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THE THEATRE

(By “Durus.”)

On the evening of March 6th the' (performance of “Diplomacy 1 * at tno 'Theatre Royal, Sydney, marked the (final appearance on the Australasian stage of Mrs Brough, so long a distinguished member of the theatrical profession. Mrs Brough leaves for London next week, and it is her intention to reside in England permanently. ❖ ❖ ❖ Mr A. W. Batiste has received word from Mr E. J. Carroll, an Australian entrepreneur, closely identified frith foremost firms in the _ United [States, bat whose principal interests are centred in the picture business of ’Queensland, that he has elaborated an extensive and ambitious scheme for the production of novel attractions of English, American, and Continental repute. Mr Carroll intends invading the Dominion in quick succession with the Great Leroy, Talma and Bosco 'Magic Show. By special arrangement with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., Graham Moffatt’s Scotch players in “Bunty Pulls the Strings” will be produced. This piece was played for 500 consecutive nights at the Haymarket, London, and is now running to enormous business in America. In the list also is Harrington Reynold's American company in “The Rosary,” a comedydrama in four acts, by Edward E. Rose. This is to be given in conjunction with George Willoughby, Ltd. William Morris’s English company will appear in “The Blindness of Virtue, ” a four-act play by Cosmo Hamilton. Victor and Charles Hugo’s American' Dbg and Pony Show is also included in Mr Carroll’s list. ❖❖ ❖ . Mir Harry Lauder, who is under engagement to the Tait Brothers, left San Eranicisco on the 10th of this month, and will reach Australia, shortly abei'ore Easter. His tour will commence in the Princess’s Theatre. Mel'baunne, on Easter Saturday.. Mr’ Lauder brings with him the vaudeville company which supported him' !in America, amongst whom are the Berconys, in a novel musical enter-j tainment; D’Ark, a very fine expon-i eat of stage diablerie; Ernest Sewell and his marionettes; Sehvyn Driver,) musical comedian; Kitty Ryan, an English ballad singer; and several others. Mr Lauder is not-playing a lone hand. . *> •> V . Misa Marguerite Gard, the Tasmanian, contralto, has won an open schollarship, worth £IOO a year for three years, at the Royal College of Music, 'London. There were 000 competitors.

•** Mr Edison’s latest production, the kinetophone, which was shown in London for the first time recently, opens up, says “The Times,” vast possibilities for the cinematograph in a field which has long baffled the inventor. There have been many attempts to devise some process of complete synchronisation by which the gramophone and the moving picture opuld be blended into one harmonious whole, but hitherto they have not met with any great success, except possibly in the case of kmoplastikon. The kinetophone is a distinct improvement upon any of its predecessors, for the synchronisation is almost perfect. The gramophone record and the cinematograph film having been procured simultaneously, there is the further advantage that the operator,' with the kinetophone, has control of both, and it is impossible to produce one without the other. If the cinematograph should stop suddenly, the spoken voice would also cease, and another point is that , the pitch of the gramophone can be regulated to suit a hall size. The prospect for*the dramatic writers whose productions are not accept-1 ed by managers is not one of all-em-bracing gloom. Hr Erskine MacDonald, proposes (according to the “Academy") to publish a series of ‘ Modern Playbooks,” to ho edited, by 1 Mr Stephen Phillips. “He will, make his selection from unacted plays for the most part, and the series will be confined to new English dramatists, who have had leas encouragement to appear in book form than their Continental brethren. Writers of this form of literature should communicate with the publisher (and not the editor), in the first instance." , , ❖ As a result of the compulsory conference between the leading theatrical managers and the Musicians’ Union of Australia, the musicians have agreed to play on as usual pending an award being made by the Arbitration Court. •I* ❖ ❖ Mr Spencer Lorraine, the wellknown teacher of singing in New Zealand, is at present in England with two el his pupils. Miss Bowen, of Christchurch, and Miss Fennandlos, of Wellington, who went to Europe in order to study singing. Since leaving New Zealand in August; they have spent moat of their : time visiting the leading Continental , musical centres. Her many New Zealand friends will regret to hear that Miss Bowen has been very ill with pneumonia, following on two attacks of influenza, and it will be some time before she is strong enough to resume her studies. .- V V Mr and Mrs Oscar Asche are preparing a. new play, which is; to be presented after a revival of “Kismet.” The nerw production is a dramatisation of Rader Haggard’s latest story of Africa, “The Child of Storm,” and Oscar Asche and Lily Bray ton are to be the Zulu hero and heroine. For many interesting weeks Mr and Mrs Asche explored villages of Africa in pursuit of “local colour," attending strange feasts and ceremonies and observing native customs. ❖ ❖ ❖ Miss Adelaide van Staveren, the New Zealand dramatic soprano, gave a first recital at the Aeolian Hall, London, on January 28th. She has a fine voice, and very good powers of dramatic expression. The “Daily Mail” says: ‘‘lf her art ripens, as there seams every reason that it should, she will be a singer of note.”

In ‘The Future of the Theatre,” .Mr John Palmer, of the “Saturday Review,” unburdens his soul upon the prospects of dramatic art in England. He describes his hook as “an essay in the optative mood,” for in his prophecies the wish has been father to the thought-. “I have decided,” he writes, “simply to see what I would wish to .see.” He feels no anxiety as to the future of the drama. There are some who think that the counterattractions of picture shows and music halls will bring about the decay of the theatre, hut Mr Palmer points out that the nature of their appeal is fundamentally different, and that though they- will always have their audiences, there will always be many who patronise the drama, and this number will increase when they are provided with more artistic entertainment than is given them to-day.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19140314.2.117

Bibliographic details

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8681, 14 March 1914, Page 10

Word Count
1,038

THE THEATRE New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8681, 14 March 1914, Page 10

THE THEATRE New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8681, 14 March 1914, Page 10

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