THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2669, 15 January 1916, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

The, World's a theatre; the Earth a 6tage.—Heywood. IBY Sylvius.] A Season of Light Opora- . The pending revival of such old stage favourites as "Ma Mie Rosette," "Paul Jones," "The Quaker Girl," and tho pleasurable anticipation attached to the first production in Wellington of Frauz Lehar's tuneful opera, "Gipsy Love," makes the approaching season of the J. 1 C. Williamson Royal Comic Opera Company full of interest. "Gipsy Love" is the story, set to music, of the nomad who plays his last trump when hearts aro the board, just for the very fascination and love of the game. Around a Bohemian of this kind has Franz Lehar thrown his melodic spells. Orchestra and voice are moulded and made ever pliable. Of recent years the Continent has been looked to for any renaissance that might come in music of tighter vein. Oscar Strauss, Leo Fall, and Franz Lehar gave promise of better things, and their influence must have been nothing if not elevating. With artistic _ brilliance their scores eclipsed the indifferent things with which they had to compete. "Gipsy Love" attains as high a standard as any attained by these workers. _ In his latest work Lehar chooses to depict a new life —a life of southern warniness, of love and passion. The music fabric pulses with those characteristics-. and sings gracefully of the success that has been achieved. Lehar is a melodist who never fails for one instant to hold and attract the listener. The story of "Gipsy Love," in brief.

"Peg o' My Heart." An interesting event is tho projected entry of Messrs. J. and N. 'fait, the well-known concert tour directors, into the sphere of the stage. The firm has secured the performing rights for Australia and New Zealand of the very successful play, "Peg o' My Heart," which was produced in London just after war was declared, and has been running ever since. This piece ran for no fewer than COO nights at the Cort Theatre, New York, and there are no fewer than eight companies on the road in this play now. It has been a phenomenal 6uccess everywhere, probably accounted for by the fact that it is full of Irish wit and sentiment, and is said to be extremely clever throughout. The play will be produced at Sydney at Eastertime.

Battle Noises on the Stage. The modern producer lias to possess ai ? intimate and expert knowledge of a wide and varied character. For example : George Barnum, who produced for J. C. Williamson,- Ltd., the great war play "Under Fire" at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, found it necessary to kuow how hand grenades are thrown; what the interior of a bombproof shelter is like; how guns sound in the distanco and as they come nearer; the method of taking the correct range for the guns; and even to reproduce the noise made by all aeroplane, a bursting shell, or the scream of a bullet. "/or the time being," said Mr. Barnum, "I had to becomo a regular oxperc in munitions and a drill instructor as well, for every detail had to' pass the inspection of the critical eyes of the military men' in front. I don't think I have ever staged a play that) made more exacting demands on the producer than 'Under Fire.' " It might bo mentioned that to hear the noise of an aeroplane travelling overhead with a view to reproducing it in "Under l''ire," Mr. Barnum had to travel all tho way to the Military Aerodrome at Point Cook.

In the Land of the Cossacks. There is no ono following the reports of tho doings of the Ilussians in the great war with more interest and expectation than Maud Fane, the principal girl of tho "Mother Goose" pantomime at Her Majesty's, Melbourne. Miss. Fane has done a remarkable amount of travelling, and her itinerary included llussia, embracing. Siberia, and as far cast as Mukden, in Manchuria, and Vladivostock. "1 spent a good deal of tirno in Siberia," said Miss Fane, "and I can assure you that it is not such a bad country it is supposed, to be. At the time of the year 1 was there the climate was glorious. In Manchuria certain districts are still pretty wild, and not infrequently we received warnings of armed bands being at large, so that we were glad to accept the courtesy of an escort provided by the authorities. Siberia 1 found most interesting, and everywhere I was treated with the greatest courtesy by the Russians, whoso cordiality towards English. people was most marked. I saw a good deal of the famous Cossacks, and can thoroughly understand that they are more dreaded by tho Huns than any other of their opponents. We gave a performanco before an audience consisting mostly of Cossacks at a village on the Trans-Siberian railway. They were so enthusiastic and appreciative that at the conclusion of the performance they showered us with money 1"

"So Long,, Letty!" The latest musical production of the J. C. Williamson management at Her Majesty's caught, on from its opening in Sydney last Monday night week, and it does not look as if Sydney need say "so long" to "So Long, Letty" for some considerable time. It is a bright, colourful, animated show, witli a good farce plot and an abundance of songs, jests, dances, and displays. A notable feature of the production is the arrival in Australia, of Miss Connie Ediss, whose name has long been associated with the London Gaiety productions. Miss Dorothy Brunton, who is continually revealing some new ability, is excellently placed in the name-part—that of the smart, lively Letty, who spends her time in cabarets and feeds her husr band (if at all) on doubtful sardines. The part is a big change from those we used to think of a year or so ago as typical Dorothy Brunton Toles. The New Year and the "Movies." Prior to Ms departure from Australia for_ New Zealand, Mr. W. Barrington .Miller, one of the leading men in the Australian picture world, comments ed on the film possibilities of 1 916. "The big features are going to be the big draw cards in the film business. They are now, and many new artists' are coming into the movies. Their success is more instantaneous than that of the people who have grown up in the films. But they will have to create their own following, just like the old people did. Some of them have already done this—Albert Chevalier, Viola Dana, and C. Aubrey Smith, for instance. Examples of their work have been seen at the Picture Block Theatres. And there are more of them still to come in film versions of well-known plays and books." What- is in store for the public in the big-feature line is foreshadowed by Mr. Harry Musgrove, general manager of Australasian Films, Ltd. "Special companies arc being formed in England and America to produce big features only," he says. "Many of tho pictures boosted in New York and London as world's record features turn out to be failures. To avoid any possibility of having one of th'eso palmed off on us, our representatives abroad seo and report on it before any negotiations are opened. The Morosco-Bosworth, Equitable, Frohman, Gold Rooster, Flying A, Red Seal Selig, Lubin, Edison, Mutual, Broadway Star, and a dozen other companies arc sending out their features to us, and as they comprise the biggest brains and wealth in the film game, unusual tilings are expected." 'Tho pruning knife of jsha English

military censor has let up somewhat 011 war pictures, ami a number of these, miming in some cases into 50001't. of film, will be seen during the early months. One of the most interesting of these will bo the "Battle of l'raemj'sl." One of the most encouraging features of the advance in British film production is the increased part played by popular British actors and actresses iu the making of film-drama. Mr. Henry Ainley is already as groat a favourite with kinema audiences as with theatre audienccs. He will play his old part in. "The Great Adventure." Among the well-known actors wJio take part in the now films arc Mr. diaries Hock, Mr. Gerald Ames, Mr. Wyndham Guise, Mr. Rutland Barrington, Mr. Arthur Oiillin, Mr. Dorwent llall Caine, Mr. Malcolm Cherry, Mr. Campbell Gu!lan, Mr. Frank Stanmore, Mr. Henry Edwards, and Mr. Milton Rosmer. Lady Tree is playing in pictures for the first time 111 "Still- Waters Run Deep." Miss Hilda Trevelyan is to play iu a song picture film, "Sally in Our Ally." Miss Mary Itorke and Miss Esme Hubbard have- recently shown their abilities' in. screen work. So has Miss Hilda Moore. Sir George Alexander will play for pictures in January. One production in which he will figure is the ever-dclight-ful "Gay Lord Quex." Preparations are being made to film one of Charlotte Bionte's novels and a new Dickens 6tory. The London Film Company's picture "The Christian," adapted from Mr. Hall Caine's novel, which drew a big audience to its first exhibition this week, is cleverly produced. Miss Elizabeth Risdon, one of the best known of British film actrosses,' is successful as Glory Quayle, and Mr Derwent Hall Caino shows ability before the ordeal of the camera. The critical audience greeted the picture with enthusiasm, save in one or two details which concern Church etiquette, such as a priest v,-earing his biretta in a theatre. "La Gathedrale."

The Paris correspondent of London "Truth" writes: "Sarah Bernhardt has long preaoked and put in practice that it is not line feathers that secures any success on the stage worth having. Sardou obliged her to spend nothing short of a large fortune iii showy or rather gorgeous or. elegantly recherche costumes. Not to let couturiers and couturieres devour:her great earnings, she adopted third-sex parts, involving masculine attire. In her recent appearance, 'la Catliedrale,' she • personified Strasburg Cathedral in the similitude of a statuesque nun, surrounded by nuns representing the cathedrals and Notre Dams de Paris, reduced to dustheaps by the Germans. She and they to some extent at first recalled the nuns i)i 'Robert le Diable.' Her delivery of not very HugoeEque or thrilling verses was grand and tlirilliiigly impressive. Her whole get-up did not, I am assured, como quite to 100 francs."

London Notes. The latest play by Horaco Annesly Vacliell is a light comedy, taken from a novel by Mrs. Belloc Lowndes, and just produced at the Hayriiarketl Theatre. Henry Ainsley, Clare Greet, Fred Groves, Lyall Swete, and Irene Browne, a newcomer from' Australia, have the principal parts. Herbert Jav, long associated with V/yndham's Theatre, is the latest addition to the ranks of London managers. A Butterfly Ballet is one of the prominent ' attractions of the new Drury Lane pantomime, "Puss in Boots." The Lyceum Theatre was Te-opened with a Christmas pantomime on the subject of "Kobinson Crusoe." . Martin Harvey will make an elaborate revival of "Henry V," in celebration of next year's Shakespearean tercentenary. The decision 'of ■ the Lord Chamberlain to allow smoking in the theatres as an experiment for the duration oi the war is not likely, it appears, to lead to any extensive departure from existing arrangements. From present indications it would seem that the_ only theatres which desire the concession are those which are presenting the lightest forms of entertainment, such as revue and 'musical comedy. Presumably, now that free trade in amusements has been established, managers of variety theatres will be able to present_ s'.ago. plays to last the whole evening if they wish. The many .Wellington admirers of Mr. H. B. Irving will perhaps be interested, to learn that he is now g'ving four matinees a week of his latest p'sy, "The Case, of Lady Camher," mi addition to the evening performances." Mr. Irviug was one of the first to adopt the earlier theatre hours necessitated by tho Zeppelin-darkened streets of London.