PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8367, 1 March 1913, Page 11

PLAYS AND PLAYERS.

OPERA HOUSE. In season—Rickards' Vaudeville Co. March 20-April 10—J. C. Williamson, "The Bine Bird” Co. April 12-18—Allen Boone Co. April 19-May 3—J. C. Williamson. May 5-17 —Marlow Dramatic Company. June 2-14—J. C. William.son. THEATRE ROYAL. FtuDer-Brennan Vaudeville (permanent). PICTURE SHOWS. Now Theatre, Manners street. His Majesty’s, Courtenay place. Empress Theatre, Willis street. People's Picture Palace, Manners street. WILLIAMSON EASTER ATTRACTIONS.

The J. C. Williamson management is now arranging the Easter attractions for Australasia. These will include a now touring company, which will be sent to New Zealand and first appear at Auckland on Easter Saturday night. This is to perform "The Blue Bird’ lor the first time in the Dominion. The management has again engaged all the children who did. so well in the original Australian production, while the other characters will filled by selection from other companies. Sydney will have the pantomime, "Puss in Boots," on March 15th, and the company now playing "The Sunshine Girl" at Her Majesty’s will be transferred to the Theatre Royal. A now comedy will be staged at the Criterion for the first time in Australia in "The Fortune Hunter," Mr Fred Niblo playing in the name part. Mr Ray Boyce, a well-known character actor, is being brought from New York to play the old inventor, a fine acting part, and somewhat on the lines of the simple central figure in "The Professor’s Love Story." He will join the company for rehearsal at Auckland. "Milestones" will be played in Melbourne at Easter, and the New Comic Opera Company will also be seen there for the firet time in "Nightbirds." Mr Oscar Asohe and Miss Lily Brayton will possibly play a short season at Brisbane, and "Ben Hnr" and “Fanet" will be at Adelaide on their return irom West Australia, "JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN." Mr Louis N. Parker’s pageant play, "Joseph and Hia Brethren," succeeded Pierre Loti's "Daughter of Heaven" at the Century Theatre, Now York, recently, and received an overwhelming welcome. It is hailed by all the critics os the finest spectacle of its kind ever seen in America (says a New York correspondent). The Biblical story, which covens Genesis xxxv. to xlix., is adhered to always with reverence, and generally without resort to melodramatic imagination, except where Zaldkaor. Potiphar's wife, is concerned. There are four acts, entitled "The Coat of Many Colours," 'The Temptation," "The Dreams," “The Deliverer," and the thirteen scenes are laid in the Tents of Shochem, the Wells of Dothan, Pharaoh's palace, Jacob’s tent, and in the shadow of the Pyramid. Discussion, is bound _to arise as to the propriety of dramatising an Old Testament story, particularly as Mr Parker could not resist the opportunity to take textual liberty with such magnificent dramatic material as Potiphar’s wife. To play Joseph’s temptress no has fortunately secured Pauline Frederick, who is acknowledged to be the most radiant beauty now on tire American stage. Zulska had a more prominent part than the Biblical narrative concedes her. She not only is scorned by Joseph, and in revenge induces Potiphar to believe that Joseph, ihad betrayed him, but in disguise she visits Joseph in prison to hear Ids groans, and ultimately has her eyes put out with redhot irons behind the Pyramid, the audience being informed of the proceeding by a horrifying scream. When in the great scene Joseph repulses her, ho mutters the word “Serpent!" and recalls the fact ’ that her behaviour reminded him of the reptiles he saw in the pit into which his , brethren had thrust him at the wedls-of Dothan. That is very daring. , - Taken altogether, I have never seen a pageant which made such an instant appeal to an audience. I do not know why Mr Parker selected New York to produce it, rmlnaa because of this city’s enormous Israelitish sympathies j but I should not be surprised to see the play running simultaneously in London and New York before the year is over.

GOSSIP A craning attraction at Che Theatre Royal, Wellington, is the dynamic wonder, ‘‘Electra, who commences his sea-' son shortly. “Blectra” is a genuine sensation, and was imported by the Bren-jnan-PuUar management at great expense. He possesses the phenomenal .power of resisting enormous electric voltage, allowing the current’ to pass through his body at will. He handles the subtle fluid in quantities sufficient to annihilate an entire army, and experiences no harm therefrom. He carries with him an exact facsimile of the electric chair in Sing Sing prison, and allows himself to be strapped in. it in, exactly the same manner as the criminals are bound when condemned to death. "Electra" then receives a heavier voltage through his body than would ordinarily be given, and suffers no ill-effects. This evening at the Sydney Theatre Royal Mr Walter Bentley re-appears in "Hamlet," a part be played with much success in the colonies many .years ago. Mr. Bentley has for some time been conducting dramatic classes in Sydney.

Mr Haddion Chambers’ recent visit to Now York resulted in a definite arrangement being concluded between him and Mr Charles Prohman for the English and American production of the new play upon which he has been at work for some time past. Mr Chambers recently left London for the Riviera with the object of completing the two unfinished acts of the piece, which according to the London "Daily Telegraph,” is an adaptation of Anne Douglas Sedgwick’s popular novel, "Tanto." In New York the principal part is ho be played by Miss Ethel' Barrymore. "Here," writes Mr Prohman, "yon have a unique type cf stage heroine, that of a very marriageable young lady who revels in excitement. Is there anyone who has not mot the kind of woman who lives on excitement, who does not in the least mind an automobile accident, a house on fire, or even a shipwreck, provided the calamity offers her a good acting part with, preferably, the centre of the stage ? Such is the chief character in Mr Chambers’ new play." Instructions have been given by Mi William B. Miller, who is now general manager of the Greater J. D. Williams Amusement Company, Ltd., that the Sunday evening performances, hitherto usual at the Lyric, Colonial, and Empress Theatre. Sydney, are to bo forthwith discontinued. Mr Miller said that he did not consider there was any actual necessity for picture shows on Snn- , day, and he certainly did believe that the company's employees wer-» entitled to the same privileges of rest on the Seventh Day as were enjoyed by almost all other members of the community. Under the old arrangement large numbers of the companys people—musicians, operators, door-keepers, attendants, and others—had to curtail their Sunday rest and attend at the theatres early in the evening for a short entertainment which, he btkeved, the public would be able to do without. In accordance with ♦■his direction there will be no Sunday e hibitictn from now on.