THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 770, 19 March 1910, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage—Heywood.

(13 v Sylvius.)

"Peter Pan," There is no moro quaint, whimsical, aiid clover author at present writing.for the English playgoing public than Mr. J. M. Barrio, aud it is generally admitted Jhat in "Peter Pan" or "The boy who would not grow up," .a fairy play- for adults aud children alike Ins delightful fancy has reached, its highest and ■best. For seveii years now. ."Peter Pan" lias been.played'in London and the big provincial towns. The American public also has become fascinated with the bewitching oddity of the play, and it has been revived in New York, for the last fivo years with an ever-growing success. "Peter Pan," delicate in' construction as a cobweb, roquiros the most careful handling, and the principal parts call for work of the highest order; since to depart for a moment from the atmosphere would destroy the author's ideas entirely. In England, the finest actors and actresses before the public have appeared, in "Peter Pan," and that fact , is held , as a tribute to their qualities. Tho part of Peter has been interpreted as follows:—At the Duke of York's Theatre, London, 19011905, Miss- Nina. Boucicault; 1905-190G,. Miss Cecilia Loftus; 1906-1907, Miss Pauline Chase; 1907-190S,- Miss Pauline Chase. At. tho Princess Theatre, Manchester, Miss Ze'na Dare played the .part, and each year in New York the famous American actress,. Miss Maud, Adams, has filled the role." .■Mγ.-- Williamson ■ has taken great-trouble in selecting his cast ior the New Zealand production, arid has secured several of the artists who were engaged ■ in - the Australian original cast. Miss Lizzetto Parkes, a clever young artiste, /ivhoso physique and temperament peculiarly suit the character, has been specially engaged to play Peter Pan, and Jlr. Ihomas Kingston will bo-tho Captain Hook of. tho production. These are- the two most important departures from the Australian cast. "Peter" will whisk the Darling children off to wonderland for the first time this evening. • ... . ■' v ■'. Acting in Australia, . Writing on "Acting in Australia" in tho "Stage Year Book,. 1910;" Mr. Eardley Turner, the English, actor at present under engagement to Mr. J. C. Williamson (who will be best remembered in New Zealand as Jaikes, in the recent Titheradge production of "The Silver King") says:—"Australians are—considering the meagre population of .their countr.y-.tho best theatre-goers in the world. Also— and I speak from a : not inconsiderable ex. penence of play-acting in tho- colonies— they are about the most, critical. In American parlance. ..'they., want ■' the goods.' If the goods are supplied to them the play will run until the eutiro play-going public has seen it.. If, ,on the other hand, the performance does hot attain to that quaint but desirable defini-' tion they will . after the first night (a 'first'night' in Australia is an event in which evorybody seems anxious fo assist) stay away in their thousands.. .There is nothing the Australian prides. himself more on than his,independent point of view; and no matter liow well boomed an entertainment may be, if it is not to his taste, he will not have it, and nothing on earth can' make him have it.' .This ultra.critical attitude is not-so-very.' surprising when one"comes ro-'think-'of; it.. A country that, even in its young days, had the ' privilege of. seeing, siiclr players as Gustavus Brooke; Barry Sullivan, William Creswick, Walter Mont-.' gomery, and Edwin'..Bpotlii to mention, •only a .few of. tho,.star tragedians;,lias. had a fairly' high-class, siantfarfepf ing set up for it.-'-Since those early'.da'ys ; be, it remembered the colonies have'had the. very best plays, and many of -the best players that England and, of late, America could;supply. The rights.of the successful pieces only'.are acquired "for the Australian market—pieces that' have already gained favour with .audiencos-.clse-where. For, pending the- coming ofV'tho native, dramatist,.,there is>.-no'-such--thing; ■ as'..(.rying a piece- 'oii the 'dog': in Austrnlia. :] ,;' :'^y.:^.~k---'•'■:'•'•' '■'■■■, ' -.■"'. '' "This bping>''conceded it'will , , further be granted that 'Australian taste, whprc-the ■drama- is■ concerned,-, should' bo a- particularly cultured: one. Therefore, it i ; behoves tho English actor or actress.', who contemplates, a professional visit to the colonies to:keep this fact ini-mind. In, my humble- judgment the AustralianV'appreciation. of. a player's talent is surprisingly accurate as a rule.-A. land that, young as it is, has'produced such great artists as Ada Crossley, Amy '.Castlcsi--Melba, among .singers, ■: and 'Nellie-Stew-art, Mario ■Lohr,V]Edith Latymei-; and. Alice Crawford amoiig actresses, may safely.be allowed the' ! possession 'of'' both, artistic taste' ,, ; arid critical - "aeuiilenV Verbum sap. The English actor, then, if he goes to Australia,, and giving the .'host that is in him, 'makes good, , ', will have a very enjoyable experience. Should he join one of the organisations of -.theatrical managements long' established, out thoro his work; though hard 'at'first', will be performed under most agreeable conditions. To: begin with the climate is hard to beat. In the winter there is but little frost, no snow except on tho high mountain ranges, while- the 'fog (that dreaded enemy of tho English artist) is conspicuous by its' absence. The summer is glorious beyond expression. Old Sol, like the hardy old public performer he is, never disappoints his audience in Australia. His season is always a brilliant success. . AVhen the actor .lands on these'sunny shores ho will bp warmly welcomed by an hospitable people, and thereafter his work musts speak for him." .

Writing ot Australian actors.Mr. Turner says:—"Although the Australian draniatist has not" yet - arisen" (what about Haddou Chambers?) "it cannot bo gainsaid that there are many sound and clever all-round artists to be , found among the native-born actors—if an imported actor jnay venture an opinion. Ihe portraits of some of the .better known, which may be taken as representative performers of to-day, are' reproduced." These are portraits of Miss Nellie Stewart, Miss Rose Musgrove, Mr. Walter Baker, Mr. Ciregan M'Mahon! Miss Florence Gleeson, Miss Celia Ghiloni, Miss Beatrice Hollo-way, ■Mγ. Harrv Roberts, Miss Guilford Quinn, Mr. Ma'x Maxwell, Mr. Harry Plimmer, Mis? Harrie -Ireland, Miss Eugenie Duggan ' Mr. J. B. Atholwood, Mr. Fred Cam-, bourne, and Miss Florence Young.

From America. Some interesting items of news concerning Australians in America are to hand from W. \R. Barnes (better known as "Billy" Barnes), wjio never- fails to keep the J. C:-Williamson management (with whom Tie was .connected when out here), posted . up-in'matters concerning people who are well known, in this part of the world. Hilda' Spong is at present gracing the cast of "A Little Brother of tho Rich," while Hilda Tracy is in "The Goddess of Liberty" as soiibrettc. "A Prince of Bohemia" is the title of a now play in which Andrew Slack has just opened; and Irene Dillon, who was for some t.inie a member of J. C. Williamson's Pantomime Company, has been very successful in a- version of "Dick Whittingtonr" which is beiois done by theShubert Bros. Of the brothers Maicroni, Mario is appearing in Bernstein's drama, "Israel," and' George is winning fame for himself, with the glorious baritone voice ■which he has of late developed. Anjiette Kellerman and Bert Levy are still prime favourites in the variety entertainments. Speaking of current, attractions, Mr. Barnes mentions "The Dollar Princess" as being the hit of the season in New York. ,' . :

Mr. Geo. Grossmjth' on Public Taste.

There is no'doubt in my mind/(says Mr. Goo. Grossniith in the. Glasgow "Weekly Moil"), and I believe regular playgoers will agree with me,, that as the years go by ami play after play is produced in London and toured in tho provinces, it becomes more and more difficult to hit upon a production that wins a big success. The reason o£ this is not fnr to be seen. It is not that playwrights aro less clever or managers less capable. 1 think it is safe to sny that at no timo have wo bad so mauy clover wrilcrs, and that never before haVo plays been so brilliantly produced bj such ex-' nellent managers as they arc to-day. Yot, far-seeing us they may be, good judges as tlwy are, they have greater and greater difficulty in forecasting Hie fate of their productions, and uro more and more often staggored to fmd that the pieces

whose success they were, assured of fail lo 'go." Again, it is not, I think, a question of financial depression, as is often put forward. A manager of my acquaintance, in talking over- one of his failures, begged liie, the otlver day, to note how extraordinary, but true it was that, throughout the history of our own times, when a Liberal Government bad been m power people stuck tight to their money, because they did not know "what might be coming: nest." There is much, no.doubt,-for which the present Government may be made responsible, but surely (hey cannot seriously be accused of lightening box office receipts! Business in most directions has, I am aware, been pronounced bad for several years post, but there are alwa'ys'lots of'peoplo going about who will tell you this out of habit, just as readily as they say: Good morning," or "Have a drink?" Business-would have to be'very bad be-' fore people would sacrifice their amusements, and I think a good answer to tho financial depression" idea is found in the brilliant successes of "Our Miss Gibbs," "The Merry Widow," "The Dollar Princess," and several other pieces 1 could nanre. No, the cause of all the trouble is that the-public taste has altered and improved out of all recognition. Audiences want a. , very different dish to-day to that which pleased them twenty, or even ten years ago, while students in the; new school of theatrical cookery, even when overcoming the labour-savinr; habit of making a "hash" of .old pieces, they succeed in turning out something novel and good, have to face an amo.unt of whimishn«ss which makes success or failure almost-a lottery.

Oscar Aschc's . Shylock. • : The new Shylock (says ' the "Sydney .Morning Herald" in its notice 'of the' Asche-Urayton production of "The Merchant" of Venice") not only ceases to bo either venerable,- hawk-like, or, intellectual, but lie no longer makes his first entrance with Bassanio, pausing to lean on his stick in rapt abstraction at the opening words "three thousand ducats—well." It is all different, inconceivably different. All the young gallants leave the "streets in Venice" by the old stone bridge on tho left except Antonio and Bassanio, and as these two linger, the shutters of the ancient dwelling that faces this beautiful scene fly open, and there sits Shylock in shabby, sordid garb, on the cushioned recess of the low windowsill, in Oriental fashion, cross-logged, conning his tablets and his ledgers on-his knee, a red-haired, stout colossus with black eyebrows, gleaming white- teeth, and .a sulky smile suggesting a strong'and savage animalism.. Could any figure , less resemble the idea of Shylock" which older playgoers have learned to admiro in Irving, Bellew, Dampier, and marly'others? Crowds will, throng the theatre, to npte, approve, or disagree'with, the strong individuality; which Oscar .A'sche.. brings to bear upon..his Shylock, wherein he starts' by. giving the long speech, "You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog, and spit upon my. Jewish gaberdine," not.with .the.rage of rhetorical emphasis, but in a series of cutting . conversational sarcasms. Wonderfully clever, natural,; and to the point were all the artist's changes on . these lines. There was a splendid outburst in the. scene after the loss of his daughter with old Tubal, and the malignancy before the-Court, as he sharpened the knife and: dallied with the, scales, moved the house, though the.'sceneas a whole in-evitably.'lost'by-the; absence-of sympathy with , tli>.T'sturdy, usurer, '.who had fat .tenqdi on his gains only" to over-reach himself; htf-'thV last. 'The: sense" of. tragic graiideutV 'the-suggestion- of:mental elova.tioii, ;had bepii necessarily sacrificed, and ..withithem , 'the pathos of the situation.

Dciiry ' Manager's StorieS, ■. . .-,'2fe -Arthur'Collins, in a- recent biogra-' .phy, ,is connected with some humorous lOjiecdotes.- ".One is'Vto" theuefJEect;that at .Jiewoastle ho had: an- encounter, 'with a theatrical/landlady;; He had-to catch an early train, 'and was pressed.for tinie. Simultaneously. there • arrived a, cab at tho door-to take him to the. station, and' the landlady into thei room with her little.;bill." Sneaked' in between • a couple of ordinary charges'was'-the catch item, "Cruet, two .shillings!" He paid the ■Mil; shooli ■haiids'.'with %e- wSfftfcn', and stepped into'tho cab, portmanteau' in one hand, cruet in tho other!: Two shillings .seemed enough m his mind'for'the entire article rather than for the mustard :he}had eaten. 1 But .the. landlady.followed him to"the statioli, with "a -maV inblue." -. IT') poiuted 'to the; bill,- "Cnietj two'j'shiljiiiss," 'receipted, and the inafc ter was eventually settled by tho woinau handing baclc the floriii and ITr.' Collins delivering up the cruet. ' ■"'■" ■■ ■ Mr. Collins remembers, a certain , prima doniia who went to the United States for 'the opera season, and got into , the habit of: chewiug gum, as some American .■women, do. . AVhen she came back she continued 'the. hatiit;.; and" wbuld chew "iiway■iintilCit;, , v ; tis'VHme fdr'her't'p go on ;the stage. Xbsxc shei'.would take tire gum ~out lot;-her,-mouth -and stick it on the .sconeryi" ready to use again when her turn irjts joyer.. The habit was noticed by one 'of- fjie:scene-shifters, and one.evening he, replaced tlitj gum-with a quid of i.tpbacoo.;-'The lady' put it straight- into her iriputii oiv.lcaving the , stage—and she was.late for.her next'-call!. ,: . ■

; Friends of .Sir.'; Coljins's often ask him to let-them.;go. oii the stage in crowded scenes. : . Mr. Catoit W oodville once asked whether-he might walk -on in "The Derby-"Winner," and stand in the crowd round tire auctioneer in the sale ring. "I suppose I shan't be seen by anyone, shall I?" he asked. "Oh, no." said Mr. Collins; "there are too many people for that." So on he went. . What' was Sir. Woodvillc's surprise,., however, to hear one horse knocked down to his name—to the amusement of his friende and his own disgust. ■'■'.'. ■ • .. He. has had his share of unrehearsed effects on the stage, and.' one was concerned . with ■ Macbeth, during' the famous scene in the court-of the castle. Macbeth was contemplating , the murder of Duncan, and was uttering his well-known soliloquy—"ls this a dagger that I'see before me, the handle to niy . hand '/" when Pickles, a venerable cat belonging to the theatre, walked up to him and began to.rub its back against his tegs! In "Cheer,' Boys,, Cheer" Mr.. CoiiTns lured the late Barney Barnato on to the stage and got him to sit down and have a chat in front of a hotel scene supposed to be in Johanncsuurg. Up went the curtain, and there, was the millionaire .back on the , stage again r—London "Era." . ' : ,

Notes. ~-■'■.. A particularly, strong . cast has been selected to support ,Miss Nellie Stewart at the Princess Theatre in her Easter attraction—"What Every Woman Knows." In the popular. Barrie comedy. Mr. Harcourt Beat.He will appear as Jolm.Shand, the man of ambition, while the parts, of the Wylies, father and son, will be filled by Mr. J. B. Atholwood, Gregan M'Mahon, and Eardley. .Turner- respectively. Among .the /ladies,, will be. Miss Madeline Meredith and Jliss Gwen Burrowes.' Jfr. Gaston; Men-ale will stage manage tho piece, and' also fill a place in the cast. , , . "The Night of the Party," though described as every bit as emart as many ■farcical comedies which have induced swollen treasury chests, does. not appear to have caught on 1 in Melbourno. Mr. Geo. Willougliby has a butler part, in which his obese humour iinds plent" of scope.

"The Arcadians," the very successful musical comedy (asifar as London was concerned), is to.be stoged by Clarke, 'Mcynell, and Gunn's Compaiiy in Melbourne at Easter. , In tho meantime, "Sorgeaitt Brue" (score by Liza Lehmann) excites mild interest. • Edmund Gwonn, the clever character actor, whose portrayal of an effete old earl in "The Admirable Criclvton" in Wellington- cannot bo forgotten, has made a hit in Conan Doyle's ring-side drama, "The Ilouso of Tcmperley." .Ho has a "pug." part,, and-plays it to the life. Jlr. Gen. Murlow.lias staged an adaptation of Bret Ilai'te's story,' "The Luck of Roaring-Camp:" Harry Diver is playing the villain, with Kenneth Hunter as (lie hero, Ethel Buckley as .the girl, and J. 1 , . O'Ncil'asa comical Irishwoman. Calve, who is. to give- a concert at Colombo on the trip , out, is due-in .Melbourne on April 1, and' will rest for a fortnight beforo appearing in" public. She will dress her parts, as did Blanche ' Arral, giving excerpts, from "Carmen," "Cavalleria Kusticana," "Trovatore," "Faust," "Hamlet;" etc. Her vocal supporter, who will also appear in costume, is Galileo Gnsparri, an Italian tenor. Jacques I'intel, a Frenchman, • is the pianist.