THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 34, 3 November 1917, Page 11

THE THEATRE

"Look Who's Here!" Jack Waller and his associates are to bo seen in the vovtie "Look Who's Hero!" at the Grand Opera Houso on Monday next. Tho company is practically tho same us that which tluttorod hero as the "Butterflies" a year or so a«o. Among them are Mr. Dennett, tho lifted pianist and comedian; Wylie Watson, 'cellist and comedian; Jack Waller, violinist and comedian (who can forget their Viennese baud?); Ada Smart, and Cecilia Gold. The revuo aa staged in Sydney was a very elaborate show, but then tho present players wcto associated with Sydney James's "Strollers., Tho rcvuo is certainly tho stylo of show for tho moment, and tho Waller party aro (|uito able merry-makers.

A Gifted Artist. Mr. Leslie Board is, next to the producer, one of tho most essential i-.ud artistic of J.C.W.'h servants. As a, scenic artist, he ranks will) the very best, but his attention is not concentrated on tho canvas flats. His talent extends to a general harmonization ot everything concerned in the scone, tho setting, tho furnishings, i-ml the lighting. He canio over from Sydney with a lew clothes and with a. willing stall he built at and painted the scenery of '"the Pink Lady in a day and night, and made the stago clow again. Stngo managers have complained of the inadequacy of tho Opera Homo switchboard as an agent for lighteffects. Mr. Board, who is an electrical expert, says that it is a hrst-class board, better even than tne one at ttio Majesty's. Sydney. Mr. Board is a. .juick thinker and worker, and under his hands' a production grows with a. swiifcnoss almost magical. His cftara of manner and sure artistry are personal finalities that cannot be overlooked. It is understood that the corauif o Mr. Board to New Zealand will eftect a considerable saving in freight charges.

Tun on a Doom. THiss Maud Fane is credited with having mado a big popular success m M now musical comedy revue "You re m Love," now running to big business in Sydney. One of tho mechanical features of the show is where Mies Fane, in cute pink pyjamas, walks the boom, and finally sits on tho end of it as it swings over the heads of the people m the stalls., A popular diversion with the young Woods —and some cf the old ones-is to reath up and snatch the dainty pink satin shoes from her feet, and annex them as mementos. This is all very diverting and giddy-but is it art? The average playgoer of to-day will say: "Who cares? It's good fun! Let it go at that.'

"Cook." The writer of "A Woman's Letter" in tho "Sydnev Morning Herald," under date London, August 2i, remarks on "Plays and Players," with special reference to "Cook," by Jerome K. Jerome, at tho Kingsway Theatre, with Randal Ayrton as tho hero, Miss Irene Rooke in the title role, Mr. H. E. Hignett as a valet. Tho story is of John Parable, a great speaker at, Fabian and Feminist meetings all over London, who had never taken much notice of women as such. But he chanced to find himself sitting in St. James's Park one evening bf-side a pretty woman in a hat trimmed with yellow roses, without recognising for some time that she was his own cook. However, they went to a dancing hall together, and there tho admirer of. cook appeared, and there was a. scuffle, when John Parable's newly-acquired art of boxing came in handy, and he landed the admirer, a portly person, a rent collector by profession, one on the left eye. Thereupon tho police interfered, and the leader of the feminine cause had to go to Vine Street, and was locked up there all night. The mystery thus created was not'cleared up until the last act, when the cook and her master, in loving embraco prior to a hurried marriage in Scotland, brought down tho curtain. It was a witty little piece, and kept the house in Bti= of laughter. "Cook" was preceded by Miss Holon Mar, a famous raconteuse, whose best story was this-.—An officer was going back to .barracks rather late, perhaps a little merry—rather raerrier, perhaps, than ho should have been. Tho sentry challenged, "Who goes there?" "I'm— the end of a perfect dav," Was the answer given with gieat deliberation,

Next Comedy Attraction. With the possible exception of "Peg o' My Heart," J. and N. Tait's newest attraction, "Turn to the Right," a brilliant American comedy by John Hazzard and Winchell Smith, has probably been the most consistent comedy success of tho year.. It has been played in Australia 6ince last Easter, and at /the latest advices had made its usual appeal to the Auckland public. The comedy concerns the novel methods by which two young human emanations from the New York under-world, and one who looks like hitting tho wrong trail, are adroitly turned from theiT evil; ways. The play is not a preachment, for it goes to tho music of rippling laughter, and if there are little back-waters of sentiment, they iire appreciated, for never in the history of the world was there more occasion for ebullitions of tho Kind in their proper place. Tho capable company includes an entirely now lot of players. The leading man is Charles Peary Richardson, a connection of Vice-Admiral Peary, of the U.S. Navy; Sir. Ktapleton Kent, an English actor with American experience; Vincent Dennis, a character actor; and Miss Margaret Calvert, a member of a famous English theatrical family. Others who will bo welcomed back to Wellington are Hiss Lizette Partes (tho original Peter Pan in these parts), and Miss Gwen Dorise, a charming actress, who will- be remembered as a member of Williamson's companies, and Miss Frances Anderson, a promising Australian actress. The. Auckland eeason will finish on Tuesday evening next. Thereafter the itinerary of the company will be as follows:— Wanganui, November 8; Napier, November 9; l'almerston, November 10; and Wellington, from Monday, November 12, to Saturday, November 17 (inch: siva).

Notes. "Peg o' My Heart" is likely to seo a Becond year iu Australia, as tho J. and N. Talt management finds that its famo renders possible remarkably close and continuous louring. Almost every town iii Victoria has been visited with success, and the Sarah Allgood combination, on closing in Adelaide, will tour Wallaroo, Kadiua, Port Pirie, and other places. Tho part of Lawyer Hawkes is now played by Gerald' Kayo Soupor. .Mr. Allen Doone, according to Mr.' Frank Kenny, is playing a season in the Thirty-ninth Street Theatre, New York. Tho report that tho actor, had enlisted in America is not correct. Mr. Kenny was to have gone over to join Mr. Doone last month, but owing to tho upsetting of the running of tho steamers he was unable to do 60. A. L. Pearco, stage director for tho Taits, was married last month to Eilccu Sparkes, of the "Turn to tho Right" Company.

Jack O'Sullivan (Tom Pollard's brother-in-law) has gouo to' Hong Kong its touring manager for Edgar Warwick's "Court Cards." Tho members of the new combination nvo Geo. Titchencr (comedian), Albert Kea,ts (pianist), Roeina Palmorstou (hero on the Fuller circuit), Vic. Parsons, and W. Walton. Mr. Joseph Blascheck and Miss Alyco Austin are appearing under tho M'lnloslr banner at tho Sydney Tivoli. Mie6 Vera Pearco is to bo the principal boy in the coming Williamson pantomime.

Miss Boalrico Holloway ie being credited by (bo Sydney Press with a charming performance in "Baby Mine.''' "Very Good Eddie" wag revived by Iho .1. find N. Tnifc Company in SydoMv on Saturday Inst. Elgar'a "Canicfacus" has recently been sung in. Sydney by the- Philharmonic Society, under the baton rf Mi". Joseph Bradley. Mr. Andrew Black sanj the name pari, with conspicuous brilliance. "The Queen of the Sea" is the litlo of tho newest Annette Kollerman film. ]t was produced in America during llio summer now drawing to-a dose. Tho fourth, personal production of Miss Mary PioMord's is entitled '"Die Little Princess" "The Monk and tho Woman" has been acted for- the 6creen in Australia with success. Tho artists appearing in the play include Mies Maud Fane- and Mr. Harry Plimmer.