“THE MAGISTRATE”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11305, 2 September 1922, Page 11

“THE MAGISTRATE”

A COMEDIAN AT HOME MR. HORATIO MEEBLES—OFF THE' STAGE. CHAT ON THINGS THEATRICAL. "Yes, it’s a great production," is tha opinion of Mr Arthur Stigant, humorously and familiarly known to Wellington audiences as the Magistrate, of "The Boy," the Pinero-adapted oomedy in which ho has made such a hit. Mr Stigant made the Observation to a "New Zealand Times" representative yesterday morning, gazing over the sunny harbour from his temporary home at Oriental Bay. He was genuinely impressed with tie play. "There is such fine character-work in it, all the personalities are built up so well, and it’s so genuinely amusing. Some of the dialogue has not been touohed. In the court scene not a line has been altered. That scone only takes a few minutes, but if it were to crash the whole thing would go ‘fut.’" , l’ho company came m for a meed of praise, particularly Mr Lance Lister, "a fine boy, good to work with." IN EARLY YOUTH. "You know, I saw the play from which the comedy is taken, saw it at my native place in Chatham, Kent," said Mr Stigant over a cup of tea. "Why, it must have been away back in 'BS, he added, disregarding Mrs Stigant's humorous warning not to betray his age. "I was very young at the time and I little dreamt that I should ever play that part. I was early in tho theatrical profession. At fifteen I was playing the child lead and was actor-manager, stage manager, musical director, business manager, and filling a dozen other capacities.” He ceased and smiled with a humorous twinkle in his eyes as hie interviewer begun to stare. "That was in the Chatham juvenile amateurs. I was with them for five years, and it was a pretty thorough training, I oam tall you. But from the time that I entered the profession until that when I joined the cast of the present company I was always in pantomime. I came out to Australasia, eight years ago under a contract for 6 : x months, and have been here ever since. At that time I was playing, the 'Dame.' " A RECORD IN "DAMES."

"Ho has made a record in that role,” interpolated Mrs Stigant. "He is tho onlv man in Australasia who has ever made a success as 'dame’ for two years running. Not only that, he has filled the part of dame in Williamson’s pantomimes for five years.

"Yes," supplemented "the Magistrate." "I toured this country for five years on end. The pantomimes you saw me in were ‘Mother Goose,' 'Goody Two Shoes,’ 'Cinderella.,' ‘The House that Jack Built,’ and ‘Dick Whittington.’ The last of these came round three years ago. Since that time I’ve been in, this olass of oomedy." According to Mr Stigant, the work involved in these parts is enormous. THE SEARCH FOR NOVELTIES. "You have to work them up yourself, you know," ho said. "These pantomimes that you get out here are all written by the man who turns out tho" Drurv Lane pantomimes at Home. But in ail 'pantos’ it is the same—the humour lias to be put in bv tho comedian ] himself. One of my parts when it arrived out in .Australia consisted of three lines! It’s not merely the search for! ‘business,’ you know. You have to write the jokes yourself, build up the scenes and fit them into the plot of the whole. It is the scorch for novelties that kills, and to prepare a part keeps you going all the year." Mr .Stigant laughed at the suggestion' that Wellington audiences were cold. "They’ve been very kind to ns all through; yon wouldn’t have called them cold if you’d seen them the other night!" In fact, tokens of appreciation of his unrivalled interpretation of the character, of tho Magistrate have not been wanting. Every mail brings him letters, signed or anonymous, from playgoers, young and old, who think ‘‘The Boy” a delight. "You know, when you get letters of this kind you’re very touched,” said the clever comedian, wagging his head. "I dbnit mean in the cerebral hemisphere," he added -with a smile. "But it is a fact that I seem to have succeeded with Antipodean audiences.”

Without mock modesty, he is proud of his achievement in making a success of the “Dame” year-'after year, where all others have failed. WHAT "MAKES.” A PANTOMIME. Chatting familiarly, Mr Stigant went on to give his views on the theatre and production. The pantomime, he thinks, is tending rather too much towards revuo. “What 'makes’ a pantomime are the comedians. At present vou have a principal girl living in a state of transition between one dress or another, and singing many songs. If the money paid her were to he reduced by half and more good comedians brought in I think the shows would be improved and the houses biggeT. Two numbers are enough for anybody; and, after all, what people want at a ‘panto’ is not a series of dazzling parades and revue numbers; but a hearty laugh.” VICES AND VIRTUES. "I always enjoy my visit to New Zealand," went on Mr Stigant. "The climate suits me better and 1 like the country and the people. Australia — well, I was playing ‘The Boy’ in Melbourne at Christmas time—temperature 101—phew! I started heavily padded round the body, but can tell you that I coon left the padding off. * "Now, I suppose you want to know what my vices are. - Weill, I haven’t any to epeak of. lam modest (no matter what my wife tells you), I am not smoking (at present), and I don’t drink during the day except when I am forced to it. But lam interested in everything and you can say that I am an ardent collector of stamps. So if anybody really likes mo I have spaces in my album, for stamps from Mauritius, some Cape triangulars, or one of those one cent British Guianas that recently brought £7000.“ From the New Zealand tour Mr Btigv ant returns to Australia to commence rehearsals for "Tho Ladv of the Rose.” a musical success which is Tunning in London at present. Miss Gladys Moncrieff is to' join the cast; but the principal male member of the company is not yet chosen. "I think I shall keep to this work.” said this charming personality finally. "It is less trying, though lees profit, able than pantomime. Mins Stigant likes it and also —dare I say it?—it is more artistic."