THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 687, 11 December 1909, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

■ , ■ : ». "The world's a theatre, the earth a alage."-' Heywood. (By SrLvins.Y "Henry of' Navarre." Mr. Julius Knight has received the script of "Henry of Navarre,", a romantic play which has been performed .with'tho greatest success at: Home by Mr. Fred Terry and Miss Julia Neilson. . Talking with Mr. • Knight ho. informed me that he was completely enamoured with tho play and the part. It was charmingly written and conceived, and the part, ivas a kind :of Pctruchio idealised by the quaintest and most perfect love. Eight through the part ran a vein of exquisito comedy, enough to pleaso the heart of tho most fastidious actor and audience for that matter. Mr. Knight is firmly convinced that "Henry of Navarre" is one of tho most perfect romantic plays ever seen in Australia, and anticipates a. great-success. The company will bo completely reorganised for tho production, and will include, in the leading part Miss Katherine,Grey, the brilliant' American actress, who has arrived in-Sydney under engagement to Mr. Williamson... ■'~..'

Shakespeare in Australia. S,uch has been the success of the " Shakespearean seasons of Oscar Asche and Lily Brayton in Sydney and Melbourne thnt their engagement has been extended until after next ■Easter. The Sydney season ended last Wednesday, and another Melbourne season commences this evening with "Othello," . "The Merchant of Venico" is already announced for Boxing Night. Tho next Sydney season commences, at Easter. Speaking to a "Daily Telegraph" interviewer on Shakespearo in Australia, Mr. Asclio said:—"Of course wo are gratified. We were told before coming to \ Australia that the general public did not take kindly to Shakespeare; but our experience has been, quite the reverse. The great surprise to. us has been the gallery. One expects the people of the dress circle and stalls to be appreciative; but the occupants of the.gallery, both in Melbourne and Sydney, have been surprisingly discriminating, and have followed the plays with the keenest attention. Altogether wo have every reason to 'bo satis-

.._Playgoers who have enjoyed tho fine productions of "The .Taming: of tho Shrew" and •'"Othello"'it the Criterion, have observed the' rich detail of stage management in these plays. The great dramatist left a great deal to the art of tho producer in these latter days;\ind in such scenes as tho awakening of Christopher Sly, Mr. Asche fills in fully eight, minutes without saying a word—and everyone knows how eloquent silence may become on the stage. This period is filled in -with the entertaining business with tho tassel on the old tinker's, cap, the scrutiny of the counterpane 'and the tassel, and in other Ways. AH this, it is interesting to learn, is.Mr. Aschc's own business. He has never seen anyone else play Christopher Sly; and bit by bit he has built up this artistic character-study, which ranks as one of.'the best yet seen on the Australian stage/Another excellent piece of'business is that which follows the subjugation of Kafhcrinc, where the curtain ascends, and reveals the famished shrew greedily drinking from the bowl of milk while jetruchio throws in bits of bread. ; This emphasises the victory he.has won, and is certainly effective.

"People have taken me to task for cutting out tho first two scenes of 'Othello.' It has been said," he added, with an amused air,

"that I.havo done that to m'ako lago less prominent. But, as a matter of fact, lago is much move prominent in this version than any other;, and Othello has l£&'to-do.".Tho. two scenes I have retained in London; but hero it was necessary to cut, because the people do not care to stay in the theatre after 11 o'clock. Again, tho senate must know what has happened be : fore, and Brabantio's speech gives this information, so that to open the play with tho council scene is reasonable. Then, lago's.earlier speech, it must bo remembered, is retained."

The Fuller Theatres," .Mr. Ben. Fuller, of tho theatrical firm of! • John Puller and' Sons, has arrived in Auckland from a trip round tho '.world.. Interviewed, at' Auckland he stated that ho had made arrangements for tho erection of throe.new theatres in New Zealand—one ill Auckland, ono in Wellington,.and one in Dunedin. •

"The new theatre which is to bo erected in Auckland," Said Mr. Puller, "is to bo erected in Pitt Street, on the southern side of Karangahape Hoad, but near the corner. It will havo a seating capacity, for between 3000 and .'4OOO people, and will bo constructed on the most up-to-date; lines, so that in-the winter the rgrouiid floor ,'can bo utilised' as,. a skating rink, while in tho summer months' tho: whole building can bo utilised for picture shows or other purposes as occasion demands. The'total cost of the building will bo between J!15,000 and .£20,000. The site, which has a frontage of 80ft. by an avcrago depth of 158 ft., was purchased in August, last. The plans- aro now well'in''hand,'and as soon as theso are com-' pleted tenders will be called.; We hope to have the building up by-the end of April, so you will see we aro not letting the grass grow under our feet."

"What do you intend to do with tho Opora .House?" ho was.askod. .; .''■'..'•'

.. v "Wc intend to go on showing pictures thero fiintil tho new theatre is completed," ho: said. "Then we will put on vaudeville at-the old place. We are resuming vaudeville in each of • the other! three centres at Christmas, i and the .companies'will be brought here." Mr. Fuller -went on to say that his. firm had also decided to erect a now. theatre on similar-lines to:the Auckland one in Duuedin. Several sites' wero already under offer, and it was probable that one of them -would bo purchased before Christmas. .". '.'■

"The.new theatre inWellington," ho proceeded,; "is to be erected on the site of the Theatre Eoyal, at present 1 owned by our firm. It is to sent 2000 people,, and will, be constructed on tho most modern lines. It will cost between ,£25,000 and ..£30,000." _ Asked as . to : whether thero was anything in the report that his firm, in conjunction with an Australian ifirinVintended'to engage American and Euglish artists to tour tho Australasian circuit, Mr. Fuller stated that thero were several things in train, .which would probably develop Within the next 12 months. Ho had had several conversations with a gentleman in ■ London, • who undertook to find the capital,for .an Australian vaudeville circuit. The, sum. of was mentioned, but thero. were-certain conditions in regard to engagements of artists, which, after all, wero the most important factor, and ho would Lavo to ransult his partners cu tho whole scheme. Though he . could not say so , definitely, lio thought that something would" come of the scheme in tho not far distant future, and tho theatre-going public would be provided with first-class talent. He felt; that thero was plenty of scope for a big vaudeville business in Australia and New Zealand,: provided it was properly worked.

Between the Acts. ' Mr. W.-'E. Anson writes in the.London "Daily Mail": "I think a word of protest is necessary against that, nuisance, the person Who finds it essential to.go out at the end of each act, and persists in returning to his seat after the curtain has risen on the next act. I can speak : feelingly of the pest these ill-mannered people are becoming, for I have not only suffered as a spectator, but often, too, when it has fallen■ to-my : lot to be the unfortunate actor who opens an act. There is no excuse for men who do; this sort, of thing, for they receive ample warning that the curtain is about to ascend." This protest is equally applicable and necessary to Australian theatres, whero the nuisance is very prevalent,'especially, oh first nights, to the discomfort and. annoyance of those in the audience who are hioro considerate and who wish to see .the-vrhole piece.

"The Cheat;" ..'Local, playgoers" will-be interested in the following resume of the plot of "The Cheat/' to be staged in Wellington-. by the Williamson 'Bramatic Company on: December 27:—"Captain James . Blanchard, whose father is a general andiias great hopes of:him, is the successful rival in love of: Captain Rivers. On the very evening that their regiment receives orders to embark for India on active-service, Rivers, to disgrace the other, accuses him of cheating at poker, having carefully marked the cards beforehand. Appearances being too much against him, Jim Blanchard has to send in his resignation. Rivers completes his dirty work by informing Stephen lilanchard, a millionaire, that Jim is the man-who has spirited away the girl he reckoned on marrying, and thus sets him out upon a particularly wild goose-chase. As for Jim, ho enlists as a private in the Gordons, and turns up on the Indian frontier, where all the leading characters introduced have congregated, and there, of course, he finds:, glorification arid the girl of his heart.' Rivers ends his inglorious career by showing tho white feather -when in coinmnlid of an outpost, and when his rascality is exposed and he has the opportunity of saving the heroine rind; the - woman he had deceived by becoming tfeiyjirifiorier of the Afghan's iii their place, lie chooses the less painful nlternntive of suicide. Stephen JUnnchard is captured by tho Afghans anil deprived of his sight, but finds some.compensation: in tho long run, and General Blan'.■hnrd hns the pleasure of being in time to save the life of his misjudged son, thanks to ■ his influence as a necrloss Sahib iu the eyes of the I Afghan chief, ■: