FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

Evening Star, Issue 17543, 24 December 1920, Page 12

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES

[By IfOITEBBB.]

For his second production, Mr Walter t George announces that clever and bright musical pastime, .'The Cruise of the Cymbaline,' which attained such Vogue or the company's last visit. This musica comedy "goes up" at the Princess Theatre on Monday nignt. In the hoiiuay peuooj there will be. special matinees in addition to the usual Saturday' one, probably on Monday and "Wednesday. Three things make the screen production of •Dr JekyU and Mr Hyde/ which will fce presented at the Octagon to-night, of unusual interest: the weird fascination of the Robert Louis Stevenson story, to which he gave the title, ' The Strange Case of Dr Jekyli and Mr Hyde' ; the remarkable success achieved in the stage version by H. B. Irving; ..and the appearance of John Barrymore on the screen as the man with the dual personality. The acting pf John Barrymore, who is recognised as a great tragedian, is positively uncanny. The onlooker watches Dr Jekyli as he drinks the potion which he both hopes and dreads' will give him new life with a breathless intensity and feeling of impending abomination. Watching his face as the drug takes possession of him, one sees the handsome, clear-cut features of Henry Jekyli change before one's eyes and rapidly into the hideous, repellant linea- ' ments of the abominable Hyde. 'Dr Jekyli and Mr Hyde- 1 is a J craft Royalty Masterpiece. It takes th'e j same high place in the film sphere as Stevenson's work did in the world of litera-' ture.

The English actor Arthur WontneSfc who visited this country first with Maud Jeffries and Julius Knight, has entered into London management, and .recently produced at the Comedy Theatre a piece called 'The Romantic Age.' Amy Murphy was recently singing at the Wondergraph, Adelaide. William Desmond, now a well-known picture artist, is . better known to

"legitimate" drama ' patrons than most of tne movie folk. He toured New Zealand first' with tiie American star Katherine Grey in ' The Lion and the Mouse,' 'The Third Degree,' and 'Paid in Full'; and more ivtvntiy played Sherlock Holmes in ' The Speckled Band,' a powerful piece in which Uaston Mervale had the leading role of Dr John Ryder.

Elwyn Harvey, who was a member of the Allan Wilkie, Julius Knight, and George Marlow companies, continues sistently to meet with success in America. The latest was achieved at the Alcazar Theatre, San Francisco, in Somerset Marshall's delightful, comedy 'Too Many Husbands.' Playing the leading part, Miss Harvey was eulogistically described by one journal as a "good actress with very graceful stage presence, a charming voice, evident intelligence, a sense of humor in her work, a pleasing simplicity, and ease of manner. She had many opportunities, and took full advantage bf them. Half a' dozen curtain calls and many flowers told Miss Harvey that the Alcazar audience endorsed the choice and welcomed her. The ease with which she entered into her new work and new associations promised many good things." The Fullers are extending their vaudeville many diameters bevond variety's routine circle. The latest "artist to open at their Sydney house is M. Haagen Holenbergh, the well-known Danish pianist. M. Holenbergh has a big reputation on the Continent of Europe, in America, and in Australia, and is noted for his finished sense of style and his highly-cultured poetic interpretation. His repertoire is very extensive, including standard works from practically every ancient, romantic, and modern school.

When Mr Thomas Quinlr.n was in Sydney a few years ago with his grand opera company he listened to many an aspiring young artist with the ambitions of a prima donna, and one who impressed him strongly was Miss Eene Maxwell. Hearing Miss Maxwell sing at an impromptu gallery concert, while the audience was waiting for the opera to begin, the entrepreneur was so impressed at the sweetness and volume of her voice that he made a point of hearing it again at the studio of her teacher. On that occasion he offered-her a place in the companv. (That was the start of Miss Rene Maxwell's career. She went to Europe, where she became a finished artist, and has since ma< hn her . nam e on the concert platform. In Hie Lilac Domino,' now at the Tivoli, Sydney, she takes the part of Georgina, the girl in the 'Lilac Domino,' and her singing is one of the features of the bright operetta. Arthur Tauchert, specially selected by C. J. Dennis to fill the part of 'The .Sentimental Bloke' in the film version of the poem, has signed an engagement to appear m vaudeville as the "bloke"'himself under the Fuller management. Probably no one living knows the atmosphere of "Tne Sentimental Bloke' better than 1-anchert, who, in his football, swimming, and boxing days was tutored in a hard school in and round Sydney. Friday, 12th November, says the Sydney 'Morning Herald,' was the occasion of an unnoticed farewell to the Theatre n° y ™lVv S between now and next Easter J. U Williamson, Ltd., will rebuild it, at a cost of some £50,C00, to plans prepared by. Mr Henry E. "White. The new building will still occupy the oldest" continuously theatrical site in the city, and one of the most popular, and it is to be hoped that the old name will be retained and the old traditions preserved. The first playhouse put up there was the Prince of Wales Theatre, in 1854, but it was utterly destroyed by fire in 1860. A second fire destroyed the restored edifice in 1872, when, rebuilt, it was given its present title, and lasted twenty years more. The Theatre Royal was burnt a third time on 17th June, 1892, only a portion of the outer .walk remaining. Mrs Bernard lieere, with an English company, which included Herbert Standing, Otho Stewart the beautiful Isabel Urquhart, and other artists, had been playing 'London Assurance ' only a few hours previously. The present Theatre Royal was opened bv §92 E Meriva3e ' in ' Fali a>' at Christmas,

Those of us who, thirty years ago, blew : kisses from the stalls of the now vanished ', iivoh at Miss Lottie Collins, who was ' captivating the town with .that inane refrain ' Tara-ra-boom-de-ay' (writes our London correspondent) never thought the vivacious little lady, who was so saucily twinkling her legs at us across the footlights in gleaming scarlet stockings, would be the mother of another footlight queen, more beautiful and even more famous, who would figure in one of the moat romantic stage-and-peerage eer.sat.oiis on re- i cord. A rapturous reception was given ' to Miss Jose Collins this month (October), when she appeared as usual to play th« title j role in ' The Southern Maid' at Daly's, where she has been the compelling personality in successful runs of musical comedy for ever so long. Miss Jose Col- j lins, who now becomes Lady Innes-Ker, > and sister-in-law to a duke, is a typical brunette of the beautiful Jewish type, with a full but active figure, olive complexion, and large black eyes. Her voice is a cut above the usual musical comedy lady's possession, and she has far more than the average acting and dancing ability of that genre. Her husband, Lord Robert Innes-Ker, is thirty-five years old, tall and military in appearance, with V brigadier moustache " complete, and saw service with the Guards during the war. This romantic affair ought to "help hardpressed theatrical managers, who, since the war, have experienced much difficulty in getting suitable girls for their choruses. Thus writes a leading Sydney critic on 'The Man From Toronto,' the Robert Courtneidge production, under the J. C. Williamson-Hugh H. MTntosh direction", which is due here shortly: The public like good, clean, healthy comedy, and ' the author of 'The Man" From Toiiiato' has provided it in such liberality that young and old sit and laugh unrestrainedly until the end of the performance. 'The Man From Toronto' is not a farce, but a comedy with a plot 4 which lends 'itself to the brilliant work of the author. Within less than twelve months various members of the Royal Family were seen in the audience on fifteen occasions. The principal parts will be played by Mr George Tufly, an accomplished actor, and Miss Margaret Swallow, a fascinating actress, also °with a big English reputation. The list. of players includes Miss Rosalind Couxt-

neidge,, Mr Roland Ward, Miss Leslie Lester, Miss Leslie Graham, Miss Maria Rignold, Mr J., F. Graham, and many others. •

Maggie Dickinson, Australia's briTqant young dancer, is making her farewell appearance in Australia in 'Humpty Dumpty,' the J. C. Williamson pantomime at Melbourne Her Majesty'e. Miss Dickinson' is going abroad to add to the laurek she has won in her native land, and it is confidently expected that she will win both fame and fortune on the stage in England and America, The big finale in the J. C. Williamson pantomime, 'The Cherry Orchard,' will be characterised by a unique electric effect, in which no fewer than 20,000 electric bulbs will be utilised. This is a record for any production ever staged, in any part of the world. It took over six months to obtain these lamps and work out the desired effect, which will be, it is said, a " thing of beauty and a joy for ever."

Marie Ilka, who created such a favorable impression with J. 'and N. Tait's in 'Tiger Rose,' has been engaged by Ben and John Fuller as leading lady of a new dramatic company to ! open at the Palace Theatre, Melbourne, shortly. Austin Milxoy, Pearl Helmrich, Rutland Beckett, Nellie Ferguson, Darcy Kelway, and other popular players will appear in conjunction with Miss Hka. The members of the chorus in the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company had a most pleasant surprise at the conclusion of their Melbourne season in the shape of a nice bonus. So phenomenal had been the business, and so delighted was the management thereat, that they took this very nice way of proving their gratification. That it must have been a good fat bonus was proved by the fact that more than one of the girls gave her mother a I trip to Sydney on the strength of it, and [nowadays even just the journey there and | back costs something substantial.