THETHEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 972, 12 November 1910, Page 9

THETHEATRE.

The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—HeywDod. (By Sylvius.) Hugh Ward's Elevation. All who know Hugh J. Ward, even it be only a footlight acquaintance, will join in congratulating the clever- comedian upon his elevation to a higher sphere of theatrical responsibility in his admission to partnership with Messrs. J. C. Williamson and Geo. Tallis. I purposely omit tho name of Air. Eaniaciotti, whose place in reality Mr. Ward will assumo in Sydney as from June next. Why Hugh "Ward? many will doubtless ask. l''or several reasons not difficult to enumerate. The first of these is that Mr. J. C. Williamson, tho technical head of the firm —the old wisohead—is not so young as he was, and is inclined more, and more to withdraw, from the responsibilities of supervising productions in Melbourne and Sydney. Someone with technical knowledge and sound, cool judgment, who was not a paid servant, was necessary to hold tho reins. Wlio better than Hugli Ward? He has had a worldwide experience in evory line of business, barring grand opera, and has made a conspicuous success 'of management on his own account. He is an excellent judge of what the Australian public want, and he serves it up with the same admirable discretion. He has the courage of his opinions, and is moro often right than wrong, can pick a weakness in a production, and can suggest a remedy for it, and always has a How of good ideas to meet every situation. Such a man could not be kept back —he made himself wanted. "The firm" could not well have done better.

"Centle Certruda." This fearsome, but withal musical and merry melodrama, so surely calculated to barrow the feelings, is to be presented at an entertainment to be givon by a number of talented amateurs oil Thursday and Friday next at the Sydney Street Schoolroom, in aid of the building funds of the Boys' Institute and Unitarian Society. When one 'mentions the names of Mrs. (Dr.) Fell, Miss Jessie Newton, Mr. Morris Fox, and Mr. A. W. Newixm as the players need the prospective excellence of the performance bo stressed? "Gentle Gertrude" is a quaint satire on mediaeval melodrama, gouted with blood and packed witb laughter. Its merit is such that it was originally played .by such famous people as Lionel Brough, George, Shelton, C. Ewall, and Lydia Thompson. Robert Brough also appeared m it in London at a later. date. The drama will be associated with a short musical programme which has been left in the hands of Miss Lloyd-Hassell, Miss Grace Kennedy, Mrs. B. M. Wilson, Mr. George Parsons, and Mr. | Roland Robertson. A feature of the programme ■ will be the playing by a small orchestra, under Miss Kennedy, of the music of Maurice Maeterlinck's "Blue Bird."

"Peter Pan" tho Enduring. In a recent interview Miss Paulino Chase said:—"For four years I have been playing Peter Pan. I have played Peter Pan a thousand times. I love it and I know I shall never have a better part because no part could be quite better adapted to me nor Ito it. I am to play it again at Christmas _ in London. I hope I shall go on playing it always." T~ expect to, for I'believe that 'Peter Pan' will go,on forever.

"Mr. Barrie was an inspiration to me as he is.'to everyone. Not in acting alone, for' he says little to tho company about how to portray a character. He is a modest autlior. But his plays are inspiring. His; lines are, so exquisite. He lifts us out of the everyday into an atmosphere of beautiful thoughts. . "Mr. Frohman is : an inspiration. When he is about I always want to do a great deal. He does so much that he makes others want to do a great deal.

"I was commanded twice to play before the King and Queen. Once I played before two Kings, King George of Greece and King Edward of England. I have a brooch of diamonds which the King and Queen of England gave me. , I.have liked best of all the notes the' children who saw 'Peter Pan' wrote me. I had a thousand such letters. We have made them into a book." Nance O'Neill's Sensational Success. Mrs. William Desmond, now in Sydney, is the. only sister of "Nance O'Neill." That famous American actress was known in her own family as Gertrude Lamson, and tbe lady now visiting Sydney is named Lillian, and much . resembles the heroine of "Magda." The Lamsons belong to San Francisco, from which city Miss Katlierine Grey also comes, and, indeed, California has sent us many good artists, including that sound comedy combination headed by Dahiel' Frawley and Mary Van Buren. Miss O'Neill s success in the French comedy "The Lily" last year at the Belasco Theatre, New York, was the most sensational since Mrs. Leslie Carter's triumph in "Zana," all the leading critics recognising her as a star to whom the highest positions had becomo possible. There will be no further news of this artist for another year, however, as a few weeks back she reopened with Mrs. Chas. Cartwright at the same house for a short season in "The Lily," and will play it uninterruptedly throughout the big cities of the Union for nearly twelve months. Mr. Belasco will then have ready for her a hew play, in which she will open in New York. Mrs. Desmond, who has had stage experience herself, is travelling round to see the world, and is much enjoying her stay in Sydney, of which her sister talked much. She is keen upon her husband's possible appearanco in a new drama, "Alias Jimmy Valentine," which she thinks would catch our pla.ygoers. The chief character has recently, been created in New York by Mr. Harry Warner; whilst in Londonit was played by Mr. G. Du Maurier.

The Point, of View. THE ACTRESS. "Oh, for a home! What is freedom to me? I hate the false life of the stage! I'm tired of travel and struggle and pain, My spirit loathes even the sight of a train,— /. There's nothing in being the rage!" THE WIFE. "Oh, for the stage! It is Heaven to mo! Homo, husband and child —what a life! I long for tho travel, the lack of restraint, The music, tho lights, and tho smell of grease paint,— There's nothing in being a wife!" LESLIE CURTIS. Gilbert and America. Sir W. S. Gilbert is considering an offer from Amcrica to direct in person tho first authoritative production 'of Gilbert and Sullivan opera ever made in the United States. The idea tempts him, because if he gocs.ifc will bo on the understanding that the principals of the company shall be of his own choosing; that he shall, bring over a musical director of his own selection; and that the costumes and scenery shall bo from his own designs. "With ono exception," he said, in conversing on the subject, "Sullivan and I never

got one penny from all the. thousands and thousands of performances of our work in the United States, owing to tho fact that the American copyright laws were such as to make it impossible for us to protect ourselves from piracy. The one shining example was a Boston manager, who sent ten pounds each to Sullivan and me. I wrote to that manager and told him I knew he would be glad to hear that I had turned over his chcquo to a fund to assist in tho establishment of American copyright. What 1 would especially like to see revived would be 'Ituddigore.' The impression seems to have got about that this was comparatively a failure, but, as my sharo of tho royalties from it was £8000, all I can say is that I should bo glad to have made moro such failures. 'Princess Ida' ought to be heard, too, for it contains the loveliest of all of Sullivan's music." Notes. Miss Lizette Parkes, the brilliant little actress with the Plimmer-Dennis-ton Company, is one of a family of eight—five girls aud three boys. It is not generally known that three of the Parkes girls are travelling with the Plimmer-Denniston organisation. Olio is the 12-year-old girl who in the second act of "Lovers' Lane" . suggests that they shall all play at "London Bridge is Falling Down." When in Sydney Lizette became rather ill, and did not turn up one morning for rehearsal, but when it came to Simplic'.ty Johnson's lines a small voice piped tiie words quito in the Lizette manner — it was little Elsie Parkes. On being questioned, she said that she was so afraid that .Lizette would not be well enough to go on that she had .sat up the night before, aud learnt the part in case of accident. That is the stuff A'hieh makes actresses.

"Baby Mine" is the title of a farcical, comedy which has been produced in New York with great success. It is from the pen of Margaret Mayo, whose husband wrote "The Country Boy," which is appearing contemporaneously "on Broadway. ' Miss Pauline Chase, the English "Peter Pan" is appearing in "Our Miss Gibbs," in New I'ork. She is . shortly to be married. "The Harbour Lights," that sterling old melodrama, was revived by "The Whip" Compauy for the last few nights of tho Melbourne season. This is doubtless, in order to give the mechanical staff a chance to get the big Drury Lane drama ready in Sydney. Mr. William Anderson opened the Airdome, near the Central Railway Station, Sydney, on Saturday last, when the new picture of "Tho Squatter's Daughter" drama ; was shown for the first time in Sydney. The picture is said to have cost over £1000 to produce.

Mt. Howard Carr, who. was at one time conductor of the J. C. Willaimson Comic Opera Company, is now one of the conductors of the Thomas Beecham Grand Opera Company in connection with its four months' provincial tour in England and Scotland. Mr. Hamish M'Cuiin, brother of . Mr. Andrew M'Cunn, is also conducting with the Beecham Company.

The first English provincial tour of Maeterlinck's fairy play, "The Blue Bird," began at the Grand Theatre, Leeds, recently. Some idea of the gigantic undertaking of sending a play like "The Blue Bird" on tour may bo gathered from the fact that the company travels 120 strong, and' carries with it many more tons of scenery and properties than any company that has left London for the past 20 years.

Mrs. Annie Yeamans, . mother of Lydia Yeamans Titus (now appearing under Mr. Harry. Rickards's management in Australia) is a well-known actress in America. At tho latest she was appearing in "The Echo" at tho Globe Theatre, New York.

The French Society for the Protection of Animals recently awarded to Edmond Rostand the grand prize for the sympathy shown to dumb creatures in "Chantecler.". Caustic critics have burst into derisive merriment because the costumes for the play not only necessitated tho slaughter of numberless wild birds and barnyard fowls, but also revived tho use of feathers for fashionable headgear. l —"Dramatic Mirror."

Miss Mario Lolir, the clever Australian actress,' who has risen to the topmost heights .in _ her profession in London, is to act in New .York .this season. Her engagement to Mr. Robert Lorraine, the actor-airman, was recently announced. . The latier's first wife was Hiss Julie Opp (now Mrs. William Favershara).

The George Willoughby Comedy. Company, after running "Mr. Preedy and the Countess" for a fortnight, is to revive "What Happened to Jones" in Sydney to-night.