THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 401, 9 January 1909, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

"The world's a theatre/the earth a stage."— Heywood. .. .' ~ . . . '■! (By Sylvius.) An Interview with Charles Frohman. "I /have seen two great plays in Paris," Mr. • Charles JFrohnian said/ to a London "Standard's" representative on Noveriiber 15, "Bernstein's 'Israel' and: the detective and gentleman-thief, play 'Arserie Lupip,' and 1 have secured them for tho Eng-lish-speaking world. This ; .fact has^-.already been-announced, but I'will now tell you why the two plays are great. Bernstein is the Sardou of to-day., as. far as the suspense is .concerned, and 1 think ho goes tho late great .dramatist, ono better; because he. builds his climaxes' .without builds n'aturallyV His dialogue- also is,'..natural arid true; /'The. cry to-day'is that ive 'have no -big : melodrairias, and thp-reason,* iii; my .' mind, is that/: the/builders 'bf melodrama ;.haye. not advanbed/with : the,- builders of. the; modern natufal,.plays,; If you emild get Bernstein to' w'rite ~'a melodrama', the. stage '. would' secure just , itjmt•; modern-'• touch "that -is required to [mako 'iuelbdrama/big.. at;, the present -.time; -

/;• "L;ast : year,'' wh.eii'-I; saw-Bernstein's 'Samv son'/iffi-Pafis', :X' -.predicted 'success '.for- it .in AmericaJ-aiid 'Samson' .is.a'success iri'America. 'l/rio'iY;: predict -a '-great success for/his ■latest- ; platyi' 'Israel;' riext'-season in America,; -because/as in his : other 'plays, 'Samson' .and : ' '.The;,.Thief,'..,;he:' attacks big subjects--and.' ■;.triiat's' them, in that way. A section of th'e press,attacks .a. Berristeiii scene, calling , it; ','yiolerit,' but all the- while its directness,: simplicity, reality, aiid strength carry it intothe hearts'of the public, and the plays; go on , ; .and ori/.'-making their ; triumphant way every-' •where. . Some of the, papers did. this,.when /'jSamsori.'* was produced, but it was a great 'success/'.'.' They .wilh .do. it to 'Israel,' aud:it •Vill succeed in.exactly the'same way, because 'at the/ back *of ; tihis so-calledv.'violence',''th6 .■ scene's are consistent. arid natural, and r t]iey, go home. ~ Mr.,-Will.ia.ih-:' Gillette; is ,a..natural' ■actor,'-, and -that. isi.why 'his success .in , ! .son' ranks with- his pther-.fine performances. Mr.' Arthur Bourcliier will do ; .th'e samo, because he : is a big human actor. . • '" Arsene :Lupin,' like . 'Sherlock Holmes,' has suspense, intrigue, and a cleyer.combat of -wits between a hunted, romantic :crimmal," and a 'h'unting,: famous detective, and it also ll'as, like:'Sherlock, Holmes,': a love "story—a •'rfeal .'love'*s't'ory//';A . thief who is.: fascinated. Iter clevprpess in aiidrTvUb'- talfßi 1 and success .as. a famous criminal',;''s'ud;-" denly v 'comes /lip "against .a love; adventure.: . Love steals ' into his heart, and from that moment it shares a place'there with.'his passion' for crime. . Through this combination; -Kis career is shaped, differently ,fros before. The/girl he'-lotes is a' thief,/ ; like 'himself.Love saves both of them,. and; in.- the! happiness of the couple and' their ' final ■ :escape the audience finds a double-reason for rejoicing;" ' .

Famous Dancor Dead. ' ,/~- , :/,;/ ■; Mmo. Katti Lanner died, at her residence, Glapham Common, London,.on November 15. ilme. Lanner was for many years ballet mis-„ tress, at/.the ..Empire ,Music Ha 11,,, and/wasi probably the most, successful teacher; of chil'dren : in." the; ;art. v pf) theatrical dancing v that, London has ever known. Jlmo. Lanner was born: itt Vienna in. 1831,' and was, the daugk-. ter of;-: Joseph. Eaiitier, the. famous composer: of valses: and ..founder,of modern, darice"'miL-; sic. ■ J She-iv'as. ; i» : pti]filpf/Canipiled, arid• peared, first at 'thftTimper iaL Opera ",at Vienna: iai.ithe'/age- bf-fourteeri'.-/ She 'was'.(brought! td/'Londpn , Colbiiel,. Mapleson, ..and' hor • first-Zappearancb : iii;;..the.;,ballet,. iii; ella," ,Shß. appointedr-ballbt ?mistress'.'at.>prury..'Lane 'in' 187o;-'candI in.-'-.the days';' of :;Sir.'i'Augustus' Harris i.iiivented-. 'the':''ballets;"' fMi'_his 'panto-' 1 Laim«^S»ttO'^fc'•''sucC&'^,'•lffld';)nore''^«in , a-" thousand 'of 'her..pupils',have 'j®wl iengagenients-iii''th6 chief - iand' America. t •-/-//-.:/ '/;/■ -v/'

:■ *''-';- L ' -,:f: • " ;.; ~ ■ ;i.- - v .- '11/ kire^succe^s/is. hiade'iiiShe; i iby. the !sheqr\,strbng,passipiinte abting.pri'.the: part . tress.- ,;Sucli;Yhow r bver,.has. .been, the fcase; at: the. (JarribkiTlieWrei -wlibre -Miss Edyfh'Bati-:,.' .mer,; the. clever, Sydney _ iendtrft" the unspeakable Jewess in "Idols," has made 'a;iardly precedented sensation. i .Every, even:iiig' her, two great scenes—the;'midhi%ht:,discussion in; the be'drpom 'i after<-.itbe /riiurder/; ana the ghastly ordeal of itheiwitness-boxoat;' .tho!tnal of;hep husband-ftakq' , the audience: h'y 'stprmi' : A6'.'it'happens; : it is. the/first: time'' -tpr-a(gopd while that 'aiij'tliiiig "S^.'.a! really conceivable/'"anstpcraiiic;yil-- ' laiiiess" hMi ( on the ;En'glis]l;,i •..stagej < ~ and ' wholly-; original-1 way, of ..imperspnatihg>this '.curious in; distinct . contrast to . Miss •; Latimer'sown gentle and , earnest:'.personality.; Indeed j ,there;is no distinctiou she is prouder of. than.l that .of being'.a''lineal l ;.-'' descendant :of -old Bishop Hugh Latim'erX'bf .Queen Mary's day. ,It is interestiiig to note-ihat:' MiSs Latimer, who was. born at South Wales,.' ran away from school ;at,li, arid succeeded: in';, inducing" ;Mr. Wilson jfea'rrett :to, give.Jier' an., engagement. This was,her/first.appearance.' Miss Latimer hopes ..ultimately''to appear , in., Lady Macbeth, arid -iboks; forward to- the ;revival of ■ the vogue or- genuine- tragedy. ? Al-, ready slip has. appeare'i .in, -this;. charactor: iri; tlib English':provinces,- -but 'she hopes' ulti-' •mately to reach'-the suriimit of-her Ambition; , by:appearing in' this Sh*ake«pe'areari:;revivaFiiif London. , ///':,'■'/- ///;;/

Van Biane In the street. Van Bierie; the well-known: actorrfarasiqiaii aud„.'cellp; player —of '■Broken 3 Mody.',' fame, wti'd,'-appeared for a.shdrt'keason &p the Lyceuril? Tneatre, iri Sydney, went, "into the streets oiie morning' last:irionth, (says. : clie "Central Jfeivs"J :wiiii; : his >,'cello, and played* arid collected as he did'4o years. ago, oetore Sir Michael Costa' rescued him; from' the. gutter.. Men - .Van ; 'Bio)ie played; iii. Beve.rar well-known'' London 'thoroughfares,;, including Arundell Street, oif,Coventry Street,,. J)rury Lane; the Hayinarket,:. :• arid -.l J aiit6ii-' Street. The sum he cbllected. was. 15s;' 2d.,, and -this, augmonted by a '£5: .note, . lie .will' send to; the - Music-hall* Benevolent.-.' Vuild;; I'Pi'ty years ago a ragged and;starving boy. ; cif' '17 ;was discovered playing in-Hanover Street 7 by Sir Michael; Costa. Tue great .man, struclr by, his wonderful execution,' stopped and asked him why- he;was" playing in the gutter, and Van' Biene replied,'.'Parceque'j'ai.faitn." , As.the result, the lad Van'Biene was'engaged as'ione of 'the 'cello.,players:in. the/Coyerit Garden,. Orchestra. ';.' : He,-.thon-v-vowed: that ".every year "bn the "anniversary of; his/deliverance .from poverty and ;.starvatioiT-:he.,would •gb" ; back;to the streets' arid play, aiid ho has iiever broken his vow. :./ . , : ~;

Notes. •k'Whdn.tho last-Jiiail left-London -.on. Nov-, ember! ]20 ; ',:news had been, 'received ■' of .the. serious'illness of Mr. Granville Barker, tho well-known dramatist and manager, at Dublin, from typhoid fever. Mr. Barker is the husband of M'iss'Lillah M'G'arthy. •r ,Barrio's play,' - "What" Every ■ Woman Knows," is such an enormous success in tliat,,' '.according to Mr. ■ Charles Frohmaii;' Syhoii it :wiis produced outside' of Now'•York!.: the',' smallest" week's receipts reached £3300. v Miss-Maude Adams is playing, tho • leading i'ole. The arrangements were'; that the performance; should tako place in;. November. ' • 1 "Tho-King'of Cadonia," acquired by tho J. C. -Williamson firm for Australia, is the story imaginary ' Kingdom of Cadonia, .which! is i full' -of ■ -livel.y, people, fbr ■ whom' ..'mjiny 'catcliy "soiigs' and pretty dances! have ■ The principal interest moves round itheDgall&iit 'young king,, liis >adventures,'! '"his'ilov(M«akihg ;.' to: the . charming' Marie, '•who' is 'princess of' a neighbouring kingdom, and • i.hn sudden , and inexplicable; disappearance olUthe kiiig. . : :liiiy William • Collier's ■ new play, "The Patriot," announced for "production in New York • this..month,'/ has already. had a! trial performance.; in "Atlantic City, and.-jvas well received;.:thore. .'•'.Tho action of ■the! piece, which iwasT'written by Mr. Collier and Mr. ;J. .Hartley Manners, passes in Bull Frog, Nevada,- and-in tho_ .West;'End---of London':.' The^ceiitral.'-'figuro; -'portrayed .by; : Mr.- ; Col-' lieFf'-is a,"mining- promoter. > ■

Earl and Lady Dudley attended tho. BurnsJohnson Fight Pictures, during their pro-' ductioii., nt tile Town Hall," - Melbourne. Messrs. John Fuller and Sons ' have. tlie. pictures in hand for New Zealand, andthoy, will' bo shown at the. Theatre. Royal here on January 18' When Miss May -do Sousa - was;,in' Paris, at tho ,Comedie Francaiso, • she was struck with the silence and discipline observed- be--hind the scenes. ■'.'There "they were," said she, "doing parts they' h'aclplayed for.; years, yet each actor had', to be. at the wing —silent' as the- grave—for;.'fif.teeii, minutes, before talcing his cue. ! Ono gentleman,, who; had jilaycd his part for twenty-five- years','• oamo into tho green-room and gestured in his- love scene as though he'd just -got his script'.",: y''. The ■ London Dramatic Company, headed •by -Mr,' Oscar- Asche -and:'Miss.';Lily' Brayton,: is duo iii ■ Australia '"about ".May. : It ■ is' said to.beone qf the'largest,and .most complete' companies ,that has ; ever been brought ,to Australia. . ■ • - • Mr. Phil Goatcher, scenic artist .of ,- the Theatre Royal, painted cthe.- scenery:' i- for "Fun-on, tho. Bristol'.' \,.when' Mr. John F.' Sheridan, who' died suddenly ; afc- Newcastle, recently, produced; it' for the; first'' iimo in. New 'iork, : and- created ;his''•.•".Widow .O'Brien. ' ■' - Miss Tittcll Brune in, "The Girl- of tho Golddij v.West". .* follows- Williamson's' ■: Star Dramatic .'Company. •at the Qpera; House/ riot : .."The Mill" - Company ~ as<.'stated last, week. ■ The/Musical. Comedy' Company, .-which', comes later, wall also produced'The 1 -Prince of Pilscn." ' .V'..'' Of.:a, recent, •productiph-' of. ; '.'Uncle -Tom's , Cabiji n .' iii Mernournej •' /the' ' l Aiistral3si_an":.- ; says.:r : -''Jliss"' man, _ who.: is ■ said to be' the, "original : of * the 1 part in ■Australia,".plaj-ed- the Puck-like, vola-i tile', mischjevoust.Topsy.' That - fact 'alone" ;was van interesting .reminiscence of-a time-, ■honoured. play.:.' Miss : :.Wiseman must; have set the style-:fpr a'fgdod many Topsy's.- Consequently, her Topsy is like other people's, .because their, Topsy was,- originally -'hers; Mr; ■Ernest Fitts was a., little, bit out of his clement as TJnclo .Tom', 'a part considered years ago to be the .special, privilege of Hosea Efiston, the old.Ethopian banjo-player. Mr..Fitts'made up as a:rather negro patriarch—a Johnson " grown old -arid tame. 'Uncle, Tom's Cabin'is clearly-evergreen." -