THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1186, 22 July 1911, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

A The World's a theatre; the Earth a s-tage.—llcywood. (By Svlvuis.) Improving the Opera House. As theatres, go in Xcw Zealand, the Wellington Opera House is iar iram !)■-•- ing in the first flight, and it i.» wilh pleasiire that playgoers learn that the etuiipany intends. io do something to bring it up Ui dale. It is not before that, something is wanted. l"p till the present any

"improvements" which have iji-cn niaile have, not been according to any definite or artistic plan. Aller the big lire in Chicago, every municipal body 1.-c-siirrcd itself over thn mailer of exits, and the .Opera llou.-e Company was a-lced to put in a separate entrance to (ho .dress circle. This was done, with the result that a two-flight, stairway was erected, the 'head of which came opposite the foyer dour to the dress circle. (This acled as an air shaft, and to test how much the comfort of the public has been studied by that innovation, one hns only to sit in the centre block of the circle during an interval when the door is open or kept on the swing. ."In making the. alterations contemplated, I would suggest to the advisory architect (the Hon. Win. Pitt, M.L.A., of Melbourne) that the head of the stairway should bo shut off completely from the foyer by swing doors. If anyone wishes to smoke a cigarette during an'interval he has to take the risk .of catching a cold, or becoming a frozen block. A verandah should also bo erected over the-Manners Street sidewalk for the protection of theatre-goers on wot nights.' The balcony formed by such a solidlybuilt verandah would make a very nice promenade on a summer evening. Behind the footlights -matters are more unsatisfactory than in'-front. Most companies find themselves cramped for room, and the big opera, pantomime, and dramatic companies have had to.suffer at. times by being forced to leave some of their goods mid chattels, and (at times) scenery in the open space outside the stage door. The dressing accommodation is wretchedly inadequate. When ,the pantomime or big opera companies come along makeshift rooms have to be made of canvas and odd bits of scenery in the flies for the accommodation of the i chorus and ballet. Tho lighting-system for stage effects is antediluvian, and is the despair of every conscientious stage manager" who visits Wellington. There are not even coloured borders, and i? a green, red, or orange glow is needed, all the light has to. come from below. •. ' • ■ Tlientro construction in America has become an art. Here- is a reference'to NewYork's latest theatre from the June number of the "Theatre Magazine":— 'William A. Brady's new theatre, the Playhouse, provides additional security from fire by the use of certain patents in its interior construction. . This, building, with its fire-proof, acoustic, and sanitary monertie's, is the first 'theatre in die l-iut-ed States \o adopt an entirely new character of interior construction. The seal.; are screwed directly in the elastic noor, the latter being a perfect sound deadencr, and allowing the smallest sound which passes over the footlights to be-heard free from echo. All clattering and scuffling in 'tho upper part-of the house, which is characteristic of most theatres, is done away with. Because of the elasticity of the flooring material the sound of persons entering ,the theatre late dqps not afford sufficient noise to.disturb those already watching the performance.. There is not a wooden beam in the entire theatre, and, because of the method of (fastening the seats, even the'wooden "strips or sleepers ordinarily used are dispensed wilh. = "Lovers' Lane" in • .-"■ Lovers' Lane-'- .successfully produced by the Fliramer-DennisfonCo. in Melbourne. The "Argus," in its'.notice of tho play, says:—"lfr. Harry Plimmer has to carry the burden of Ihe entertainment, and his study of the Rev: Thomas• Singleton adds something, to the fine record which he has estab-' lished. The play is not a great one, but bn-'its comedy "side it and The.village clergyman is of the irobusf, clean,'-And manly, type, and Mr. Flimracr fills, the stage .while .hqas-urran "It—which-is"nearly all the 'tinicT Miss .Lizetto. Parkes interprets Simplicity Johnson, from the orphan asylum. Like the rest' of. womankind, she wants the,' clergyman all to herself, and her naive, frankness on this point is not the least' interesting of the. complexities o£ her simplo character." ,

"Jack and the Beanstalk." Williamson's Pantomime. Company will inaugurate a tour of N;w' Zealand with •"jack and tho Beanstalk" at Auckland oh""Monday. The Wellington dates arc from August 17-.to 26. As usual, we are. not to get tho Sydney and Melbourne cast. Mr. Neil Kenyon, the principal comedian, and "Miss , Sybil Arundale, tho principal boy, could not make it convenient,to visit New Zealand.'-In the latter's- placo wo are to havo-Mabel Morgan once more, with Dorothy Firman as the principal girl. :The company includes Jack Cannot (comedian),- the D.ohorty Sisters, and the RantzCT troupe of acrobats. Marie Eaton, Wni; Hassan, Clyde Cook, Victor Loydall, Rupert Barrcll, and a big chorus and ballet. Mr. Charles Beikcl™- r ,! ' ". advance representative, and Mr. Richard Stewart manager. West's Activities. West's Pictures, Limited, has decided to erect a theatre at Perth to scat 3000 people. Tho new house will be built to suit, the climate.' At Subiaco, a suburb of Perth, West's is building a theatre for 1500 persons, and , alongside of it an open-air house for the summer months, to seat 2000 people. -/At Frcmantle this firm has secured a site next to. the post office on which another handsome theatre will be built. ' At Adelaide, in addition to the Olympic, .seating 3000, West's will shortly possess another building on a site 50ft. by 110 ft. in Bundle Street. No Sunday entertainments are given by West's anywhere. Mr. Gee is , , at present superintending the erection of a studio in the heart of Sydney, as well as Olympia, at Paddington. • . . ... Ethel Irving irr' Melbourne, Mr. A. E. W. Mason's play," The Case for tho Defence," 'in which Miss Ethel Irving opened at the Theatre Koyal, Melbourne, a fortnight ago, is (according to the "Argus") largely drawn from Kipling and Couan Doyle. The play opens in India, where, in a tent, Stella Ballantyno is facing her husband, who is halflnad and wholly irresponsible (thanks to a liberal indulgence in alcohol and morphia). In this scene she shoots her husband in a panic of fright and fear. She is tried for her life, but is acquitted through a clever defence made by Mr. Thresk, a lawyer who happens to bo travelling in India. The action for the remainder of the scenes fakes place at Little Beding,- the lovely home of the Hazlcwoods, in Sussex, with the sunlit downs, winding paths, and river visible French windows. The progress of the piece is delayed considerably by a long cross-examination of Thresk by a brother lawyer, ' Robert Pettifer ( Mr. Townshend WhHling), who is not satisfied with Thresk's evidence given at the trial two years ago. Thresk, who lied on that occasion, adroitly gets out of lettilers little traps by plilusible explanations that finally satisfy the inquisitive attorney, and the play proceeds. . The dominant scene arises curiously enoiHi from a desire on the part ot Thresk that Stella should confess the story nf the murder of Ballaniyne to vouii" Ilazlewood before she uuirrios him. It is dillicult to understand this demand 'on Urn part of Thrwl; lor such a humihalin" step, unless it be that still wanting her "for himself he hopes that the confession will be tho means of breaking the engagement. However, it leads to lelicitous and accomplished work, a passage of tragic humanity, affecting, restrained, and 'yet, incomprehensible. in motive. Thresk wins. Stella, in a speech charged with compelling emotion, tells Richard tho whole story. Shame, obloquy, and the death' of Richard's love, which she, dreads of all things, should be hers. Hut her lover is a noble youns lcllow, and lakes his wife-fnr they have boon secretly married—to his arms, and Lliresk return's to continue making his name in the "real legal world, 'equipped with everything but the love nf (lie woman for whom ho had committed perjury. In Miss lrving's conception of (he part cf Stella Hallaiityrio. there are moments of realisation that raise it far above the level that the dramatist created;--She i=

not Rue of the grand, tragic figiiri-y who sacrifice them-olves to some great principle, sonic great love, ur some ureat' revenge. Shu does what mi si women would Iirnl)!il)l.v ilo in certain circiimstaiH.-cs. Jt is oniy whi-u t.ho part falls into I lie hands «f siuli an aelres,- as .Miss Ethel Irving tliar its charadcri.-tics stand mil in dnir relief, and that all its possibilities, ils strength, its weakness-, its cs-i'iitial wumanliiu'ss are illumined as if by li^lit flashes. One hi these flashes occurs in lliu first act, when Ihe visitor from l.omlmi, who has brought with him an atmosphere foreign to liidiiin life, i-> leaving tin , wife to her unhappy environment, .lust for a inoincnl, as she s;-os his figure, disappear through thn ti'iit entrance, Ethel Irving in one gasp and involuntary inuvement realises, and makes her audience realise, the immensity id' her despair. So in the last scene hut one, when r-lin , tells, the story of how. her husband died —when she jlrikes, as it were, flic memory of that dreadful fraction of a moment' when she knew she was going to kill him, and ho knew it too—she rises, as her English admirers have said, to the height of genius. She does what only the greatest artists can hope to do. "Inconstant George." Home mouths ago I expressed some surprise that Australian managers had not secured Charles Tlawtrcy's latest success, "Inconstant George," for production in this part of the world. This brilliant comedy'is adopted from "L'Aue rie Buridau" of Jf. 31. Flers and C'aillvet by Miss Gladys Ungcr, and was produced for the first time in English at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London, on October 1 last. I'rom the outset it was an instantaneous success, and it kept London laughing for seven or eight months—a big vnn for a comedy. It is gratifying to learn that "Inconstant George" has been secured by Messrs. -11. Plimmer and R. Denniston." It will bo played by that management during the September-October season in Sydney, and will be included in the repertoire for New Zealand, which tour commences at lnvercargill on Boxing Night. V Notes. The Scarlet Troubadours are to commence a brief season at the Couccrc Chamber, on Saturday evening next. The English Pierrots are reported to be doing good business on their tour of the provincial towns rtf Wellington. They are to appear in Wellington at the Concert Chamber towards the end of next month. "The Lyons Mail" will be produced by the H. 13. Irving Company in Sydney this evening. The actor ton of Sir. G. f TiHieradgo has been anpe.uv.iß at the Tivoli, London, in a sketcli. "Jim the Rat," which was his first-attempt at dramatic authorship.-. Young Titheradge had as his associate in , the sketch Miss Ethel Warwick, who play-, cd with him under the Williamson management in Australia. Richard Strauss's latest opera "Der Roscnkavalier" has been secured by ireu. t. Whifuev for England and America. J. no New York Metropolitan Opera Company were after the'piece, but Sir. Whitney s offer of 22,500 dollars down and 10,000 dollars within n month secured the prize. The opera will bo translated into English immediately and will probably bo presented in London during Coronation wtck.—"New York Dramatic Mirror.

Mr. J. C. Williamson has secured the Australasian rights of Uaddou Cliambors's latest play "Pasfers-by," which achieved a fair success when produced in London a few months ago. ,

A play-consisting ■of 1000 lines of blank verse and entitled "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark"—has -been submitted by an aspiring author to Mr. 'H. U. Irving. Doubtless considering sonio explanation necessary (the writer explained) ho had not been poaching on the preserves'of ( the.' immortal Shakespeare as his. play treated of an earlier period in the life of the voung Danish Prince 'than that,' selected )>y Shakespeare, and dwelt more particularly on the love- story of Ilamlct and Ophelia. ■ •