THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 11110, 6 May 1911, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

Tbo World's a theatre; the Earth a etagc—lleywood.

(By Sylvius.) "Why Men Lovo Women." Certain light on this question will be given by the Allan Hamilton Dramatic Company, which is to commence a season in Wellington on .May 8. The company includes Miss Frances Ross, lor years leading woman with Bland. Holt, and Mr. Conway Winglicld, who was last in Wellington with the ' Pete" Company, in which he did consistently good work. With two such arti&ts at its head, the company should b= capable of making it clear why men do love women. The harem skirt figures conspicuously in onr scene, but is not assumed to l>2 in any way party to the answer to the query ill the title or tho play.

Censorship of Piaturos. There is some talk about the censorship of moving pictures raised by the over-watchful lfev. J. J. North. Beyond the very ordinary "triangular story pictures—tho wife, tho husband, and tho lover—which emanate from tho French and Italian studios, and which aro slowly giving place to tho more direct and vigorous playlets from America, small exception can be taken to tbo pictures, shown in Wellington. I have seen many thousands of pictures, and can conscientiously say that there has not been any.that.has everstopped the bounds of propriety. Ono must allow a little for dramatic license (as in tho "triangle" pictures), but, oven in such stories, the moral was invariably a good one, or the whole temper of tho picture was comical. The managers know better, I fancy, than to exhibit pictures to which real objection could bo taken, but, in any case, representatives of the press witness every change of programme, and would hardly fail to note pici.t\r<r. which could bo called improper in thomo or tone. What proprietors of picture shows might take seriously into consideration is tho matter of programmes for children. At present the same programmes which are submitted in the evening aro presented at children's matinees, and they, of course, include many pictures highly romantic in character—imiccuous to the adult, but just a little heated for tho child mind lo take the crrrect mcasnro of. Children are naturally inquisitive, and ask questions about the romance.; Cof tho kincmatograph) (hat aro fomctimes a little awkward iv answer. There are worlds of babyhnd and child land to exploit by the man with the camera, and such picture. , ; would ho evr-n more popular with adults than the interminable Wii'l West, and tlia Tweedledum- , cum-Foolshead ''comics."

Tho Son of His Father. Mr. Henry Brodribb Irving (or "H. 8.," as he is affectionately known to London playgoers) was "preparing to pack for Australia" when the last mails left London. To this actor the new generation looks to carry the name and' traditions of the late Sir Henry Irving, whoso eldest son he is. H. B. Irving is at the very height of his powers as an actor. Ho was born on August 5, 1870, and was educated at Marlborougli College and Now College, Oxford, whero he took" his 8./ Y. in the honours school of Modern History, and subsequently his M.A. As a member of the Oxford "University Dramatic Society, he made his first appearanco as an amateur as "Dccius Brutus" in "Julius Caesar," on Fcbmary 27, 1889. In the , following year he played "Stafford" in Robert Browning's play of that name, and, in 1591, the namepart in Shakespeare's tragedy "King John." On leaving the university, he entered as a student of the Inner Temple, but subsequently decided to go on the stage, joining Mr. (now Sir) John Hare's Company. Later he returned to his law studies, and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1894. Shortly after he decided to return to tho stage, and appeared under tho management of Mr. Coniyns Carr. From the first ho took a front rank position as an actor, and his range of parts has been remarkable. A few of them arc: Julian Beauclaro in "Diplomacy," Xcd Anerley, and afterwards "Lord Petworth," in "Sowing'the Wind," Alfred EvElyn in "Money," Charles Surface in "The School for Scandal," Claude Melnotto in "Tho Lady of Lyons," young Marlow in "Sho Stoops to Conquer," and Louis Farquhar, M.P., in "A Leader of Men." Ho acted "Hamlet," Leontes in "A Winter's Tale," "Romeo," "Othello," Don Pedro, and subsequently Benedict in 'Much Ado About Nothing," Orlando and Jacques in "As You Like It," Armand in "A Village Priest," Digby Grant (a part originally played by his father) in "The Two Roses," Marcus in "The Sign of the Cross," Rupert in "The Prisoner of Zciula," Loftus Rotipell in "Tho Tree of Knowledge," Crichton in "The Admirable Cricliton," Lesurgues and Dubosc in "The Lyons Mail," Charles I in the play of that name! Giovanni in "Paolo and Fraucesca," Mathias in "The Bells," the name part in "Louis XI." Of the last mentioned part he says that thero is everything in it to desire, from an actor s point of view, and, in opposition to tho "case" of the role, ho would put tho strain of Mathias. Tho part of "Hamlet" also involves a severe physical and intellectual tax. In 1906 Mr. 11. B. Irvine went into.management m London under his own name. On his return from \nstralia, the home of his future work, the "Irving Theatre," will be ready .or occupation by him.

"The Lily" In London. "\ Woman in London" writes to the "Sydney Morning Herald" under date 1 "I have been to see Mr. Laurence Irving and his talented wife, Mabel Hackney, in 'The Lily, , a clean adaptation from the French, and camo away more impressed that the mantle oi hir Henry has fallen upon Laurence, lie has his father's power of keeping >uur attention, and making you follow Inm whenever he is on the stage. ..lisa Hackney had a very difficult role, and the play was so essentially French that it was 'wonderful to find how little changed it was in its English setting. The pivot of tho play was on the question of marriage. In France it is not merely a question between tho man and tho woman who are to wed; the whole family has a share in the pros and cons. Should there be a false step, a scandal on cither side, the marriage will not be allowed to take place. In this case a selfish father had excluded all idea of love from the liouso in order that liis daughters might attend only to his comfort. There was no dowry owing to his own rash expenditure, and though the elder daughter sacrificed tho joys of her own young life, and remained by her father's side, a greyhaired spinster, tho younger girl took her happiness in her own hands, and in so doing wrecked the chance of her brother's marriage with a wealthy heiress. It i:> a bald way of explaining a wonderfully clever piny, but the acting was splendid. Miss Geraldinc Oliil'e, whom I remember many years ago playing with Mr. Willard, was absolutely magnificent in her long speech to her father upon the selfish life he had led, and the sacrifice he had demanded ol his daughters. She is a line, tall, graceful woman. It was a rare treat to listen tn her finished diction, and watch Miss Oliil'e moving about the stage." To these remarks, it may bo added that Miss Geraldiue blilfe replaced Mrs. Brough (absent in England) for nearly a year in "The Jlasriucradcrs" and other pieces with the Brough-Bouci-cnult Comedy Company. She was at thai time a very moderate performer,

but it v:as some 15 years ago, and she, has had n lot of experience of all sorts since. The character now referred to is tlio one in which Miss Nance O'Neill made an extraordinary success in Kew York, where the piece ran for a year.

"Tho Whip." Nothing so interesting in melodrama lias ever been seen or attempted in Australasia as tho J. C. Williamson, Ltd., production of the great Drury Lane drama "The Whip." "Tho Whip" will be produced here on Thursday, -May 18. Twelve racohors;s—several of thorn tho private property of Mr. J. C. Williamson, and members of his racing stud — are being brought over from Sydney. Theso will take part in the great race scene, in which the Two Thousand Guineas is competed for. The magnitude of the enterprise may bo gathered from the fact that the company,, which is an English one, will number considerably over 100, which, for a dramatic organisation, is wonderful. Six hundred tons of scenery, properties, and effects are needed, and this is manipulated by a treble staff of mechanists, stage hands, and electricians. A staff of over 60 men are necessary, over and above these, to work tho piece at the nightly performances. There arc five big sensation scenes in tho play—the thrilling episodes in the chamber of horrors, tho tragedy of the hunt breakfast, the great race for the Two Thousand Guineas, tho motor-ear collision, and the supremo sensation of the railway disaster. It can be readily believed that "Tho Whip," in point of spectacle and scenic effect, easily over-towers anything in tho dramatic way ever done, not only in tho Dominion, but in Australia.

During the Easter searon, "Our Miss Gibbs" was apparently, well in the boom. Many Melbourne people, across for the races and show, attended tho musical comedy, and predicted a big run for it in Melbourne. On Easter Saturday the last gallery ticket was sold before seven o'clock, while, on the Monday, the police stopped the sales at 6.30. On the Saturday morning before. Easter, there- was not an unbooked seat in tho reserved portions of the Theatre Royal for a week ahead.