THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3065, 28 April 1917, Page 13

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.)

"Tom, Dick, and Harry." Tho Wellington amateurs who 6taged the comedy, "Tom, Dick, and Harry" in Christchurck at Easter so successfully, are to initiate a week's season at the Grand Onera House on Saturday, May 5. "Tom, Dick, and Harry" will'bo staged for four or five nights, and the season will conclude with a revival of "Charley's Aunt," with Mr. Norman Aitken as the Hon. Fancourt Babberley, in which role he has made more than.a local reputation. More Vaudeville Revue, Walter Johnson's Musical Revue Players, who have been performing at tho Princess Theatre, Dunedin, sinco Easter with marked success, is tiie next attraction to bo announced tor Wellington by tho Fuller Company. ■Mr. Johnson is an Australian, who went to the States years ago with . Walter Sanford's Players, and has handled many attractions there. On his last year's visit to the States Mr. Ben Fuller selected him as producer, and in that capacity he hay been enI tirely successful. London Items. The next production of Messrs. Ycdronno and Eadie at the Royalty will be a new three-act comedy, called "Remnant," by Michael Morton and Davis Nicodemi, the authors of "Tho Prodigal Husband." The action is placed in Paris in 1840. Among the actors will be Dennis Eadie, 0. M. Lowne, Hilda Moore, and Marie Lohr. "Seven Days' Leave," by Walter Howard, succeeded tho pantomime at the Lyceum. It shows tho adventures that befell a certain Irish captain during his brief holiday, on the east coast of England.- Part of the interest is supplied by incidents of submarine warfare. Annio Saker was the, heroine. Ellen Terry is to appear as the Spirit of Chelsea in an entertainment, in aid of concerts at the front, devised by E. V. Lucas, J. H. Turner, Monckton Hoffe, and others. Sho appeared recently in the prologue of an early English nativity play presented by Elsa Craig. Mrs. Patrick Campbell han been acting at tho Coliseum in a playlet written for her by her husband, George Cornwallis West. Sho has tho past of a revengeful French woman who has bocn wronged by a German officer. Sir Frank Benson, who lias returned to London from the front, whore he has been engaged in Red Croßs work, has been appearing in ibe halls in a monologue which lie calls "Shakespeare's War Cry." It is made up of extracts culled from "Richard III," "Macbeth," "Henry V," and other plays. He had an enthusiastic reception. Hor Littlo Palace. At Melbourne Theatre Eoyal, a "star" dressing-room, was built specially for Miss Mary Tempest. This; it is claimed by the Williamson management, is the finest theatrical dressingroom in the world. It is a fairyland rff delicate colouring, remarkable effects in wall-papering and decorating, and tho. furnishings are exquisite. Miss Tempest calls it hor "little palace." Since tho opening night of."The Marriage of Kitty," the business manager at the Theatre Royal has received scores of letters asking for permission to view Miss Tempest's dressing-room, which is regarded by visitors to tho Theatre Royal as well worth seeing. The Late Harold Ashton. Theatrical people aro often lonely folk. They-'aro never in one plaeo long onough 'to" make close frionds, and have to make tho most of thoso chanco acquaintances which business matters and "the front of tho house" happen to bring along. Thoso who come often aro bettor off as thoy get a more depondahlo measure of tho town and the people in'~it. They get to know the regular theatregoers, the theatre-loving political heads, and the. good Bohemian—who is to bo found m every city and town —who likes to know theatrical folk simply becauso they are suoh. These aro tho antithesis to those curious littlo souls upon which tho old joke is founded 1 , viz., "Here come the aotors, take in the washing 1" who still exist in. outback places. On a recent occasion quite a'roputablo company had great difficulty in. getting accommodation in a small'town not a hundred miles from Wellington. Indeed, Ithe landlady refused point blank to accommodate them for the one night thoy were in tho place unless the money was paid in advance. This arranged, the landlady said that everyone must be in by 10; o'clock. After a long haggle, in which the players protested how impossible such a stipulation was, the heavy-browed female let her point go by default. The next morning her husband, who had been away, turned up, and, entering the breakfast room, cast a dark eye of suspicion on the munohing aotors. Then before them ho upbraided his wife for taking in "them aotor fellows." The wife proceeded to explain that they had all paid up. "That's all very woll," said the landlord, "but 'ow do we know what they'll get away with in their bags." But to cease drifting. Perhaps among the many theatrical agents and managers who have been frequent callers on Wellington none have been more genuinely liked than the late Harold' Ashton, whose death was cabled from Melbourne on Wednesday last. His big, broad, generous spirit, his straightforwardness and freedom from bluff and anything in the nature of mean trickery made him a muchloved figure in the theatrical world. No section of the community will mourn His departure lience than tho little army of pressmen whose duty it is to make the theatre a home away from home, and who have the opportunity of getting close up to the real man.The late Mr. Ashton was always a delightful optimist. He had to battle with the best of them in tho old days, and there were occasions when the "ghost did not walk," but even that strain did not affect tho friendship that lie made among the players, as it was known that he- always paid when payment was possible, and was never quite at the end of his resources. His frock coat and tall hat olothed him with hope; his geniality and freedom from flippancy gave him the qualities of sincerity and sympathy: and all the time he was white right through. It seems very hard that, after working bo lard all his life for- a certain position, he should at length gain his dearest desire, and then be stricken down._ Now that ho is gone there is no harm in relating the fact that Mr.-Ashton _was very disappointed at riot being-made a director of tho Williamson firm years ago. It was actually promised him, but circumstances arose which postponed his elevation to the position he occupied when he died. The firm had no more zealous servant, and as a resourceful manager and acute publicist Mr. Ashtou's name will long bo remembered in the business. Tho' English Pierrots, still owned and managed bv the Thomas Bros, (so well known at St. Kilda, Melbourne), and still with Miss Elsa Langley as principal singing comedienne, will commence a season in the Concert Chamber on May 16. Tho Orango Dandies—ono of tho most successful of tho Dandy combinations to oome this way —will open in Auckland next month., but will not reach Wellington until August •!. People will be glad te know that Mr. Andrew Pace is s£TFT in the orange basket.

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