THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 556, 10 July 1909, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

."The world's a thcatro, tho earth a stage."— ileywood. (Br Stlvim.) 1 "Luchy Durham." Tho last eight nights of the present season of Messrs. Clarke, Meynell and Gunn's English Comic Opera Company season will bo taken over by. the same firm's New English Company ill tho production of Wilson Barrett's last play, "Lucky Durham." Besides tho favourite actor, Mr. Harcourt Beatty, who will mako his reappearance, there are several important London artists included in the company, which includes: Messrs Gaston Mervale, John W. Devcroll, James Lindsay, Prank Randell, Tom Cannam, J. E. Gardiner, and Rutland Beckett; Misses Gladys Harvey, Edith Doverell, Emily Fitzroy, and Hilda Meade. Tho lax!: Wilson Barrett, who wrote "Lucky Durham," originally produced it at the Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool, when it mot with so much success that he cancelled all tours, intending to take the piece to London, where tho Comedy Theatre was engaged for a long period; but tho death of Mr. Barrett interfered with all these plans. Mr. Clyde Meynell, on his recent visit to England, secured the play for Australia, believing that its qualities, described as sentiment, power, and an interesting story, would make it popular with audienoes in this part of the world. : Its success in Melbourne and Sydney has been absolute proof of. this contention. Tho company's season 1 will commence at the Opera House Friday next. . A Hardy Perennial. "A Royal Divorce" is J. C. Williamson's "East Lynne!" Dramas may come and go, but so long as Julius Knight lasts in these parts, so long must the Napoleonic play of W. G. Wills remain in the repertoire. He has played the part a greater number of times than he has any other, not excepting Marcus Superbus,, Monsieur Beaucaire, and "The-Scarlet Pimpernel." ; The vitality and fascination of this historical jumble are such that the recent. Melbourne season was inaugurated by a new production. : The supporting company was an excellent one—perhaps as good as the piece has ever had to interpret it, with Miss Beatrice Day as Josephine, Mr. Harry Plimmer as General Augereau, Mr. Leslie Victor at Talleyrand, Mr Georgo Chalmers as Grimaud, Miss Elsie Wilson as Mario Louiso, and Miss Florence Gleeson as Stephanie, while the smaller parts were all adequately filled. New Loading Lady for J. C. W. Miss Ethel Warwick, who arrived in Australia last week by the Orontes, to tako her placo as leading lady with "The Flag Lieutenant" Company, though still well on the sunny side of 30, has already a notable career to her credit. She began life as an art student at tho Polytechnic, in' London, and prepared fori the stage at Henry Neville's • school,, her first appearance being made with that star as Emilie • • in "Tho Corsican Brothers." That in 1900, and' the samo year saw her playing at Her Majesty's Theatre in Beerbohm Tree's Company. A little later on Sir Charles Wyndham engaged her for a season at the Duke of York's Theatre; London,'and in 1902 she was with Nance O'Neill at the Adelphi in .London. That" well-known Shakespearean company, managed by F. R. Benson, had the benefit ofher art as lead in: 1903, and next year she was touring with Mrs. Lewis. Waller, and then in 1906 was with H. B. Irving at the Lyric Theatre. The samo year she paid a visit" to South Africa with William HaviIhndj with a Shakespearean repertoire. Miss Warwick, who. is of the tall, statuesque type' of brunette beauty, has sat as a model to several painters'and sculptors, including (as a girl) Whistler, Onslow Ford, and Sir E. I'oynter. , .■—■ • , : / Through American Eyes. It js possible, from an American point of view (says the New York "Theatre"),' to appreciate and understand the dull triteness and snug complacency of a middle-class Enghome, such as is presented in Major du Maurier's'new play, "An Englishman's Home," at tho From a theatrical viewpoint, however,- it is difficult tor tolerate U. .'The mirror held .up to the nature of commonplace humanity may be perfectly truthful, but ifc is certainly calculated to bore. This is what the Major' does'. The fidelity of his revelation'is so/accurate , that it: grates - upon the nerves. It is tiresome; which 'might have been overcome had the. author's_ technic been more . authoritative, and his capacity for drawing stupidity in a' more alluring fashion, more competent. In the second .act the interest rapidly-increases, arid it is easy to see why. "An Englishman's Home" , has had the tremendous success it'has achieved in King Edward's kingdom. It brings home tho question of. unpreparedness for invasion, the incompetency of the/volunteers, and other kindred subjects with such' .bitter irony and mordant humour, that it is not surprising that England s patriotic spirit was stirred to such a point that the, enlistment stations were besieged and additional Dreadnousrhts authorised. , s A Beethoven Play. i An entirely new role will, be struck in the production m His Majesty's Theatre, London, of the play written round the. life of Beethoven whioh Tree acquired during a recent visit to Paris. "A certain amount of the great' composer's music was introduced into J-lio play as it was presented in Paris," says Tree, "but I,intend to introduce a great deal more.-For such a production a very fine orchestra is, of course, 1 necessary, and I shall engage a great conductor and an orchestral; of-quite 45 instrumentalists. Tho music will, however, occur. legitimately, and not .incidentally. ' In one scene, for instance, where Beethoven is at work on one of his great compositions, his thoughts will bo reflected in the orchestra.". The play, written by M. Reno: Francois, was proauced ' in . the Paris Odeon on March 9. . i ■ ' - ■ ' American News. Mr. Louis Nethersole, writing to Mel-, bourne, from New lork, where no 1 is still representing _ Margaret Angliii, states that ho arrived * in that jcity from Australiu iu January, wheh the snows were everywhere thick, upon the ground, and found his sister playing in "The. Writing'on the Wall," a new American piece by a rising young dramatist, AY. J. Huiibut. Miss Olga Nethersole had too much work, booked ahead to consider . just then the question of revisiting the Commonwealth. Miss Margaret AiHin after spending some weeks in Cairo, went up : the Nile with her sister, and some friends, then stayed awhilo v in the Riviera, and/ul- 1 timately settled in the Avenue des Champs ! Elysees. l Her health has been happily re- | stored by this long rest in Paris, and she did ] not expect to reach New York again until tho present month. She has now acquired ( several new. plays, and Mr. Clyde Fitch, who 1 read her Australian press notices on her ! success in his piece, "The Truth," has now 5 agreed to write her' a comedy. The London { "Daily Telegraph," it may be added, records the fact that in September Mr. Frohman ' will produce William Vauglian Moody's "Tlio t Great Divide," at the Adelphi Theatre. In i New York 'the two, principal parts wer( c played by Mr. Henry Miller and Miss Arg- « lin, and. as it was extensively rumoured that f that famous American actress would mako • lier London debut in tho play, the London 1 writer states, "on the authority: of Miss Anglin herself, that at no time had sho any ii intention of doing so, her ' arrangements t being of quite another kind." It seems 1J that Mr. Miller's debut will bo with Miss 4 Wynne Matthison, whoso husband, Mr Rarin 1 Kennedy, is tho author of "The Servant of !' the House," a drama produced in America I before 'Tlio Passing of tho Third Floor I Hack, with which it shares points'in com- u non. Notes. 1 Mr. J. C Williamson's "Jack and Jill" t! Lantomime Company leaves Sydney for Wei- "r ingtan to-day, The tour of' the Dominion n .vill be inaugurated at Christchurch, at tho :nd of next week. . ™. Two J.'C. Williamson dramatic companies C low "oil the road" have been disbanded— Q •he Tittell Bruno Company at Newcastle, ai md "An Ensushsuui'i Homo") at Arfni-TirU

Mr. Henry Kolker left for ' England on Thursday, and was-renlacod by Mr. Arthur Greenaway, after which Mr. Visiter Bcntley starred in "Tho Silver King," in which character ho is as widely known in America as in Australia. Very soon tho, two companies will bo amalgamated for tho production of "Tho Flag Lieutenant," with Mr. Thomas Kingston in tho name-part, a fresh and rollicking naval man who is as bravo as a lion, ana with Mr. 0. S. Titheradgo, now recovered from illness,- as tho Admiral. A now English actress, Miss Ethel Warwick, who lias dono leading work with success in tho United Kingdom, is on her way out by the Omrah for tho part of Lady Henrietta Wynne, and on tho samo ship are Miss Dorothy G rims ton and Mr. Lewis Waller, junr.