DRAMA OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17459, 1 May 1920, Page 2 (Supplement)

DRAMA OF THE DAY.

Mr. Allen VVilkie and his company will shortly open a three weeks' season at His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland. They will play a new repertory.

The thirteenth week of' the run of " Kissing Time" it Melbourne was entered upon on Saturday night, April 24, and the end of that week marked a milestone in musical ccmedy success in Melbourne, for it broke the achievement put up by " Katiika"-a run of thirteen weeks.

Mr Maurice Moscovitch, a Russian dramatic actor, who obtained immediate recognition on his appearance as Shylock. will produce a Russian play in London. It will be an adaptation of "The Government Injector," by Gogol, the novelist, whose classic "Dead Souls" (which is humorous despite its sombre title) is known ao the "Russian Pickwick."

"Baby Buntin'," in which Miss Dorothy Brunton made a success in London, has been acquired for production in Australia by J C Williamson, Ltd. The firm has also secured the Australian rights of an other London musical success, Y\ ho s Hooper," which is founded on Pineros farce "In Chancery." The music is by Howard Talbot and Ivor "The Maid of the Mountains," which the same firm is to produce in Australia in the near future, has reached its fourth year in London.

"Tigpr Roee," which Messrs. J. and N. Tait are now presenting at the King's Theatre, Melbourne, is said to be one of the few plavs that has been presented in almost every part cf the English-speaking world. Originally staged in New \ork, it had a Ion,; season there, before being toured through the United States and Can eda, where its swift action and its heart interest made a good impression. It has since reached London and also gone into the English provinces, and now the Taits intend to stage it through Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. Oscar Asche is making his arrangements for the successor to "Chu-Chin-■Chow," though no one has any idea when that record-breaker will have ceased to attract. The new piece—also from Mr. Ascbe s pen—is called Mecca," a suggestive title enough, conjuring up visions of the Oriental spectacle that this author-actor-producer delights iiu As he is not in immediate need of "Mecca," Mr. Asche is staging it by way of a trial trip in America first of all— custom which is becoming quite a hobby with English playwrights of lata. It is in preparation at the Century, New York.

Charles Workmann, chief merry-maker in " Buzz iJuzz," has been in Australia about six years. The comedian, who is well known on the London boards, had no idea of remaining in the Commonwealth so long when he first arrived, but the hospitality of the Australian and the climate, together with the fact that he was, practically marooned there through the war, has kept " Worky," as he is affectionately known to professionals, there as many years as there were months in his original contract. His son Roy has grown up in the meantime, and blossomed forth as a comedian. He is one of the artists in " Buzz Buzz," and is faithfully following in his father's footsteps.

Mr. McLean's "Quentin Durward," a romantic ballad opera in one act, produced by the Carl Rosa company at* Newcastle-on-Tyne, is described as :"At last a Brit ish work—British in feeling; simple with out banality; straightforward without ob viouaness; romantic without sentimental ity ; passionate without turgidity ; humor ous without triviality. The solos are in ballad form. The concerted numbers are pieces of real part-writing worthy of the best operatic traditions. The choruses are operatic choruses, and not reminiscent of oratorio on th one hand or musical comedy on the other. .But it is in. the orches tratin that the musician derives his chiei satisfaction. Brilliant, tuneful and full of life, it fascinates by its sheer beauty and skilL"