THESPIAN MEMORIES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1928, Page 7

THESPIAN MEMORIES

♦ . SOME NOTABLE NAMES jHIGH STANDARD OF ACTING !A HAMLET IN HIDING (Written for "The Post" by H. E. Nicholls.) IIIn my first article I described the founding of tho Wellington Amateur Dramatic Club in 18S0. I have always beau proud of my connection wiLh that old club. For over a decado it was quite an institution in the town, and I 'do not think I can be'accused of partial [judgment when I say that the club "was •far above the average of amateur clubs in artistic talent, and that in its roll of members there are several names ■whoso owners would have found success and distinction on the professional stage. Of the members I will name first TV. D. Lyon ("Denie"). In addition to being a lovablo personality, he was a. comedian of raro humour and artistic versatility. He was equally good in the light comedy of Mr. Woodcock, "Woodpecker Tapping, Gibson Green, Fitzgushington Chaunter, or Freddy Butterscotch; in the broad comedy of Peckover, Box, Job Wort, Jerry Ominous, or Sergeant Slasher; in the "character" comedy of Krux or Chawnor; and in the mingled humour and pathos of "Eip Van Winkle.". Then, too, in comic opera how excellent were his Lord Chancellor, his Koko, and his Wilfrid Shaubolt. The professional stage has many a well-adveftised "Stars" not the equal of "Denie" Lyon. "Denie". was a good stage manager, and unlike many of that fraternity never bullied or blustered, but got ■what ho wanted from hia players by quiet firmness and geniality. Only once do I remember seeing him in an absolute rage —at the final rehearsal of "Rip, Van Winkle" —but that once ■was something to remember. Another fine comedian in our ranks was Morris Pox. Like "Denie" he drew tho line at blank verse, and could never be induced to vote for the production of any Shakespearian or poetical play. But in comedy and comic opera he was a true artist. His Mr. Peacock in "Peacock's Holiday," his Eecles in "Caste," his Perkyn Middlewiek in "Our Boys," his Mr. Bultitudo in "Vice Versa," his Beau Farintosh in "School" were all good dramatic portraits, whilst his humour in the old and the young Nick Vedders in "Rip Van Winkle" and the pathos of his Jack Point in "The Yeoman of the Guard" are still green in the memories of many old Wellington playgoers. ■■ Another fine character actor was C. E. Bailey. His.humour was "drier" than that of either "Denie" Lyon or Morris Fox, but the "finish" of his work was notable. His chief, successes were in "Uncle's Will," "Cut off.with a Shilling," "New Men and Old Acres," "School," and "The Gov'aor." He joined the professional ranks and was a very successful Fluellcn with Georgo Rignold in Australia in "Henry the Fifth." Later on Bailey was Rignold's and later still Williamson's secretary, and did well in other theatrical capacities in the "front of the house." He is, I think, at present residing in Auckland. Charley Edwards, had a beautiful tenor voice, and. did far more musical than dramatic work in Wellington/but that he had also: a, ; taleuj;..;f or : "character" acting was well shown by his. *' Percy Pen dragon " in H. J. Byron's "Married in Haste!" Mr. Edwards .•joined the professional stage, and with his wife (Annie Leaf) had a loug and successful career as Mr. and Mrs. Grant Fellows. He is now living in Auckland. . Harry Marshall, son of the secretary of the old Theatre Royal, was another fine comedian. He had the face, voice, and figure for "juvenile lead," but having great mimetic power he preferred to play "character" parts like Captain Gingah ("Our Girls") and Old Macclesfield ("The Gov'nor), in which he was very successful, moulding himself, though, too much I used to think, on Johnny Hall, who first played those parts in Wellington. Harry Marshall's early death was a distinct losa to the stage. Mr. E. T. Sayers was a comedian of a' different type —his humour being broader and more extravagant than Lyons's, Fox's, or Marshall's. He might perhaps be justly charged with "overstepping the modesty of nature." But his was an infectious jollity, and most of us could no more help laughing over his Old Macclesfleld or his Mr. Poppytop than we couia refrain from breathing. It is on record that a gentleman now connected, in the business department" of a local' evening journal, laughed so -loudly and so long over some particular funny business of Tommy Say era, as Mr. Poppytop ("The Wedding March") that there was a marked pause in the performance till the hysterical youngster's uncle effectually stopped the paroxysm by the dire threat of removal from the merry scene. In J. M. Clark, J. E. Read, Cecil Keyworth, and Harry Marshall, tho club was rich in ''juvenile leads.'' For old men and character parts there were Bailey, Fox, Fred and Walter Haybittle, and Charley Marter. For low comedy, Sayers, Griffin, Fred and Walter Haybittle, and Alee Newton, and myself. The usual difficulty meeting tho easting committee was "Who can be left out?" Of our ladies. Miss Newton, Miss Lun, Watson, Miss Letham, and Miss Grant were perhaps the most versatile; Miss Pilcher was very clever in "eccentric" parts (particularly good as Belinda in "Our Boys"). Mrs. Carte was excellent in elderly parts, and in the very early days of the club, before the amateur ladies could bo persuaded to play in public, Mr. Robert Gant was invaluable as a female impersonator— making-up admirably for either ingenue or "old woman" parts. Old playgoers will still remember his Nancy Hardbake ("Very Witty Diggings"), his Little Buttercup in "Pinafore," his 'Ruth' in "The Pirates.of Peuzance," his old lodgiiig-house keeper, Sarah Pellefct, in , "Dearer1 Than Life, "and his Hostess Quickly in "Henry the Fourth," part SOME OF THE PLAYS. It would tako too much space t,p enumerate in full detail tho doings of tho clvb —these jottings are memories not annals —but I may say all told over one hundred appearances were made, and more than forty different pieces played. Excursions at Easter time were made to Nelson and Wanganui; and some thousands of pounds were handed over to charities and public institutions as the net result of the club's efforts. Omitting Christy Minstrel shows, concerts, and farces, the chief plays produced were:— ■ . "Plot and Passion" (Tom Taylor), "Henry 1V.," part 1 (Shakespeare), "London Assurance" (Dion Boucicault), "Richelieu" (Bulwer-Lytton), "Contested Election" (Tom Taylor), "Dearer Than Life" (H. J. Byron), "The Very Witiy Diggings" (Herbert Bridge), "Married in Haste" (11. J. Byron), "Garoth and Lynnette" (Bridge), "Partners for Life" (H. J. Byron), "The .Chimney Corner" (Craven), "Caste" (Robertson), "Peacock's Holiday" (Palgrave Simpson), "Two Boses" (Albcry), "New Men :iml Old Acres" (Taylor and Dubourg), "School" (Robertson), "Tho Guv'tior" -(Rcece), "The. Overland Route" (Tom Taylor), "Our Boys" (11. J.

Byron), "The Wedding March" (Gilbert), "The Oia Story" (H. J. Byron), "Woodcock's Little Game" (Maddison Morton), "Naval Engagement" (Charles Daw), "Vice-versa" (Anstey ana Rose), "Engaged" (Gilbert), "Daddy Hardaere" (Simpson). My own parts in the plays produced by the W.A.D.C. (again omitting farces, etc.), were:—Desinarets ("Plot and Passion"), King Henry ("Henry the Fourth," part 1), Dazzlo ("London Assurance"), King Louis XIII. ("Bicholieu"), Mr. Honeybim ("Contested Election"), Bob Garritt ("Dearer Than Life"), Michael Hardbake ' ("Very Witty Diggings"), King Arthur ("Gareth and Lynnctte"), Josiah Grainger ("Married in Haste"), Digby Grant ("Two Roses"), Seeker ("New Men and 'Old Acres"), Dr. Sutcliffe ("School"),' Mr. Colepeppor ("The Overland Route"), Sir Geoffrey Champneys ("Our Boys"), Old Butterscotch ("The Guvnor"), The Duke of Turniptopshire ("Wedding March"), Jellieoe ("The Guvnor"), Admiral Franklin ("Naval Engagements), Waverley Brown ("The Old Story"), Dr. Grimstone ("Vice-versa"), Mr. Symperson ("Engaged"), and Daddy Hardaere in play of that name. • HUMOROUS INCIDENTS. Many tales could be told of happenings grave and gay which befell us during those eleven > years, but space will not permit the telling of more than one or two in lighter vein. In the club's first year we had to depend mostly on professional actresses. For the first piece—"Plot and Passion"— two or three were engaged. The "leading lady was a pretty young woman, a clever soubrette, but lacking many essentials for so difficult a part as Marie de Pontages. The aspirate was a difficulty, and I well remember the titter that went round the house when, in one of the big "situations," she haughtily spurned mo (the villain Desmarets) with — Serpentl Let go me 'and, or I'll tread yer under me feel! FALSTAFF IN A FIX. The club's second production was Shakespeare's "Henry IV." (part 1), with the well-known London humorist, Arthur Sketchley (tho Eev. George Eose), in tho part of Sir John Falstaff. Skctehley had been, giving readings from his popular "Mrs. Brown" papers at the Athenaeum Hall on Lambton quay,' and had been persuaded by some Thorndon frienas to consent to appear as Falstaff, a part he had played once for a night or two in London. So the assistance of our club was sought, ana finally, on the unaerstanaing that our members would find their own costumes and have nothing whatever to do with the financial siae of the venture, the club agreed to assist, and the performance was set idown for 23rd April (Shakespeare's birthday), at the old Royal. Sketchley, being, I suppose, letter perfect, probably felt no need for rehearsal. At any late he went off upcountry to give his entertainment, and we were, left, to rehearse without him. In fact, none of our company with the exception of Mr. Read were ever introduced to him or even known by him beforehand, but made our first acquaintance on the stage. There was certainly mismanagement somewhere, but it was not on the part of the W.A.D.C. During the fortnight of preparation, we one ana all worked manfully for success. In addition to my own part of King Henry, I rehearsed Falstaff in Sketchley's absence. We had the full strength of the club in tho cast, ana three or four of the stock company of the Royal were enlisted for minor parts. To be brief, there was a crowdoa house, but Sketehley's Falstaff was a aeaa failure. An enormously stout man, he played . Falstaff without padding and certainly looked the part. But his acting powers were less colossal than his physical bulk.' His. very fatness was against liim, rendering Mm so breathless and wheezy that he must have been quite inaudible to the pit. Consequently the comic scenes failed to go, and as tbo serious scenes "went" splendidly his chagrin was great and unconcealed. To add to his vexation his breeches (specially made for him by some Thorndon" friends) were too tight and not securely fastened to his doublet, so that when in the fifth act after the fight with Hotspur he fell flat on the stage feigning death, a rending noise was heard and a slipping down of nether garments was noticeable. Poor Sketchley, afraid (or perhaps unable) to get on his feet, sat up, and, covering himself as well as he could with his shield, wriggled and swivelled himself off the stage, sacrificing the final scene and bringing the curtain down to a thundering ■ chorus of goodhumoured laughter. No wonder the poor man was wild. Still, it was hardly ex^ cuse enough for a spitefully monaacious though cleverly laughable article lie wrote a year afterwards for "The Theatro Magazine," entitlea "Falstaff in a Fix." In this article he threw all the blame for his' fiasco on the unfortunate amateurs, calling us all the uncomplimentary names ho could think of, ana averring that his agent haa maae off with the proceeas, hinted vaguely that perhaps the amateurs had profited at his expense. It was some months after publication before tvo saw the article, and naturally wo were one and all inaignant. There was talk of senaing a reply; but some thought the reply haa small chance of being insertea, ana that the best course was to ignore the article. So nothing was done. Perhaps it was as well, for a few months later wo heard the news of podr Sketehley's death. THE IRVING TOUCH. Another amusing performance of the club's very early days was a benefit performance tendered by us to a professional family which had assisted us on two or three occasions and were now in financial low water. The evening's bill consisted of the trial scene from "The Merchant of Venice," the cottage scene from "The Lady of Lyons," the platform scenes from the first act of "Hamlet," and a farce which was billed as "The Mistress of the Mill," but which was changed at the last moment to "How to Settle Accounts with Your Laundress." Tho performance took place at the Oddfellows? Hall (corner' of Grey street and Lambton quay in those days), and there was a gratifyingly good house. The trial sucuc went off well, our Shylock (J. M. Clark) scoring heavily. In the cottage sceuo from "Tho Lady of Lyons" I had at a few hours' notico to play Claude Melnotte, our proper Claude (J. E. Bead) having been called away south on urgent business. Luckily I knew tho part, so despite my nervousness tho scene went well and Claude and Paulino were honoured with a call. Then, came "Hamlet." The name part was to have been played by Bead, so another member had to fill the vacancy. He also knew the part, and being a fine elocutionist with a rich voice and good presence, we all looked for success. This would have come had ho played in his own natural manner. But he had not long returned from a trip to England, and had been so impressed and magnetised by Henry Irving in the character that he could not get away from Irving's method, The audience was attentive and appreciative during the opening scene between Horatio, Bernardo, Marcellus, and the Ghost, but when Hamlet appeared and, a la Irving, began to groan and writhe L and .staJk. about; tho stage as though picking his way over the clods of a ploughed field, the pittites rapidly got derisively hilarious. Hamlet stuck manfully' to his work in the Irving style, and the audience got more and moro cheerful and greeted ovcry groan with a gruesome duplicate.!.1 Then the Ghost, a dubious scene-painter who had been pressed into service at almost the last moment, and who had nover properly learnt his long Bpueoh but had pasted it up in large writing on one of the wings earlier in. tUc day,'so that he should not

get "stuck," found, to his horror, that someone had shifted this particular wing. So as there was no prompter he soon "dried up," as the stage slang has it, and when Hamlet, to give him time to remember, put in a few extra groans, there were cueh shouts of merriment that; the curtain had to be lowered. Hamlet, Bernardo, and Marcellus made hasty toilets (I still have a vision of one of our number forcibly reclaiming his elastic-sided boots from off the astonished feet of the "Laundress" who had proposed wearing them in the farce) —and leaving by the back door, hid themselves in the timber yard of Compton's Wharf (near where Willestou street now is) to escape the noisy attentions of the band of larrikins who had lingered about watching for Hamlot's departure. "Something was certainly rotten in the State of Denmark" on that occasion. HOMAGE TO HOSKINS. The benefit performance of "Richelieu," which the club gave to Hoskins later in the same year, was another story altogether. Hoskins gave a very powerful and artistic representation of the wily cardinal, Miss Colville was a beautiful Julie de Mortemar; Bead was De Mauprat; Clark, Baradas; myself, King Louis XIIL, Denie Lyon, Joseph; Chaturn, Huguet; and Bob Gant, Francois the page. Hoskins coached us all, and I have a vivid recollection of the perfect little sketch he gave us of the foppish De Beringhen for the ■ benefit of one of our members who had misconceived the part. .The benefit was successful artistically and financially, and we were able to give Mr. Hoskins some £.90 odd as the net result of the performance. CARICATURES. In some of our early productions Fred Haybittle achieved considerable though scarcely legitimate success by "getting himself up" as some wellknown Wellington citizen. In "London Assurance" he played the lawyer, Mark

Meddle, and he made-up and dresser1 in imitation of Mr. Gordon Allan, a wellknown member of the local Bar. Of course, it was all wrong, for the date of the play was 1840, and we were playing in 1880; but it got Master Fred a laugh. Again, in "The Contested Election," he imitated the dress and mannerisms of old Mr. Carpenter, the second-hand bookseller of Molesworth street. Old Mr. Carpenter used to wear a blouse and a Scotch cap, and with a stick and a basket (this latter slung on his back) he used to go poking about to pick up such "unconsidered trifles" as dropped coal, etc., etc. The name of the oliaracter Fred had to play in the comedy was Mr. Gathercole. Probably the name suggested the imitation. In the same play Mr. Clark as Dodgshun, and myself as Honeybun, wcro held to have caricatured two well-known Wellington lawyers, Messrs. W. T. L. Travers and A. De Bathe Brandon, senior. Wo were both guiltless in intention, but I have always suspected our perrnquier (Harry Price; of having seen possibilities in our respective faces and forms, and of having worked accordingly, making us unconscious collaborators in the offence. In Herbert Bridges's extravaganza, "Gareth and Lynnette," Haybittle was cast for Peter the cook, and made-up and dressed in imitation of Mr. Peter Laing, the well-known genial pastrycook of Lambton quay. In this case Mr. Laing could take no umbrage, for Haybittle had told him all about it in advance, and arranged with the portly, jolly old Peter to time his entrance to J t stalls exactly coincident with Fred's own appearance in the scene, so when Fred appeared "up-stago (c.)" the real Simon Pure was in full view of the audience, standing in front of the stalls exactly opposite his duplicate. As the imitation was a very close one, the audience enjoyed it hugely, and doubtless Fred felt well repaid for his trouble. (To be continued.)