AUSTRALIAN PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 47, 24 February 1906, Page 13

AUSTRALIAN PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

Mr. Spencer Barry, who is about to •return to England in a few week*, after a period of more than four y«are' excellent work as stage manager for Mr. J. C. Williamson, Bpcaks in the highest terms of tho completeness and detail with which plays are produced in Australia. "A six-weeks 1 run out he-ro," ho says, "Is equal to an elghtoen-months' run at home; and recognising that fact, I say that Mr. Williamson's productions are simply stupendous for such a brief term. The thought that is required, and the attention to detail, aro known to vory few people— the audienco have no idea of the immense- amount of work devoted to these plays beforo they «ro publicly performed. Again, out here we have to imagine cvw-y detail, People suppose that when wo get a play from London we got nil theao partloulnra with it) but that is not so. lixcopt for a photograph or two, or perhaps pictures from magazines, we havo nothing, and all the detail must bo built "P., 1 ? 0 " 1 ,, lns ls *hore Mr. Williamson's Abi lity displays Itself. And in all Mr. Williamson^ theatres there is an organisation, and a biwineM-Uke atmosphere, seldom met with in any other part of the world." Perhaps had Mr. Williamson been present at thta little interview, he would have had something to «ay about Mr. Spencer Barry's skill and enthusiasm. Mr. Barry as greatly struck with the capacity for work and the adaptability to circumstances which fl re manifested by theatrical performers in these lands i—"At one time we find members of a company playing in the Savoy school, then in the Gaaety, and at some other timo in tho Daly HchooL Theso whdbla are quite distinct—tho Da yis serious, and th« Gaiety light and bright— nnd nt Homo a performer has to be selected for his particular school, nnd will remain there for yeare. But in Australia a company does all three without any trouble, nnd the next time you see it on tour it is practically playing grand opera with the same set of artists. To my mind, this is a big feather in the cap of the Australian, because it is so difficult to jump from one stylo to mother, and not show the chango to your audlonco.," ( In the some way, Mr. Barry has nothing but praise for tho chorus singer*. "who work all day long from half-past 10 till half-past 4at rehearsal— and they are not allowed to aldmp at rehearsal, either — flttd then com© on fresh as posslblo for the evening performance." American girls, he snys. may do this sort of tiling, but the English girls Cannot; and this reminds him that tho Australian girl appears to combine tho vivacity and stamina of the American with tho singing qualities of the Englishwoman. "This is a groat country for rising young artistes," is his verdict, for the'ren1 son tnat thoy get so many opportunities of appearance 111 varied roles. ,At Home a man may havo to play one port for two or three years. As to Australian audiences, Mr. Barry recordp with appreciation that they welcome ft stranger with spontaneously genial cordiality. "They seem to say, 'You are welcomo,' before they expect you to make good your reputation j whereas in other parts of the world the audiences follow the reverse plan. They net as if they say. 'Let's see what you can do, nnd wo 11 tell you what we think afterwards.' Again, Australians have a wonderfully cntlutdnstlo welcome for nn artist who re-appears in an old part in which ho has made hi* name. Before he came to Australia Mr. Barry was for seven yenrs with Mr. Georgo Edwardes. He served under Sir Henry Irving, whom he describes as "the greatest sUge-mnnagor of all time," by reason of his marvellous perception and the skill With which he obtained the brilliant «f« feet* of modern stagecraft without the use of modern appliances, for ono of Sir Henry. Irving'a peculiarities, it appears, was nil deeply-rooted aversion to the eleotrio light en the stage. Whon he took over the Lyceum from Mndamo Eleonora Diwe, tho elabroato olectric lighting plant Installed by that' actress had to oe entirely removed.— Sydney Daily Telegraph.