THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

The World's a theatre; tho Earth a fctuge.—Heywood.

(Bv Sn.vius.)

A Formidable Combina, The amalgamation of .1. C. Williamson, Ltd., and Messrs. Clarke and Meyndl has not been received with favour by the artists under engagement, to either of tho firms. The heads say that the combine will reduce expense, which statement the artists have readily construed into meaning (hat salaries will go down for sure, not all at odcc, but as engagements lapse and others are made. This conclusion is hot unreasonable. The combine will control four theatres in Sydney—Royal, His Majesty's, Criterion, and another to ho built—and in Melbourne it will control tho Royal and His Majesty's, and probably a small comedy.theatre, to bo built. In New Zealand it could, if disposed, shut other managers out from the Opera House, Wellington, and the Royal, Christchurch, which the combine has under lease, and it also controls the only theatre worth the naino in Brisbane. It is understood that even- line cf business (save vaudeville and pictures) is to be exploited by the combine, so that there is a poor look out for the small man who may deal in goods similar to those stocked by the big trust. It is safe to conclude that both of tho firms named have been making big profits during the last few years. What they will make in tho future under tho new conditions, taking tho last three or four years' business as tho basis, would bo difficult to compute. Actors and the Combine. Theatrical amalgamations are not beloved by the actor, who glories in competition, and naturally likes to have managers bidding keenly against each other for his services. The new Australian combine has, therefore, como as a shock to tho professional, who sees in it a parallel to tho great American syndicate, which for. many years controlled tho entire theatrical business of the United States. In those, days the actor who displeased, tho syndicate might just as well have left, the country at once— there was nothing left that was worth while. By thus centralising control managers had it all their own way until a few years ago, when David Belasco seceded, and led an independent faction, which has since become as influential aa tho original combine—Sydney "Sun."

The. Amalgamation.. Said. Hugh .1. Ward to the "Bulletin" :— "The whole point about this amalgamation of the J. C. Williamson firm and tho Ctarko-Meynell proprietary is that tho demands mado by artists or companies before they would iigrea to lour this country were becoming altogether unreasonable. By.playing one firm off against the other, extravagant terms were made. Royalty holders and othcTS, taking advantage of tho situation, cculd practically hold a gun to our heads, and demand their own price, and, as a matter of fact, everything was pushed up to break-nack price before tho protecting amalgamation arrived. Tho strain will ease off now. I've heard it said that tho amalgamation is some sort ef wicked trust on the lines of the; M«it Ring, and that the public will not be treated as well in future as it was under the competition that has hitherto existed. All I can say in reply to .that is that those who argue, that way can know nothing of tho business. We've got our theatres; we've got. to fill them; and if wo don't keep up the standard—yeF, and better it—we won't fill 'cm. No good tell-, ing me—l know all about it. If wo put on a, good "show at, say, "the Royal.; and a weak oho at Her Majesty's or the Criterion, what d.:es the public do? What would you expect it to do? Exactly. And that's what it wcirtD do. with the sweetest and most enthusiastic disregard for anybody but itself. We've got to fill au, our theatres, and we can only d - that by offering tho public sufficient inducement to crowd- into them. The new amalgamation',' far 'from'''being rtetrinierifa'l.to tho Australian stage, will be a gauranteo of producing upon it the very best but with this difference—we wen't have to get Tip a ladder to talk business with controllers at the other end." 4

Next Year's Attractions. Next year's programme for the new J. C. Williamson firm will include, the pantomime "Sinbad" in Melbourne, and the. "Quaker Girl" in Sydney, "The Girl in the Train" and the "Balkan l'rincsss" for Melbourne, and "The Chocolato Soldier" on tour. Dramatically wo all all have Andrew Mack in a new farce, "Uet-Rich-Qnick Wallingford"; the new American morality play, "Everywoman," and that great spectacular effort. "Hen Ilur," all at Christmas or thereabouts; while later en in the rear-there will, be lours for Oscar Asclie and Lewis Waller. London Happening^. In London the chief event of the week ended July 14 was tlio prc-ductiou of "II Segrstq di Stisanna," a one-act opera by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, a Venetian composer now resident in Germany, Whose "Lo Donne Cwioso" had au 'immensa success in Vienna in 1003. "Susanna's Secret" was .not that she.had a-lover, as her jealous husband supposed ,but that she was herself fond of "the sly cigarette."-' Henco the whole affair ends in smoke, but it divcrtingly occupies an act of 45 minutes, during which Mr. Sammarco and a new Russian soprano, Miss Lipkovska, sang and acted with charm. Wolf-Ferrari's music is ' described as "modom-Mozart," sparkling with gaiety, exceptionally refined, always sweet and gracious, ve-t original. This composer, who is already well-known in America, has a new three-act opera, "Der Sehmuck der Madonna," to htf produced a few we.eks hence at the. Kurfnrslen Theatre. Massenet's "Thais," produced in Pans in ISIM, is to bo staged before the present ssaso:. "alow*,- aftsi a delay of 17 years, iritii Mme. Edvina in the name-part, and M. Gilly as the monk who endeavours to rcscuo and reform the favourite heauly and dancer of ancient Alexandria.. It is a sad and tragic story. He succeeds, and she follows him into the desert, where she {■liters a convent. But ho finds to his ccst that he loves her himself. In a dream he sjss her dying, and goes immediately lo the convent, and in a passionate interview nroclaims his love. But she rejects him, nnd ultimately dies with the consolation of the Church.

"Above Suspicion." According t» a London critic. "Abovo Suspicion," which was produced at the Havmarket Theatre on June 2S, has been adapted ";.■>• William Morpeth with skill t'.s to language, but somewhat poorly as to relative value?. He fays: "It is a piece of carpentry. A. murder has be-on committed, the' wrong man is. accusedand sentenced, and another man, also innocent, confesses to the crime to save tho honour of a woman. Tho real murderer, wrongfully believing himself to he betrayed by the second man, .confesses. Franco is a splendid country for fictionists—the strangest thing* happen, and the process of law was designed for the enterprising dramatist. The 'code' was made for 'curtains.' An examining magistrate, conducting an investigation in his own library, and, when lie discovers that in some way or. another his own wife is implicated, delegating his duties to the deputy public prosecutor, tho while ho sufTei-s agony in an armchair by the lire, is not only a thrilling dramatic %- lire, but has the added advantage of being quite a. possible one. It is true that ii'the wife had taken the obvious course and told hrr husband of her perfectly innocent meeting with her old lover none of tho trouble would have arisen—but, then, even Sardou must be given his conventions. As it is, the- play is full of theatrically effective moments and skilfully devised complications. It is by no means a bad specimen of its class." Stago Not For All. "1 consider that musical comedy is I ho beginning of our work. After all, singing and dancing are elementary forms of expression, though, of course, both may be .'■• a highly cultivated as to become an art in themselves; but most of us have a voice, and it frequently happens I hat wc can use it without training, and that we can 'pick a few steps' cf a dance to enable us to ploy small parts. And so, while lnirniug the art of facing nn aiidiniee without . undue scJi'-crnseiousnrss—this being by no means the least el the many lessons we have to learn—we arc also

learning; lo make oursdvcs hcaril and to work easily bv means of these HI tin songs and dances. Therefore, it is better to wcrk in musical e:micJy than merely to walk on in clratiu or comic opera. "H a Kill iiiiu-Mv goes mi tho ■dage he cans* she is attracted bv the glitter of tho foal high!.--, or is bored at homo, then s-lio just livts for tin. day—or night. I'c bo more accural;.—ami whin her youth wanes sho fiu;l-i that her sphere of usefulness ends. Then comes a pitiful struggle for existence. Of course \vj are expected lo grow old gracefully; wo must not attempt tho iiiKcmii; after—well, .let 11= say lii'lyfive at a generous estimate. Mjdern clram.i decs not call for the bread-and-butter miss; so if they cafe to lake advantage of the- opportunities given by our dramatist we. shall soc;i have 111? sovon ages of man—lo say nothing of woman—portrayed at tho 1 heat its. What an opportunity for a repertory scheme—t.o start tho week with a child's piece, and to follow it up with plays showing the natural progression iii years! Then the usefulness of tho simessive generations of players will be apparent.''—lnterview villi Miss Ethel Irviug. The Difference. Australasian playgoers cannot complain of the price charged for admittance by their leading theatrical firms, for they compare more than favourably with tho rotes now ruling in England, and on the Continent. Clarke and Meyncll brought out the Asche-Brayton organisation to Australia, where stalls could be obtained for six shillings, as against 12s. Od. at the Garriok Theatre, London. The same firm then engaged Miss Ethel Irving and her English company, and this famous band of artists arc now installed at the Theatre Rcyal, Melbourne The London prices of admission were 10s. Gd. for orchestral stalls, and 7s. (id. for tho dress circle, as compared with Clarke and MeyneU's prioo, Gs. for stalls and ss. for dress circle. Notes. Miss Olivo Godwin is going to try her luck in Europe at the end of the year. She will make Paris her hc-adcpinrters. and it is her intention to have at least one term under the great. Marehesi. Miss Marie NnrelJo. the well-known Sydney singer of Irish songs, is back in London for a couple of months. Miss Narello is resting in between American tours in support of Mr. John M.'Cormack, who meanwhile is to appear in opera hero with Madame Melba. During his next New Zealand four, which commences at Auckland in March, 1012, Mr. George Marlow will introduce Miss Louisa Hampton and Mr. Cecil Maunoring— two well-known Loudon artists who aro now appearing at the Add phi Theatre. Tho repertoire will include "A Girl's Temptation," "Under Two Flags," "Tho Luck of Roaring Cam))," and "Driving a Girl to Destruction." Stated that American vaudeville is nh-artly to be invaded by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, who has mode tho English language misbehave in reams upon reams of marmalade verse. Ella, presumably, will recite "The Birth of the Opal." with singe sunlight and moonlight effects.— •'Bulletin." "The Tinted States is the cheapest country for the pcor man and the dearest for the rich man in the whelo world."— Sousa. "The Gay Gordons." which . will visit New Zealand under the Clarke and Meyncll management, next month, is still on tour in the English provinces. Although tho actors ore not Scotch (as the name of the piece might indicate), the company met with a great reception in Dunlin, and crowds were turned away every night. Few pieces have proved so popular and tho throe-thousandth performance, was recently given at Sunderland. Mordkin. tho greati Hussion dancer, who was principal dancer in the Russian Imperial ballet, has set up a big dancing academy in London, where he is boing rushed by pupils who arc content to pay very high fees to learn something of the art of this apostle of Terpsichore. Band conductors must be plentiful in Paris, judging by the fact that no fewer than eighty-four candidates applied for the place of leader of the Garde'' I{epul> licaine left vacant by tho retirement of Gabriel Pares. A jury of well-known musicians selected three.men from among whom the minister of war was asked to choose.