THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3173, 25 August 1917, Page 11

THE THEATRE

(By Sylvius.)

Ada Reeve Tour. News lias been received privately Hint owing to tho existing conditions in Australia, the Ada lieeve tour of Now Zealand (which was to have commenced ill Wellington on Saturday next) has been indefinitely postponed. "The Fair Maid of Perth." BizePs "Pair Maid of Perth" was produced in Paris in IEG 7, and did not reach England ((says the London "Daily News") till Sir Thomas Beecham produced it in tho provinces a few wecus ago. Last night it was heard for tho first time in London at Drury Lane. The libretto has very little relation to Scott's story of Scottish life; it is a conventional story of unfounded jealousy ami innocenco finally justified. Tho scoro is full of delightful melody, and tho charm and delicacy of the orchestration are a never-ending source of pleasure. The ballet music and the drinking song of Ralph have been heard in tha concert-room often, and made their .wonted effect;.another number that was popular was a serenade, of Hal o' Iho Wynd, and many others wero enthusiastically applauded. If musical charm can outweigh _rhe weakness of a hopelessly old-fashioned libretto, "The Pair Maid of Perth" will be a great success. Sir Thomas Beecham conducted, and tho orchestra played delightfully, and not too strenuously. Miss Mignon Nevada, Mr. Walter Hyde, Mr. AVebster MiUar, Mr. Poster Richardson, and Miss Olive Townend were the principal artists in a strong cast. Ate His Act. Tho steady drainage of actors and actresses from tho legitimato stage to the kinema is going on in America as well as in England. Mr. .David Belasco, the famous American actor-manager, tells a funny story in this connection. "There was a chap," lie says, "who had a dozen performing parrots. For a. long time, thanks to the 'movies,' this man had been out of a job. But at last his agent wired him that he'd signed him up at a good price. Several days passed. Then tho agent received on a soiled postalcard from tho poor fellow this tragic message: 'Can't accept. Have eaten my act.'" Tree's Wit, Though his name was Ti - ee, no ono would say that ho was wooden. The lato Sir Herbert Treo was au inveterate practical joker. One day, seeing AY. G. Wills, author of "A Royal Divorce," strolling along tho street, ho came up behind him, and in the whine of a professional beggar, asked, "Please, sir, will you give mo a. copper?" "Go away, go awav!" replied tho dramatist, who was roaoing a newspaper, and iTui not look up. "Ah, sir," persisted the aotor, still in Ttls assumed voico, "many's tho time I've applauded your beautiful_ plays from tho gallery." This subtle" bit of flattery told, and Wills, putting down his newspaper, was about to plunge his hand into his pocket for a coin, when he turned, and 6aw Tree, beaming with smiles. Dorothy Brunton's Farewell. On the first Saturday of Miss Dorothy Brunton's playing timo at Her Majesty's, tho popular little musical comedy artist will appear in another week of "Canary Cottage," one week of "High Jinks," and two weeks of "So Long, Letty." Mr. Andrew MacCunn has written tho music for a farewell song which Miss Brunton will sing during her last weeks. Tho final two lines of the refrain are:'— "Oh, keep mo in your hearts Till I come home again." Never in the history of the Australian stago has (=6 much fuss been made over tho farewell of a player as has been tho case with Miss Brnnton. London News. The writer of "A'Woman's Letter" in the "Sydney Morning Herald" comments upon her visit to tho Court Theatre; | London, to see A'iolot Pearn's satirical ■ drama "Hush," doaliug with the desire of tho modern girl to shock her elders, it shows how ono of tho "Daughters of Regeneration" writes and produces a plav, the staging of which, with her betrothed's parents (an old-fashioned country vicar and his wife) in a stage-box, is "shown in tho drama. Tho point of the central situation is that a brido brings homo a cradle, aud various "baby belongings," and parades them before tho prospective grand-parents—who are stocked, as sho intended they should be. All this, and variations on it, sound particularly feeble, but the author must be clever, as our correspondent remarks: "It was killingly funny, and one laughed as ono has not laughed at a play for years. I expect it will run some time, though as a piece of dramatic art it wants a good many cuts and trimmings up, for it seems hastily put together. 'The flats do not always join.' to speak in theatrical slang. Given somo pruning and condensation I think there is no chance of 'Hush' being 'hushed up' for some time. Mr. H. B. Irving has closed his 'Hamlot' season at the Savoy, and now fills in somo time with 'The Bells' aud 'Waterloo' before putting on a play by Mr. A'achell. Sir Georgo Alexander closes his 'Aristocrat' and puts on a play in which he himself does not appear. Then there is a good American play coming on in a week or bo. Mr. Hawtrey will close tho Prince of AVales's, and go away for a holiday. It is difficult in such times to cast plays. Our young actors are either at the front or training to go there. AVe shall fall back upon two repertoire companies ot opera Sir Thomas Beecham's and the Carl 'Rosa Company. Sir Thomas Beeeham conies to Druty Lane, a very suitable house for opera on a grand scale. The Cnrl Rosa is housed at the Gairick. These English opera companies are more valuable than is often realised. It is the only chance for young people with voicca to get any operatic work, and, judging from what I know of them, two onterprises play a very important part in tho operatic art of the future. Notes. The popular English Pierrots return to tho Concert Chamber for a fortnight's season on Saturday week, September 1. AV'hether the season can be extended depends entirely on the shipping facilities, which are at present disorganised by "the industrial unrest iu. Sydney. Harry Lauder has presented tho Highlanders' Memorial Church of Glasgow with an organ, in memory of his son, killed at the front. Latest advice from Sydney is to the effect that tho Puller Bros, havo signed up Sisrnor Capelli and Signor Scamuzi, of tlic" Gonsalez Grand Opera Company, for a concert party to tour Australia and New Zealand shortly.