"CHUMS."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8264, 24 May 1890, Page 6

"CHUMS."

WT,-:CHRISTIE MURRAY'S NEW PLAY.

TO FK FIRST PRODUCED IN T AUCKLANDSub new play. " Chums/" just written by the eminent English litterateur Mr Christie Murray, is to be produced lor the first time ou Monday week, in Auckland, by Mr. St. Maur, who has secured the rights of the *rin interesting history of the causes Srfiich led to the writing of the play, ••Mr Murray and I. said Mr. St. Maur, "■were having a discussion a Little time ago ul plavs and novels, and upon the pay Evil-makers and the pay o[playwrights, X, ha told me a story :-He was in his "iHa down at Monte tarlowheii there came to him Sims and I'ettiM. Murray had just finished • story », with Henry Hermann the author of lneMmr tvra B , " d tto was a remarkable story, and had arrested the attention cnth.™«tio about it, Ixtb of wnom were enthusiastic about it, r^How*taS? <W>' »«*» >™ : " " teJ T**-«*srss- 'J had the story tearing through m; brain for years, and it took Murray three ,nonWS \ wnung as hard as he could every miiuueof tht-dav and m n ht . wh**n lie n"not S'Slcop. _ . -•Now. it s a fair question amongst.work,nen,' remarked Pettitt. 4 Hew- much did men, reiuarKni ittu.i. von get out ot it . _ . , * -' We sot about A..0 apiece. , "'Three months' tiara work for £iuO, feUia replied. ' 1 think we will stick to "rot'' and the capacious pit a. the Adelphi ,1,1 You know." continued Mr. St. Maur, ••that t'HX) a week is looked upon m a very pixir return 'I hat very play, the .Sliver kin,. • hrou-fct £40.(W to Wilson Barrett, and tf3s.oooanie~oe to the authors.. But to resume my storv. 1 »id to Mr- Murray-tins conversa took place when me met m New Zetland—' Whv .loot you write a piece. t " ' 1 have li.kl one in my head tor months, was his reply; "but why should I write a P '— Well if I niav sav so. you have here an 6 e-.»r Who' cannot"be an idiot with 23 years experience, a:id a company whicn is a good, strong, practical company. .Now. it you will write apiav that is anything like a play. 1 wilt undertake to produce it. and I give yon the biggest terras that am dramatist w;u,e\er paid for a play. . , ~ "This, as vou cm '.marine. _ made Mr. Christie Murray si: up in his chair, but he went on with objections that a pla\ could not be first produced in the colonies. "•I a .- re with vou. 1 replica, .that the colonies have i, en in the habit ot lolloYvmg London a great deal: but I cannot see that V is ncces.-.ii v that a gooo play Miould have the London 'trade mark in order that it should be successful Kit here. I do not think that the colonies are incapable ot judging of the merits of ". plat, and I have been here three year;-. _ "Mr. Murrav said ne did not know that lie did not aurr.- with me. "I slid aft.-v that. * It I am willing as a manager to pay the piper. you, will admit it is worth your while as an author to try the pertinent." ami J repeated mv oder, ami utter some talk 1 said to him. ' It you make tip vour mind to write the piece, wnl you let me have the first enoice of it. _ ** * 1 won promise you ttiar.' replied Air. Murray, * but when 1 have written the piece 1 will let you know. , , " Before leaving Gisborne. 1 learned that Mr. Murray was"then engaged on the play, and i left a tor him, asking him if that were true. He replied, when he reached 4* reborn e. thcit it was, mxi that lit 1 hud. nearly completed two acts. Ihe two acts were finished in Auckland, nr.. I they were read to me. * Weil. 1 said, ' i expected heart in vour work, but this play strikes me as being brimful of heart." It is a sweet and charming story, but bv no means characteristic of "New Zealand 'life. The scene is laid in Otago, because Mr. Murray saw there a piece of bush that pleased him, and that suited well :vs a picturesque background ; but the play might occur anywhere. \\ e talked over the play tor days and days, and finally we agreed that it" was to belong to me throughout the world, The third act, which completer the piece, was oy tuis time written. Then arose the question of the production of the play : and I thought it would be a compliment which I ougat to pay to Auckland lor the kindness i have received, to produce it here first. There are no dramatic critics in the Antipodes who have taken the same pains to criticise plays, and who have shown the- same respectful interest, as those of Auckland, ami with the exception of Melbourne there is no city at all where i Lave met with so much intelligent criticism, and so much respect for the works criticised ; and if a travelling manager can decide to have a play acted here for the first time, as in this case, I think he might do so." Mr. St. Maur said it was intended to play "Chums" on Monday week, and he asked from the leaders of art in Auckland only that there should cot be a vacant seat in the dress circle on the opening nigh: of the play. He remarked that he thought the first production here of a drama by an eminent English writer, would bean event of great importance.