THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 669, 20 November 1909, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

■■,■■/:,.; ■■■ ■:■;;." .. y, »>'■.";'. ■■/ y 77 -- y - ".The world's a theatre, tho earth", n stage."— Heywood.- -; •. ■".■■■,• "i: , ■-. '■": '■■■•■ 7. •-. . (UY;;Bn,vioa.J7 - 7 iV "The - Breed of tho Troshams," ' Tho new play that' Mr. Julius Knight and his highly: interesting company will produce on Monday next, has'a history; It;was first,'prodnced'.by Mr. Martin Harvey at Newcastle-on-Tyne- in ; September,, 1907,. where it met ,with such marked success that ho brought it to London in December of the same year, and so ; favourable was its reception thero that the piece has .headed his repertoire ever since. Tho author's name appeared at first as "John Rutherford,", and there was much speculation as to who ho was. Subsequently D.lf. Dis and E. G. Sutherland acknowledged joint authorship. When vfirions managers wishing to obtain the rights of the. drama for different circuits approached .them with a view to business, they wero informed that Mr. Martin Harvey owned the property., All efforts, however,. to induce him to dispose of the rights were unavailing, until recently when the late Mr. Herbert Hemming acquired the Australian rights, which shortly before his death he disposed to; the firm of J. C. Williamson. 'JJhe play thus came into the. hands of Mr.-'Julius :Knight. 'Mr. Knight, with his usual enthusiasm, seeing the potentialities in it for himself; put it into rehearsal straight away. Ho' cast the piece with great care,-and in preparing it spared : neither himself nor his company, the result ; being-that when the play was recently produced at the. Theatre Koyal, Sydney, a splendid artistic success was achieved: The story of, "The Breed of the Treshams" belongs to the seventeenth' century, during the warTietwecn Charies I and his Parliament,; and it has been described as one of the most stirring dramas of our , stage literature. It-is not constructed on conventional lines, and Mr. Jiilius Knight in the part of Lieutenant Eeresby, nicknamed "The Bat,".'will ho seen in a character quite new to him, both in nature and quality. In this play Mr. Knight has a succession of big scenes, all sustaining intense excitement. Thoso who know the story of, the piece, and the character the popular actor will be tailed upon to flay, will await: his departure from his recognised field with interest. The play will bo produced for the first four nights of the season.•'■■'■■:"■ ; .

Ups and Downs of Stage Lifo. } .V- ---; The ■ penchant which' the" members bf v the Greene family have shown for-the stage is certainly not inherited from their 1 parents, as neither their father nor their-mother is in any way connected with tho theatrical profession. Mr. Prank - Greene, the clever young ■baritone, at with ,J.,.C. Williamson's new comic .opera company,-was■ so anxious to. become ,au-actor-thab he-ran away from school at. the age of 16 with; that. express object in view. His early 'experiences ..were certainly,.not encouraging. He joined a" fit-up " company which was touring through Ireland. His place with the organisation wasf as leading', juvenile, but the gilt:was taken off ,the ginger-bread-by the fact that, as :relt as appearing in this ncnoured capacii7,-!iMr. 'Greeno- was; expected to take' the' money .at,, the door and,: later "on, he was- raised to..the status :of' stage manager, his pride once more received-; a riide shock on .receiving-instructions to- clean the lamps which did .service" as _ This was almost too much for tho' young'.aspirant, but he : struggled on for about; four - months with , the company and- then ran away. "After "passing, through some rather tight Greeno atlast found himself back .'home" again in Portsmouth. .He appeared in pantomime in >Newcastle. soon afterwards, and' then went to South Africa at.the ago of pas leading baritoiio and, later on, was with .one of George Edwardes's companies which was'.the stepping stone toan upward ; and onward cburse. Miss Evie.Greene, the , popular musical comedy artist- is Mr; Greene s sister; one 'of his ..brothers is a dramatic actor. Another Vis 'tho '-mnsical !: director, of'.the■>Porifemouth* ( Thea^.e,' l and;:y'et a ; third'is , with'one'of.G&rge Edw'ardesfp'com. panies as baritone.":- :'. '■' ': : '2'-t^.'"iSs : i^i\isii

An Interesting Company. "••.' ' ; . ■"The Flag 'Lieutenant"•: Company ' (J. C. Williamson) .leaves Sydney for Wellington' ;today en route for.Duncdin, where it:commences u tour '.of- tho Dominion., The company • opens: iiii. Wellington: , on: Boxing ..night, "The. Flag 1 Lieutenant ."■' is described. .'as refined drama,. and .The' j petspnnel of the'u cijuipany Tmakes'. it; one of- the' steongest'Mr. Williamson; has ever dispatched ;to New Zealand. Particularly is this so re'garding the male'.Wembers the company, i among-whom are included Mi l , Tlips.'- Kingstorij' '.Mr: G. S.-Tith'eradge, Mi-. , Harry'-Plimmier; Mr." :Cyril Mackayv Mr. Dion'Titheradge.iMr: Eardley:.Turner,,.Mr.'Roland Stanelcy, Mr. -AY E; .'Greenaway, and'.Mr: Lewis';W a Us;r, jun." : Tho: leading "ladies fare Miss Dorothy Grimstone: (youngest daughter of the:celebrated Mr. and : Mrs; Kendal):and.Mis3 Ethel-Warwick (Mrs.' Edmund Waller). , Besides the'." Lieutenant" the repertoire of:the company includes "The , Cheat/' "BrewsterV Millions,". ."Sherlock "The' Village:' Priest."-; V^;;:';

■• ':".*The Mouhtaiheßrs'. -(the'' new^lighi;''pjior&' .which Jias been produced: at'the Saivby. .Tfieatrej-.-Eotidon)/ as composed and' partly, written :by Mr." Reginald Somerville,'with the aid of Mr. ; Guy Eden, is a neat and symmetrical effort of melodious ■6entimont and pattering'humour, every, feature of which I seem to recognise as that of some old , friend. ; Both bobfc and'score j are'impeccable in , tasto. and accuracy of'finish, I ibut neither is marked : by a' trace'of inspiration ■or originality. 'The tiny littlo story of the ' rivalry of two merry Swiss boys for the lore of a , merry Swiss girl, who promises her land to that' which, plucks 'the perilous edelweiss, suggested:to me the plot of some 010 , GermanReed entertainment rather than that of a 'new romantic comic opera in three acts.' It was pretty.enough-in its way, Imtthat way was so tohave lost.-all'■■freshness: of "interest, or. charm.-.'-..1t-was tamo and> smooth- arid safe.'.a'nd .few. : .indeediw'ero the/opportunitiesSpf. distinction, which; it , , afforded tfqr' its '■■ iilterpreters;,':'Miss^.Elsie.'Spain.'aiid'.Miss, Jessie). Hose eaWhad-spmemildly graceful*songs,: iner. scoring her'tunefuli.*Lcgend'.of ■ the>.Edelwcissi'i: arid tthWa'tter. with ? ier'cp quet;Hsh..;That>i4he.v'Sort: Mr. '.Workman -had; riot. much' , to-: do .-.but-patter; .and'of course- he pattered" very. well,"while Mr; Claude ■ Hemming as' the- successful lover fairly■ earned' his ■ success by his baritone singing. '.-But,: as'a.whole,' tho '< production■ seemed to -mo both flat and stale, and I only hope it may prove as ; little: unprofitable '.as was suggested s by the very hearty applause of its'first; night . audience. —"Sporting '■ and ■; Dramatic -.News.". ■■'."'.' ' ' ..:, ■'■ "'■■''■'■'■■.■ - ■>• ■ ,;: -' '" ; ' - -

f'Tho Melting Pot.^ , ; ;■',' ;| We in New Zealand have only, had one taste 'of. Israel Zangivill's' quality as a playwright, but that taste created an appetite that is not being catered ■ for., His latest play is "The Melting Pot," produced in N«w York in September.' Of.this play, "The:, Theatre" says: "A; big theme does .not necessarily.make a big play. •. It'depends upon the sincerity, the capacity,'.and the technical skill of-the, writer. In . 'The Melting.- Pot' • Mr.- •_ Zangwill, hag chosen a subject of almost infinite magnitude, something that concerns ' the vanguard: of civilised humanity, involving ■' millions upon millions of living arid unborn people. But. Mr. Zangwill is a; man of-courage, although in this case his courage goes beyond his discretion. He. has courage also to have theories oE hie own on the technical side of the' drama.' In'.*other'words, ho is under tli« momantary. halluoinatiou that-he is'a .'-trifle ] superior to dramatic law. He claims and attempts to demonstrate in 'The..Jfelting,Pot': that atmosphere is the soul of a play; and that plot is a. comparatively negligible quantity. ■Hβ .is not so. far gone in his theories, however, to attempt to -write a play without a p10t.,.0f course,,.plot is a varyiije quantity according to. ennjcot .and- lDatenal, but there is nothing now'.in this play, being simple in that respect. It is all in order,and, very proper according to what Mr. Zangwill had in mind, but not- according to the magnitude of (ho subject. This plot is ;a plot of the: old-fashioned romantic melodrama pure and simple. A young Jew, a musician,, a genius, finds refuge in America, tho land, of freedom and, opportunities, after his family have been massacred at Kishineff. He falls ■in love with a girl who. is a settlement worker and who is at once drawn-to him. She is tho daughter of the Russian general an aristocrat, who hi>.d ordered the troops to perform their work of carnage. Then begins tha young man's .spiritual conflict, which ends when-Mr.: Zangwill, with illogical' zeal, throws the two lovers into the melting pot.:, It is romantic and nothing else. There' is Teally no" other question involved. Tho union of'these twois abhorrent from any point of view. It does not havo . even the • real touch -of romanticisrai -Nor!'.'is there any; true; reality : about".it. ■'•' It is: only by sigliint: and: false sentimentality that tho result: is; brought about.' '• Whilo tho plot 'is'-, simplo' and oldfashioned, at its climax -it , ', reaches one of the , , furthest: points north,'.;so. lo speak,: yet discovered; toward tho magnetic polo of 'melo'- , drama. Tho aristocratic Russian general, who happons to be visiting America, wh«n■ .face,',toface with-.the young rofugee, .levels a'. pistol tit him- to.'slay, him; but his arm. U:palsied by., the 'calm' look of the young .man,; and presently, he -hands the pistol to him /with ,the ' very;: reasonable ' recfdcst' • that J&a. jftonm

of,his own inhumanity,should slay him." The young man lays' tho pistol on the.table, and goes' out' quietly ; with, his violin under his arm,,saying' that':he.'must : get'a new string."

Notes.. ■' '..:-,;■.;'.,-,', ■'-~... ; ■.•■'.'•' ■. "The, Lady Dandies" is : to be revived by the "■'Royal Comic Opera Company in Melbourne this ovening. Miss Rosina Buckman will make her first appearance: with the "Royal Comics" ; in this, captivating, musical comedy. , In the revival "of "A Country Girl "by the Williamspu Musical Comedy Company in Sydney last' week, Miss Dorothy Court appeared R3 Marjorie Joy, Miss Olivo Godwin as the Princess,- Miss Lottio. Sargent as Madame Sophie, Miss Ivy Scott as Nan, Mr. Herbert Clayton as Geoffrey Challoner, Mr. W. S. Percy ai Barry,-Mr."Victor Prince as the Rajah of Bhong, and Mr. , E.. Nable as Grahfer Mummery. It is probable that "Havana," "A Country Girl," " Tho Belle of New York." and "The. King of Cadonia " will constitutei the repertoire of this company which commences a-.tour of New Zealand at' Aucklan- on Boxing- night. ;■'. - ; • ■'.. ■ ; The Julius Knight Company, which will be 'seen in Wellington next week, will- open its next Sydney season at the , Theatre Royal'in a Tiew production of the; old drama, "The Corsican Brothers." ; • .' ' ' " , " ■ The "New York Dramatic Mirror" states that Mr. C. ".M: S; MOellan and Mr. Ivan Caryll have signed .a contract to provide Mr. N..C. Goodwin,' the well-known American comedian, with an-original play, wherein ■Mγ. Goodwin mil sustain the. leading'part. This will' involve, his'return to' a form of entertainment which fora long time he has deserted for comedy. . '.;"... ■■'■"., '- . ~ "Mid-Ghnnnel,"'. Sir Arthur Pinero's/: latest play, has failed to attract the London public, and hence it has been" announced to be withdrawn, after a run of about five weeks at: St.' James s Theatre. It has proved too ploomy and ruthless for the majority. A new piece by Mr. R..C. .Carton,'entitled "Lorimer Sebaeton, Dramatist," has been chosen as Mr. Gco. Alexander's next, attraction. ~. ■"•-.- • ■ i In a letter by the last -English mail Mr. Charles A.' Wcnman, stage director and producer for Clarke, Meynell,- and Gunn's Comic Opera Co.,'who has'arrived at Fremantle on his return fTom London,-writes: "There are but few striking successes in-London at- present. Of course I have seen 'The Arcadians,' which Clarke, Heynell, and Gunn are. to prodnco "early in tho coming year.. It is one of tho most notable' successes "ever seen' in 'London. Australians will be delighted ..with it—it is so original, and full of fun. Dan Rolyat is immense: William Cromwell ,will play his part; and the other comedy, part, a miserable jockey, '.will'be-taken' by Tom Walls. The dresses aro certainly the finest over seen. The racecourse scene represents Goodwood last season, and the dresses are copiesof a number actually worn on tho course by the leaders of fashion and society.•'"There are some-catehing songs.- I have beeniour times to see ,it, but thobu-siness is so enormous I- have' had to stand each time, as seats,have to be booked weeks iniadvance. -*Mr. Preedy andthe Cpiintcss,' tho Australian rights of which ■ Clarke, Meynell, and, Gunn havo secured, is also doing wonderful business. In fact, the two plays; mentioned are the greatest successes in. London at present." ;, : ~ .'; The scope for exercise , of the creative faculty as a rule is less in the actor than in the dramatist. Roughly speaking, it increases for the actor in inverse ratio to the quality of-'the play,, with : this, undesirable result—that: the more powerful the actors become- and thti less powerful .the..dramatists,, the j'atter will ijhave to supply the former with plays in which , they can best exhibit their creative gifts, and: in these pieces the authors, have little chance for showing their own creative , power.'- There exists a kind of antagonism between the actor and'tho.dramatistj'and it is injurious to drama that the'actor should hav=/tlie upper hand.— "Westminster Gazette." }/... 7. ■■'-.'.