PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7445, 20 May 1911, Page 13

PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

OPERA HOUSE. May 18, June 7.—J. C. Williamson. Juno 12, July i.*—William Anderson. Juiy 6, 20.—Clarko and 'Moynell. A-Uguab 17, 26 ,—J. U. Williamson. Sept. 15. 30.—Clarke and Moynell Dot. 5. 25.—J. C. Williamson. Nov. 3, 16.—Clarke and Meynell. Christmas season.—J. 0. Williamson. THEATRE ROYAL. Vaudeville (permanent). HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. Pictures (permanent). THE NEW THEATRE. Continuous Pictures (permanent). TOWN HALL. June 29, 30.—The riheilield Choir, with Matinee on July 1. August, 1 4 , 19.—Soufia’b Band. Tho Eastern play. "Kismet,” which the cables during the week informed us had boon witnessed at the Garrick Theatre by* the King and Queen and the Priuco of Wales, is to he staged, at the Sydney Criterion next, year by the Aseho-Bray-ton Company. The new piece is by Edward Knoblauch, and presents glowing spectacles from Oriental life. An animated bazaar scene requires, a hundred people on the stage. Mr Ascho plays an old Sheik, Miss Lily Bray ton. his daughter, Mr Ben Webster the Caliph, and Mr Herbert Grimwood tho villain.

In the opinion of a London musical critic, “Viennese or German comic opera has come to stay.” Commencing with “Tho Merry Widow,” English audiences have had “Tho Dollar Princess,” “Tho Waltz Dream,” “Tho Girl in the Train,” “Tho Merry Peasant,” and “The Chocolate Soldier. London’s successes for tho last five years number six of these works, and not one Trench score stops the way, perhaps because Pans leu years ago also succumbed to the arrival of the “musical comedy,” so that there was no new output in the gay city. Then, again, Audrau is death His "La Puupee” holds the English record, since “Lea Cloches de Cornevilie/’ Lecocq has passed away, and Louis Varney writes no more, and Andre Mefisager is too engrossed in Gallic' national opera functions to worry about composition.

It is only fair to state (says a London writer) that the first breakaway from the euthraldem of musical comedy in London commenced with those thoroughly artistic L’rench works, “Veronique" and “Tho Little Alichns." Now the comic operas arc all "made in Germany," -and we return to tho Teutonic model of the artistically completedwork written by paymasters with experience, giving us a consistent story, music, and interpretation. Now that comic opera has come into- its own again, a natural sequitur will bo the finding of competent prune doune. In the former days, with the better works, we had Selina Dolaro, Puttie Laverne. Paulino Rita, Kitty Muuroe, Florence- St. John, Cornelia cl'Anka, Violet Cameron, Camille d'Arville, Tilly VVadmau, and Marie Tempest, all coruscating in an operatic firmament. One, is afraid that the same plethora of talent does not now exist, out this is really to bo attributed to the absence of tho means of introduction to tho public. That fault is now evidently to be remedied. ♦ * . * *

Tho musical comedy Loom, now dead, opened up horrible possibilities (continues the same critic). Many of the scores were supplied by pianist virtuosi, hardly one of whom knew the capacity of any orchestral instrument or comprehended its tone value. The Orchestiation—the pride and honour of all composers—was. except in two or three instances, invariably done by a music shop hack miles away from tho scene of production, with an academic accuracy for mingling tho . bunches of wood, brass, and strings in any score, but with absolutely no idea 06 to the relative/punctuality of stage and orchestra, thmacoustics of the building where it was to be performed, or the capacity of the artists' voices by whom it wn« to bo sung. It opened up the field to any dilettante amateur, it robbed the stage of its proper lyrio songsters, and it dispensed with the Arthur Sullivans, tho Alfred Colliers, tho Edward Solomons, tho Meyer Lutzes, and others who had made the stage a practical life study. In Paris, as in London, the end of merely frivolous music is in sight. Three Paris theatres now announce revivals of old comic operas, Leopold Wenzel, hero of fifty ballets in Leicester square, returns to his former love and signs a new ballet at Olympia. Even the “Revue" is not so popular, and a general tendency upwards is noticeable. GOSSIP. _ Ibsen is apparently taking on a new lease of life iu Lomion. 'Tiro revival of “The Poll's House” has proved successful, and now Miss Lillah McCarthy is presenting at the Little Theatre “The Master Builder," with Mr Norman Mcivinuell as Solness and herself as‘ Hilda Mangel. Clarke and Meynell's dramatic attraction, “The Woman in the Case," will be staged at the Theatre Royal for the first time in Melbourne to-night, with two' new English actresses, Mabel Trover and Elinor Foster. Tho Plimmer-Denniston Company is appearing at Perth (W.A.) in "Nobody's Daughter," which ran for about eight mouths in London. The play is by George Pastou (Miss E. M. Symcnds). Miss Lizetto Parkes takes the part of "Nobody’s daughter," and Mr Harry Plimmer appears as Air Frampton, a wealthy director of pottery works. Tho “West Australian" of May ' Ist speaks very favourably of the production, and says it "is in many respects the best piece tho Plimmer-Denniston company . nave presented." Mrs George Rignold died at her residence, “Braybrook,” Middle Harbour, Sydney, recently, of phthisis. The deceased lady, before her marriage to Mr George Rignold (the, well-known actor and manager), was Miss Georgina Coppin, and was a daughter of .the wellknown comedian. tUeatre-owner, and politician, George Coppin, M.L.C., of Melbourne. Before her marriage she acted as secretary and amanuensis to her father, and managed his large business concerns.

Miss Evelyn Kerry, who appears as Lady Diana in “The Whip,” now running at the Opera House, is “much travelled.” She has been practically all over the world, and has penetrated into countries that are known to most folk only as names on the map. Recently she made a complete tour of Poland and came away with a high opinion of the Polish people. Miss Kerry is a good horsewoman, as is seen in the dashing way she makes her first entrance in tho big Williamson attraction. The King’s decision to attend with the Queen a Command music-hall performance has given unmeasured satisfaction to,the members of the variety stage and to all who teo in the upward course of that stage one of the best signs of. the public times. The progress ~ of 'the variety stage during the past ten or fifteen years has been unprecedented (says a London writer). Literally, there has been nothing else like it. It has been a progress not confined to tho number of halls or the improvement in the entertainment. In nothing has tho progress been more noteworthy than in -the personnel of the variety stage,, and in the working conditions that the- artists have been successful in. establishing for themselves. [A cablegram this'week informed us that his Majesty had abandoned his intention, owing to the Edinburgh theatre fire.]