THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1336, 13 January 1912, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

4 (By Srr/vrus.)

The World's a theatre; the Earth a stage.—Hej wood. An Overhead Ballot. The flying Dallet, in "Sinbad tho Sailor" at Melbourne Her Majesty's, lias developed into, one of the most popular of the many attractive features of the bijj show. Every evening there is a murmur of wonderment ami delight when tho dainty pantomime sprites soar into tho air, and lla-sli right out into the audiforium up to the dress cirolc, and over the heads til the people 111 the stalls throwing rases all around tiieiu. There is a fascination in the sight thai, hold.s tho audience spellbound, and the applause is withheld until tho curtain falls on tho iinalo to the billet. 11 r. Ivirby, who directs this feature of tho pantomime, has with him two assistants, who work the mechanism of tho "Hying," and who were brought out from England. They have worked in Mr. Kirby's aerial effects for years, and their intimate knowledge of the work precludes any danger. Lily Brayton Busy. Miss. Lily Brayton, writing from London by tho last mail, said: "The time is getting very short now before our departure, and I never seem to have a moment, as we are getting all tho productions ready—entirely new- dresses, i etc., and an enormous amount of work is entailed. The prod uction of 'Antony and Cleopatra,' which is to be one of the features of our season, will be most gorgeous. I am also working very hard on the committees of three balls which are to take place this season. The Artists' Costume Ball in aid of the King Edward Memorial, tho Three Arts Club Ball, in aid of the new club for actresses, singers, and artists, to bo held in the Albert Hall; and the Arabian Nights Ball in aid of the Foreign Press Association. A great feature of the latter ball is various stories illustrating the 'Arabian Nights.' * The story I am representing is that of the "Jealous Sisters." I shall have about SO people in mv procession, all dressed in Hack and gold." Coming of the Irvings,

Mr. H. B. Irving, who will make- his initial appearance in "Wellington at tho Opera House on Saturday, January 27, first played "Hamlet" at the Adelphi Theatre, three or i'our years ago. llis ape at the time was the same as that of his father (Sir Hcury Irving) when lie first appeared in that part. Included ill the cist of "Hamlet," when Mr. 11. B. Irving first appeared in tho piece, wero Mr. Oscar Ascho as the King, a-nd Miss Lily Brayton as Ophelia. In commenting on the performance, an English critic described Mr. lrving's interpretation as a "brilliant -triumph, gained by thoughtful ability and genuine dramatic power." Mrs. H. B. Irving (or Miss Dorothea Baird, asislie is known on tiic stage), who will appear as Ophelia, is tho daughter of a barrister, who was very adverse to her adopting the stage as a profession. It was after Miss Baird had appeared in amateur theatricals, given b.v'the Oxford University amateurs, that Ben Greet suggested to her that she should lieeome an actress. The scruples of tho parents were, it is stated, eventually overcome, and, since, her sensational triumph as Trilby she has appeared in turn at all the West End Theatres, including the Shaftesbury, the Garriek, tho Duke of York's. His Majesty's, and tho Lyric. A member of the company, who created a furore as Claudius Jn "Hamlet" in Melbourne and Sydney, is Mr. Frank Tyass, who spent 25 years of his career with the late Sir Henry Irving. "Hamlet" wn.M given eleven performances in Auckland to crowded business.

An Actor's Union. There is a certain wild humour in tho announcement that thero exists in Australia an Actor's Union, and that it has affiliated with the Trades Council. Tho fact jn itself is rather comical, but, when it conies to enumerate its aims, tho idea becomes rather ludicrous. In tho. first place, can artists—and every actor considers himself one—bo trammelled by tho bonds of unionism? Ono may well proposo a union for sculptors or painters as for actors, and the scheme, ono can 'only-think, is predestined to fail. One of their objects is "the cessation of the wholesale importation of artists from abroad." This is severe on tho public, who desire to see new faces and personalities as much as new plays. If'thev did not, would the management bo so foolish as to pay the return fares (firstclass) of actors from England or America?

No one is more loyal to the Australian actor who is efficient in his business than the writer, but, to close the door against tlio imported player would at once lower the standard of acting, for it must be candidly admitted that Australasia produces few actors of a quality equal to the best that can and sometimes are brought from England and America to entertain 11s.

And where is the line to bo drawn? Is the importation of an opera company to be objected, to? Alas for music if that is so. 111 pantomime, drama, or any other phase of the business, the restriction sought' for would mean a levelling down. There are many good Australian actors. Aro they often, or ever, "out of work" One ventures to say, No. But there is another class—the "getthrough" actor, who can lay no claim to an artistic idea, who is never anyone but himself on the stage, and to whom genuine study, sincerity, purpose, and art aro dead letters.

Yet, forsooth, no "actor" (save the mar';!) is to receivo less than ,£5 pet week. If a stage-struck clerk goes on the stage to announce, "My Lord, the carriago awaits!" lie is to receivo £o! a week. As for double payments for rehearsals on Good Friday and Christmas Day, ono refuses to bcliovc that that would affect many managements, as they frequently liavo their Christmas anil Easter attractions well enough in hand without calling rehearsals 011 those days. The "demands" have two good points; (1) A guarantee for payment of salaries, and (2) a proper observance of contracts. There, have been unscrupulous managements who liavo Haunted both of these obvious responsibilities. As for contracts —thero have been eases where they have been, signed by both parties in due form, and, when trouble has subsequently arisen, the actor has been calmly informed that it is not worth the paper it was written on, and has been left lamenting. Thero should be a contract, and it should bo made legally binding on both parties. • That could be very easily brought about, but not through the medium of a union. Next, will the new uuion.ask for preference? What a quaint positiwi it would create! For a manager to bo forced to engage a unionist actor who is perhaps absurdly ill-suited to a role in favour of tho non-unionist who would fit it exactly. Thero must bo apprehension that the art of acting would sufier by the formation of a union, and the public would suffer by it.

Notes. It is reported that Mr. Gerard Coventry, formerly stago director for tho J. C. Williamson management, will engage a musical comedy organisation in New, |Ork to open the new Sydney theatre about to be' irailt on tlio Q.V. Market silo by Mr. Wm. Anderson. Mr. Coventry is not likely to return to Australia lumself, as lie lias mado his fortune, and, with Ins wife and child, is now settled lor goojl in a delightful home at Long Island. N.Y. Of all stage producers who liavo visited Australia Mr. Coventry has been the most successful, and for many lie wn.s never known to be associated witn a failure. If it is true that Mr. Anderson has secured ' Gerard Coventry as his New York representative, ho is to bo congratulated. A scheme is on foot (saya the Sydney "Sun") to establish (mother big vaudeville circuit in Australasia, and a prominent Melbourne financier will shortly visit America, to mako the necessary arrangements. Tho projcct would, ot course, involvo tho buih.ing of new theatres in everv centre and it is not yet certain whether tho promoters havo overcome- tlio greatest difficulty in that direction—that of securing suitablo sires. Breaking mirrors is regarded as unlucky, even amongst those who pride themselves on being free from every trace of superstition. Tho "profession, however, mako no such unbelievable claims, and sinco an experience last week, Miss Hilda Spang is convinced that one cannot with impunity break oven a etagcmirror, ocrtninlr not on a rnd-aY, in tho >iUa mle Jli® Spang kta ,» uie,.

course of "Evor.vwoman," to tend a champagne bottle crashing through a large mirror. Then she falls to the ground. On Friday night of last week, Mi.-.- Spong loll; but, in response to persistent recalls she did not rise. When she came on in tile next act she was very faint and shaky. It appeared that a heavy piece of glass had struck her on tlie head with such ioroo as to stun her. Nothing but Miss Spong's thick hair saved her from a serious injury. Mr. Seymour Hicks and Miss Ellaline Pei-riss are playing a little "fresh air" sk-ich at tho I/ondon Coliseum, called 'The Slum Angel." They represent two members of tho aristocracy who go into the slums of Paradise Street, E„ with pockets full of money and hearts full of sympathy, and "personally conduct" a brake-load of kiddies to a romp ill lipping Forest; and already, it is said, organisations for sending poor children into the country for a happy day liavo felt tho inlluenco of t'neir gouif example. Mr. John Deverell is in Mr. Miehvl Faraday's production of "Niphtbirds," Miss (Gladys finger's version of "Die Ftodormaus,' announced for December 30 at the London Lyric. Miss Maudie 'I horntuu is appearing in the Drury Lane I mitomimo. Mr. E. Lauri and Miss May Beatty are in the cast for one of the outlying London pantomimes, at 80-.-iway. Mr. Oscar Asche has just engaged Mr. Aubrey Denniston Iload. son of the late General Hoail, late chief of the General Staff, Australian Military Forces, for a long period, and he will be in tho Australian cast of "ICismet" next year. Mr. Iload, who is appearing at the London Garrick Theatre,' under the namo of "Geoffrey Hardir.ge," is also a dramatist, and his play. "Tho Flail of Fate," is oit tour in the English provinces. Miss Anita, tho golden-headed little glory of Tiny Town, can safely claim to bo tlie smallest woman in tho world, just as Ilayati Hassid, the Turk, can claim to bo the smallest man. Miss Anita is 20 years old and JiOin. high. Her sister, who is also in the quaint show at the Hippodrome, Melbourne, and who cuts a charming figure in the approved circus rider's costume, is a year younger and an inch higher. In Australia these tiny people have Iwo other small sisters, one nine years old. the other 20. but mother and father and all the brothers arc nor-mal-sized folk.