DRAMA OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18025, 25 February 1922, Page 3 (Supplement)

DRAMA OF THE DAY.

PROM BATTLESHIP TO PLOUGHSHARE; THE PROPOSED SCRAPPING OF THE NEW ZEALAND.

Mr.> Allan Wilkio, after touring the Australian States with his Shakespearian company, has returned to Sydney and opened a now season. His plucky effort to run a continuous Shakespearian company in Australia .is, happily, meeting with success. He has recently added " A Midsummer Night's Dream" to his repertory, and will appear as Bottom, tho weaver, for tho first time., l

i Many people remember tho romarkable success achieved by Nicola during his season hero two or three years before tho war. Tho American magician reappeared at Sydney recently and was given a very 'warm welcome. Most of his illusions were familiar, having been included in the programmes of othor noted magicians who nave visited us; but it may safely bo asserted that cleaner or more skilful work than that of Nicola has nover been seon in Sydney. He reproduced the .most famous tricks of the magicians and spellbuilders of China, InJia, Egypt, and Brazil, and the spectators were enthralled by his apparent .performance of the impossible. •

Who is to bo tho next principal boy in Williamson pantomime? Tho question chanced to come under discussion in a recent informal gathering of people associated with the Australian theatre or taking an interest in its doings, and tho majority view was that Miss Mario le Varre would be remarkably well placed in a part of the kind.

Many actors have dabbled in paint other than grease-paint, and have been described as artists apart from the stago sense of the word, but few. have been acccepted seriously by professional artists. The otchings and water-colours of Mr. W. S. Percy, who is now appearing as tihe Baron in tho Williamson "Babes in the Wood," at Sydney, have had the. distinction of attracting tho serious attention of painters. Mi. Percy began to use paint as,one of the juvenile members of the Pollard Opera Company. In Now Zealand he helped to provide much of the scenery for these productions. Grease-paint -as an art medium.has not had much attention, but Mr. Barry Lupino, while in this part of the worla, used it experimentally, and some Maori heads and other productions are still to be seen in illustration of his aims in portraiture.

Bairie is ever on the ascendant in Londbn. "Quality Street," revived after twenty years, is going along at a great paco at tho Haymarket, and may stay another year. At Christmas came tho annual revival of "Poter Pan" at the St. James.

Two of Australia's best-known local actors—a comedian and a leading manwere conversing the other day, the latter expressed tho opinion that it was unfortunate that cone of the titled British theatrical celebrities had over visited Australia"Neither Irving, Wyndham, Tree, Alexander, nor the recently-deceased John Haro was soen here," he remarked regretfully, " and I don't suppoto Dn Mauricr or Hawtrey will ever come. Wo don't know what a theatrical knight is in this country." "Pardon me," interposed the comedian; "you'ro forgetting Julius Knight."

Under the' Naval Treaty, the battle-cruiser Now Zealand is to'bo scrapped.on' tho altar of peace. Sir John Salmond, the New Zealand delegate to the Washington Conference, has therefore suggested that tho destruction should bo mado a public ceremonial, not done secretly and silently, as if it were putting obsolete • machinery on'tho scrap heap, but with dignity, honour, and-ceremonial observance approprialo to bo great and significant ancpisode,

In tho year just ended the King and Queen atteudud ; eight theatres in the West End of London, and one at Windsor. Tho vear before the King visited 17 West End theatres. Of the performances that Their Majesty's saw last yea?, threo were "given, with a charitable object—" Tho Warriors'" Day" performance a't.tha Windsor Theatre Royal on April 1, tho matinee in. aid pf King George's .Pension.. Fund at the; Palace Theatre, on .December 20,; and the variety performance in aid'of the Variety Artists' Benevolent -Fund at, the. Hippodrome on November ' 26'. On this last occasion the King and Queen, were accompanied by Princess. Mary and Lord Lascclles, who'were making their first public appearance together alter their engagement had been announced. ' • (

occasion tne Aing ami panied by Princess. Mary and Lord Lascclles, who'were making their first public appearance together alter their engagement had been announced. ' • ( Sir Harry Lauder will bo seen again in London this year. Mr. Charles B. Cochran is to present him at the Princess Theatre on April 17 for a season lasting six weeks. Players of .the Lyric Theatre stock company at Asbury Park, New Jersey, U.S.A., in what is believed to be the first strike of its kind on record, have refused to act in Avery Hopwood's farce, "Our Little Wife"—Mr. Hopwood's latest attempt to shock the New York the gronnd that it is indecently suggestive. Miss Edna Peddiam, the company's'leading lady," who headed the strikers, particularly objected to lines whioh she was called on to speak in an attempt to invade a bachelor's bedroom. Tho manager of the company, has accepted the inevitable, recalled all his posters, "cut" his financial losses, and announces that the new play's predecessor will continue for another week.

After a ran of nearly two months at Her Majesty's, Sydney, "The Boy',' is as popular as ever. It shows no signs of waning in the public's favour, on account of its sustained vigour, witty dialogues, and pleasing music. "Tho Boy" has been the means of showing to advantage the acting and singing qualities of more than one person, as it has given Arthur Stignant an opportunity to show that he is a first-class musical comedy artist, and Gladys Moncrieff—everyone's is heard singing some delightful songs, while Ethel Morrison and Lanco Lister have each earned praise for their magnificent acting. Probably people aro wondering what is to follow, arid they will fecT that they are in for a musical treat indeed, when they learn that " Tho Merry Widow" is to bo produced next. It is over ton years since " Tho Merry Widow" has been heard in Sydney, and people will recall with delight when Carrie Moore was the widow, and also when tho late Florence Young held the part. After Lchar'a famous operetta has run its courso the J. C. Williamson firm announces "Katinka," to be followed by "The Belle of New York." At the Theatre Eoyal the comic opera, "Merrio England," made way for The Yeomen of tho Guard," which later will be followed by " Dorothy."

Lewis Carroll's delightful story, " Alice in Wonderland," has ken played in slago form at tho London. Uarrick. Lovers of this inimitable children's story will find interest in tho following comments of tlie London Times:—"lt is not all Carroll. Mr. Saville Clark, who wrote the book, has done his part, and done it well. Instead of tacking some topical inanity on to the genuine songs from Alice, he has kept his own work distinct and in admirable taste. When ' Tweedledum and Tweedledee, lor example, have the stage to themselves or share it with Alice, the humour 'may be ' knockabout,' but how much better it is than .the dismal nastiness at which, in ' Christmas play/ we are sometimes expected io snigger. There was, too, a happy interlude in which ' Here we go round the mulberry bush' was sung—the very nursery rhyme itself, not some alien song bearing its name. The dancing was pretty, simple, and unpretentious. Tho children, from Miss Nora Posford as the Dormouse to a large family of white rabbits, enjoyed fche-r.-selvcs and so gave us causo for enjoyment. Mr. Franklyn Vernon, who was also Tweedledee, made a very lovable and, behind a cleverlyrmanipulated mask, an expretsive Mock Turtle, and before the plav had been in progress 20 minutes Mr. C. "Hayden Coffin had taught the audience- to laugh its welcome whenever the Mad Hatter appeared. Miss Phyllis Griffiths remembered always that she was Alice and not just a principal girl with an opportunity for self-assertion. Sb,e played a not too easy part quietly and without monotony. Lewis Carroll, if he approved of anybody as Alice, would have approved of her, and the children gave

Miss Jenny Hartley, the " Sinbad" of (ho recent J. C. Williamson 'paiilomimo, has got together a budget of new songs, and presently rejoins tho Fuller Company.

"Hullo, Canada }."':: is a- 1 "triumph ; itr"Canada, and.-abottt' iyi liarry'-Tate, "parti-'. cularly, all the Canadian papers eritliusd. " London can givo s Now York pointers on acme] very important matters relating.. to stage production," eaysjho Montreal Star, which asks for more English shows.

Tli e :future of the "Midnight Follies" at the London Hotel Metropole was i decided, the .other- day when the London County Council, sitting as a licensing authority, adopted, by 39 votes to 12, the recommendation of its Theatres and Music! Hall Cqm&il'tee, providing that ""hen the great banqueting hall of. tho: -hotel "is used under tho license for music and dancing tho following conditions shall apply;— That the i number of performers (excluding members of the orchestra) shall not exceed'"six, and that no stage costumes or scenery shall be used. The decision draws attention to tho fact that with the extension, of tho closing hour for licensed houses, midnight amusements are once more appearing in London. At 10 every evening. the Whitehall rooms

Hamlet (1922): " The time is out of joint: 0 cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right I" —Bystander.

are oponed for dancing. Admittance is by ticket, and supper tables and supper boxes aro arranged round three sides of the room. An hour later a company of actors and actresses, with a chorus of 30 girls, appear, including Odcte Myrtle, the apacho violinist. Tho sub-title is illuminating. Miss Odeto Myrtle, as a violinist, would not bo acceptable at the Whitehall rooms at 11.15 p.m., but as an apache she is " it." The company at the Whitehall rooms is as informal as the entertainment.' *" There is no insistence upon evening dress. If a youth wishes to dance in a lounge suit he may. Miss Ethel Morrison, an excellent Queen Elizabeth, has left the cast of " Mcrrie England," at Melbourne, to take up her original part in the musical farce, ' The Boy," iu Sydney. Miss Pearl Ladd, an accomplished singer and actress of much versatility, is the new Elizabeth', and lias already becomo popular in the part. Miss Ladd came to Australia 1 with tt Gilbert und Sullivan company, of which Miss Morrison was also a member, and she has since appeared with vhe same success iu practically every other kind of musical entertainment. She was seen in New Zc* land in " Chu Chin Chow."