FROM AMERICA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1029, 19 January 1911, Page 6

FROM AMERICA.

■ v: — ...... ABOUT PLAYS AND PLAYERS. Mr. Harold. Ashton, one of the luauagers of J. C. Williamson, Ltd.,' arrived in Wellington yesterday ill charge of _ tile dramatic company, headed by Jliss ICatherine Grey, which commenced a season at the Opera' House last evening. ■ Mr. Ashton spends a good deal of his time in ' America, looking out for theatrical attractions for' Australasia, and only returned from that • part of the world some three weeks ago, having purchased several plays. "There is a great difficulty in'trying to discern "among the many .attractions offered to Ainoricau'playgoers those which would be appreciated by Australian audiences," said Mr. Ashton. "As so many of the plays—good, strong plays and merry furccs. deal so exclusively with American themes that would I>3 hardly understood or appreciated . out' here, , the choice .is necessarily limited. Here and there I sawpieces which I personally enjoyed very much, but which I rccognised it would be folly to introduce to Australian audiences, as half the tin!? the people would be asking one - another 'What does it mean?' ; There, are words and phra9es and sometimes situations- so purely local in colour that they would keep colonial audiences guessing throughout the' evening. "Olio of the exceptions are the plays of Charles Klein, the writer of 'The Lion anil the Mouse' and 'The Third Degree.' I saw his latest play. 'The (-ramblers/ which is a very powerful play indeed, and has been one of. the few big successes. In this ploy Miss Jane Gowl, wife of the 'New York Times' critic leapt into stardom in a night. Iter 'performance was magnificent, ypt.she was practically an unknown actress before she played the part. .'.'l also had the pleasure of witnessing Maeterlinck's "Blue Bird' at tho New Theatre, New York. It . was beautiful beyond measure. It was. a great success, and drew crowded audiences. Among the performers., was Mr. George Majeroni as Sugar. Another' magnificent performance I saw in New. York was Jliss Nanco O'Neil in 'The Lily.' She made an enormous hit'in the part, and on the opening night the curtain had.to be raised and lowered twenty-five times, aiid to show which artist was wanted tho andijacc spelt out her name time after time."" She was associated in this play with Mr. Charles Cartwright, who visited Australia years ago with Miss Olga Nethersolo. Another play which is sure to succeed out' hero is 'The Speckled Band,' a Sherlock Holmes play—comic, nnp.ninv. lint: fnsrinntint'

"I was in New 'York when the opera season commencoil at the Metropolitan. On 'that day as much as 100 dollars (,£2O) was being offered for seats. The opening performance was Gluck's *Armide.' Caruso, was the great attraction. Puccini's new opera 'The Girl of the Golden West' had not been produced when I left.

"You remember Cyril JCeightley? He is now a leading man in New Yo'rk playing in 'The Littlo Damozel.' He has been wonderfully successful and. commands a big. salary. Ivy Scott has developed into a 'star,' and was ■ plaving 'The Merry Widow' on tour when I'was in Amorica. Among other players known in Australia I ■ met W. E. Hawtrey, Charles Hammond, Dave Eivenhall, and Ireno Dillon (who was in "Mother Goose"). Sha is, married to Mr. Bostock a theatrical booking agent, son of Bostock,. of circus, fame.' Lillian Meyers has married Gcrnld Bacon, brother-in-law to Walter Jordan, Mr. Williamson's representative, in New York. Ivhadijah Cooper (who appeared here in "The Fatal Wedding") was doing sketches at the halls."..