoire of this company consisted of the following plays (tho characters assumed by tho late Mr. Flemming aro given in parentheses)"Hamlot" (in which Miss Pommeroy played the Princo); "As You Like It" (Orlando), "Twelfth Night" (Sebastian), "pymbclino" (Tachimo), "Merchant of Venice" (Bassanio), "Winter's Talo" (Florizcl), "She Stoops to Conquer" (Young Marlowe), "Leah the Forsaken," "Romeo and Juliet" (Borneo), and "Tho Honeymoon." The company, headed by Mr. Harkins, was almost as strong. It included Harry Jewctt (now starring in America), who commenced his stage carcor with tho company, Arthur Elliott (who afterwards . married Miss Pommeroy), Lachlan M'Gowan, John Walsh, J. P. West, Stuart O'Brien, Harry Sefton, Gerald Dillon, Harry Saville, Frank Gerald, and Charles Berkeley. Tho ladies wero:—Miss Jennie Watt-Tanner, Mrs. Lnchlan M'Gowan, Miss Maggio Knight, and Miss Ethel Adelo. Tho reportoire of Harkins's Company consistod of "Virginius" (his star part), "Now Way to Pay Old Debts," "Hamlet," "Macbeth," "Merchant of Vonico," "Richard III," "The Colonel," "Othello," and "Richelieu." In those days the scenory had only advanced 0110 stago ahead of that of the "this-is-a-bouso" order. Grooves ran across what aro now the "flies" and "flats", and pushed out from each side until they met in the

middle, and it was quite possible, if the stage hands had beon tasting (as they were wout to do in those days), that one half would represent a chamber and the other a forost, a frequent contretemps that never affected actor or audience. The play was tho thing in those days, hard study and good' acting were an essential (as the bill was changed every week;, and they were playswhich had to bo played lett-erTperfect, as ■tho majority of the better class in the audience brought their Shakespeares, and followed tho play lino by line. What would tho modern actor say to that even, if it wero tho case in melodrama? There is a good deal to bo said for tho good old days in the theatrical sense, when serious stock is taken of the plays that now pass as tho best offoring, as compared with those listed above. Notes. Mr. R. B. Williams, of this city, who has just returned from England and America, visited some of the principal theatres in London. At the Quoen's Hall he hoard Mr. Henry Wood's famous orchestra, formerly conducted by Sir Joseph Barnby. It was a Wagner night, and Mr. Williams enjoyed hearing glorious music played by what is probably the best orchestra in London. At tho pretty little Savoy Theatre he witnessed a revival of "The Mikado," by a company of which the chorus was, in his opinion, porfect, but, as regards the principals, ho thought that he had seen better work done in the old Williamson Company.of fifteen years ago, when Miss Nellie Stewart and Mr. Howard Vernon had the leading parts.

Writes a member of the Julius Knight Company from Kalgoorlio:—"Poor old Chirton's death in Perth the other day upset us all shockingly. Ho was quite well when we arrived, and appeared as Brogard in "Tho Scarlet Pimpernel," on the first night, but was ill _in the night, and in an incredibly short time ho_ died—pleurisy, double pneumonia, bronchitis followed one another, but the absolute cause of death was paralysis of the heart. Chirton was one of the 'Chosen,' and both the Jewish and Masonic ceremonies were performed at the graveside, the latter being very impressive. Then we left him among the gorgeous wild flowers in the Karkatta Cemetery."

London theatres appear to bo sheltering a series of revivals. Mr. Waller is appearing in a now vorsion of the 30-year-old play, "The Duke's Motto," Mr. Tree has revived "Faust,'' Mr. Martin Harvey is appearing in a revival of "Tho Corsican Brothers," and Hall Caino has written another stage version of "The Manxman" under the title of "Pete."

Two Australians figure prominently in the latest production of the drama "Faust," by Mr. Tree, in London. These are Miss Mario Lohr, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Lolir (Miss Kate Bishop), and Miss Madge Titheradge, daughter of Mr. Geo. Titheradge, the popular actor, who was so closely associated, with the happiest days of the lamented Brough-Boucicault Company. Mr. Lohr will be remembered best as an advance representative and business manager for. numerous companies—a quiet, mild-mannered man,, with a penchant for..fishing. He is now. hotelkeeping in Victoria. His talented daughter plays . Margaret, arid Miss Tithoradgo her friend Lisa in Mr. Tree's production.'

On Saturday last "Twelfth Night" was staged in Melbourne by the company headed by Miss Margaret Anglin, who, of course, played Viola charmingly. Mr. Geo. Titheradgo was Malvalio; Mr. S. A. Fitzgerald, Sir Toby Belch; Mr. Sydney Stirling; Sir Andrew Aguecheek; Mr. Cyril Mackay, Fabian; Miss Susie Vaughan, Maria;, Miss Alma Vaughan, Olivia; and Mr..Dion.Boucicault was the clown.

Mr. J. 0. Williamson has purchased Martin Harvey's play, "The Breed of the Treshams," from Mr. Herbert Fleming (now decoased).

William Anderson's Dramatic Company ; is playing "The Squatter' 6 Daughter" in Auckland. Wellington follows. : ''

Many t people will be interested to learn that Mr. Cornyns Carr has been persuaded to write his reminiscences. The book, which is to bo published in tho autumn by Duckworth, promises to bo of unusual interest. Mr. Comyns Carr is widely known both as an art critic and dramatist, and his recollections of litorary and theatrical society cover a great many years. He is one of the best of story tellers and after dinner speakers, in London, and he has known on intimate and easy terms a great many famous people, in whom the world is interested. This circumstance seoms likely to render his approaching book uncommonly ,lively and attractive. Mr. Carr wrote the stage versions,of: "Called Back," "Dark Days," "Boys Together," and is the author of "King Arthur," "Tristram and Iseult." Later, he wrote "The Mystery of Edwin Drood."