THE THEATRICAL PROSPECT,

Otago Witness, Issue 2665, 12 April 1905, Page 61

THE THEATRICAL PROSPECT,

i A CHAT WITH MR GEORGE lIUSGROTE. Since Mr George Musgrove's last visit to Ghristchurch he has been on a tour through England and America, in search of novelties in the way of new jpieees, and alsc to make arrangements for tho future. A member of the staff of the Press had an interesting chat with him as to whafc he proposed to do in regard to catering for the public later on. Speaking first on the question of the tremendous crushing which exists when any large company is playing here, Mr Musgrove expressed surprise that the police authorities do not insist upon the queue system being brought into force. It is used in London. Melbourne, and Sydney, with the best results. The people desirous of entering the theatre line up in twos, the earlier arrivals having the premier position. So scon as the dolors are opened they get their tickets in an orderly and quiet manner, and file into their seats. The same system would prevent all that rush and confusion which is prevalent now. With regard to his engagements ahead. Mr Musgrove said: — ''The next oi-ganisation the Van Biene Company, in '*The Broken • the Van Bren& Company, in 'The Broken ' Melody.' Following this at some interval, j but during the present year, I shall bring Mr Charles Warner and a new company to support him. Mr Warner will be recollected as playing here very successfully some years ago, and creating in the colonies the character of Coupeau in 'Drink.' I am endeavouring to arrange for the visit of a grand opera company next year. They will play operas- in English, and I have had agents all over the Continent for some time pencilling, as it were-, artists for engagei ment, subject to my approval when I go 1 Home directly. With regard to the repertoire, I may say that when I brought you , grand opera ''ast time, operas such as the i 'Bohe-mian Girl,' 'Maritana,' etc., were included. But I was surprised to find that audiences did not seem to care for this kind of art, but preferred Wagnerian operas, such as 'Tannhauser.' This time, therefore. I I intend to drop out the 'Bohemian Girl,' i etc., and give 'Carmen.' 'Trovatore.' and • the Wagnerian operas we played in the ' former season, with the addition of 'Sies:- ' fried' and 'Tristam and Isolde.' I would I have liked to include 'The Meistersingers.' but the cast is too great. I also bring ] Gounod's opera. 'Romeo and Juliet.' The artists will principally come from South | Germany, and will be 25 per cent, better , than the ones you saw before." 'Do you intend making New Zealand one- of your permanent circuits?" was asked of Mr Musgrove. I "Certainly," was the reply. "I have I been most greatly impressed with the prosI perity of the country, and. besides, the ' playgoing public has always been most generous to mp. I am going Home almost I directly to complete the arrangements for i the Grand Opera Company, and also to eet I some new pieces for Miss Stewart. Miss ( Stewart, I may <;ay. had an offer of £200 J a week from Mr Kor> tn stop in London for t the production of 'The Merchant of Venioo.' j etc., but slie prefers the colonies Thp difficulty is to pet pieces in England, ns will ' be seen when I toll yon that even Eno:li=h , managers find if difficult to do so. There ar-^ now four theatres in London playing Shakespeare, and in the province 'F-Tst Lvnnc ' and other old pieco^ form the hiTs. The American plays are good plays, but

Australian audicne.es do not care for them. It it. very often the case that an English or colonial manager, seeing the American plays performed a sj'mpathetic audience which understands thorn, is led astray as to the drawing capabilities of them. When they are produced in England, away from the congenial surroundings they are a failure, and the «ame is the i-use in England.

''With regard to musical coined}-. I may bring out 'The Prince of Pil=ci'.' which has boon a great success at the Shaftcsbuty Theatre in London. If it is biought to tho colonies I shall have to bring the American Company out too, because an English compauy coi.ld nat play it. Tho great difficulty about getting pieces of all kinds is the system r.ow m vogue in London of writing pieces only intended for after-dinner people. In the onlo.nes playgoers go (o a rhearro at 8 o'clock, and want a piece which will keep them amu-ed and interested till nearly 11 o'clock. Bui, in London it is different; a.l that i= wanted is a piece to act as a kind of dhersion between dinner and supl)er, that is why they are written with only a thread of a plot, and with all the variety business in the second act. It is not necessary to come in early to see pieces of this kind, because anyone can go and see a turn at various times. Thus it is that musical comedy of to-day is merely a high-class variety show. Australian and New Zealand playgoers do not care- to see a piece with only a few people in it. They like to have a large number of persons on the stage, and would rather see 'A Royal Divorce' than any musical eqmedv. or a comedy like the 'Duke of Eillicrankio.'

"I am glad to see that some improvements are being- made in the theatres of New Zealand, and hope when I come back you will have a theatre worthy of youi city. But there is just one thing I should like to notice, and that is that whilst improvements are being made in the front of the house, there is no thought of the back of the -«tage. and the dressing rooms are a byword and a reproach. There is no accommodation for our wardrobe ancf soeneiT, the latter owhich we are oompeled to keep outside ii> the rain. Then, as to the dressing room*, the dresses for a New Zealand tour of •< high-class company are worth close on £3000. Look at the wear and tear and damage a New Zealand season does to valuable property like that, owing to there being no wardrobe- rooms and no proper dressing rooms. Miss Stewart's dresses for the fivepieces of this tour cost £1100, and one dree a in 'Camflle' cost £300. The dresse.s in 'Camille' axe six months ahead, in the matter of season, of any seen in the colony. There is this. then, to be considered in eominer to New Zealand, and there is the cost of handling our scenery and properties, whiclws very great. Still * the liberality of th« New Zealand playgoers is such that, despite those difficulties, we shall ho with you season after season with, I hot>p. thevery best and most attractive novelties in the shape of pieces, etc."