STAGELAND

Southland Times, Issue 18972, 20 June 1923, Page 10

STAGELAND

(By

“The Limelight Man”)

Of Plays and Players

July 12.—Orange Lodge Concert. July 23 and 24.—Emelie Polini (J.C.W. Ltd.), an actress of rare ability Invercargill has not yet seen. August 13 to 18.—Invercargill Competitions. ..Mr. Julian Russell, pianist to the “Peep Show” Company, expects to return to New Zealand with “Cairo.” After that tour is finished he may go to New York, his home aity. Mr Moulton, director of the “Peep Show” irchestra, is author of the music for “Inolerance,” one of D. W. Griffith’s great reductions. An interesting engagement is that of Miss Daisy Yates to Mr York Gray. Both are well-known in the theatrical world. Miss Yates has gone to Brisbane in the meantime, but will return to Wellington to be married before Mr Gray leaves New Zealand. Lorna and Toots Pounds, the fascinating London musical comedy stars, who are to appear in “Rockets” at the New Palace Theatre, Melbourne, arrived in Melbourne on June 5. They were present at the 200th performance of “The O'Brien Girl” at the New Princess Theatre, Melbourne, at the conclusion of which they were the chief guests at a “welcome home” Reception Dance given by Mr Hugh J. Ward, on the •tage, at which members of theatrical companies, now appearing in Melbourne, were present, to meet these brilliant young Australian artists.

Hugh J. Ward’s sumptuous production of ‘Tangerine” was given its premier at the New Princess Theatre, Melbourne, on June 9. The sensational success of “The O’Brien Girl,” which was presented for the 202nd and last time on June 8, has aroused unprecedented interest in its successor at “The Theatre Beautiful,” Melbourne, for shoals of inquiries as to first night booking for it reached the theatre. “Tangerine” is a distinct novelty among musical comedies. Having for the greater part a South Sea island setting, it brings a new atmosphere with it that will be welcomed by theatre-goers. It has a piquant plot, novel and fascinating dressing, haunting music is literally packed with catchy numbers built up by Harry Hall, Mr Ward’s producer. The cast, with the exception of Leyland Hodgson, who has lately joined Hugh J. Ward’s Company of Comedians. is practically the same as that of ‘The O’Brien Girl.”

Charles B. Cochran, the London producer, has this to say of New York, among other impressions, in a brochure published by him:

T came home thrilled by the vitality of New’ York; full of admiration for the newuplifting of the American stage; infected by the enthusiasm of its professors and its patrons. I made bold to compare the situation there—the world of the theatre palpitating with life—with the stagnation here. And, of course, I was sternly rebuked. The essential difference is indifference. The English public is heedless. It has lost the habit of going to the theatre. The American public is curious and eager. There, every play, every novelty has at least a chance, a respectful hearing, a judgment inspired by intellect, and carefully formed. A play like Pirandello’s ‘Six Characters in Search of an Author’ is followed with rapt attention.

“The Moscow Art Theatre can traverse a repertory in crowded theatres. John Banymore played ‘Hamlet’ a hundred times, and might have gone on; but he broke down under the strain. David Warfield’s Shylock, eagerly awaited for so long, at last matures. One Juliet failed; but mother Juliet succeeded.”

' American journalism is generous to the theatre. Its incentive is that of Matthew Arnold. It wants to ‘see what is best and make it prevail.’ It does not await an elaborately prepared and ambitious undertaking in silence and award a sneer. Able writers persistently and voluminously prepare the public for any great event. Talma played to a pit full of Kings. In New York he might have done better—he might have played to a pit full of enthusiasts who had diligently sought to make themselves efficient judges of his art and of his circumstances. Highly informed and graphic articles in the newspapers create as much interest in the impending production of a Shaw play as once they did in the approach cf a circus.”

My stay in Sydney this visit will be brief,” remarked Mr Oscar Ashe in an interview, ‘tiecause I must take these great spectacular pieces with choral music on to Brisbane and through New Zealand without a pause Were it practicable to alternate such plays with modern comedy we could doubtless make a long stay here, instead of passing through’; but you cannot do that whilst travelling 120 people. It would be bad finance to ‘lay by’ 100 while employing 20, wherefore the expensive ‘Chu Chin Chow’ forces us to move on and on for ever, like the wandering Jew in the legend I Some time after my long tour of New Zealand I shall be in Sydney again for a purely comedy season. I hope to put on Galsworthy’s strong acting play, ‘The Skin Game,’ which portrays a struggle between the old aristocracy and the new rich. Then I propose to revive Pinero’s ‘lris,’ in which I created Maldonalo twenty years ago, a splendid comedy, now pretty well forgotten on this side. I have also of my own authorship a new melodrama, ‘The Spanish Main.’ a tale of the bloodthirsty buccaneering days, in which I appear as the private ffiief, Captain Patrick O’Gorman. It is a mixture of sensationalism and broad humour, and all London laughed over it when I produced it at the Apollo Theatre in 1916.”

At the conclusion of the first performance of “Rainbow.” Sir Alfred Butt’s big revue in London, there was a scene which the audience at first regarded as a joke when Jack Edge, one of the players, suddenly stepped before the assembled company on the stage and publicly lodged a protest at the treatment he alleged he received from the management: “I was engaged as the chief comedian,” he exclaimed, “ and I haven't been given a chance.” He was immediately seized from behind and taken off. The producer, Albert De Courville, then appeared and apologised. The audience realised it was a serious affair and De Courville was cheered, but there were scattered cries of ‘Send the negroes home!” from some parts of the theatre. These cries had reference to the appearance in one scene of a colony of negro performers, and evidently came from certain people who had come prepared to raise the colour issue.

Miss Kate Bishop, who died last week, came into prominence in London by being fdrtunat** enough to be included in the original performance of Byron’s comedy, “bur Boys,” at the Vaudeville Theatre in 1875 (after she had been on the stage eight years'. That performance put up a record run, and firmly established the players concerned bn the English stage. Miss Bishop was induced to come out to Australia by the late George Rignold, whom she support ed as leading lady for a long season. She came to New Zealand with Rignold when he first played “In the Ranks,” “Called Back” and “Confusion” in this country. She was then the wife of the late Mr L. J. Lohr, a theatrical advance agent of outstanding ability and good address, and their daughter, Marie Lohr (now one of England’s leading actresses and a London manageress of note l , was bern in Sydney. Miss Bishop separated from her husband, and returned to England (with Marie) in the Ws, and never returned. Mr Lohr became a licensed victualler in Victoria, but came to the north of Auckland a few years and died there. Miss Bishop was a

charming and handsome actress, and a con firmed favourite in her day both in Austraha and New Zealand.

Important changes are in view at the J. C. Williamson Sydney theatres involving the long-delayed announcement that “The Beggar’s Opera,” dating back to the Lincoln’s Inn Fields performance in 1728 will be produced at the Theatre Royal, Sydney early in July. Miss Kathlyn Hilliard will then appear as Polly Peachum, the heroine of John Gay’s strange libretto of convict life at Newgate. This character she sustained successfully in the original London cast in the course of a long run shared amongst three or four leading singers of the stage. This quaint production is being eagerly anticipated. As originally planned, Mr Oscar Ashe’s season closes on June 13' Ihe Peep Show 7 in a renovated form occupies the Theatre Royal from Saturday, June 16, for a fortnight. Gertrude Elliott (Lady Forbes Robertson) and her new company are playing “Woman to Woman” at the Criterion after the run of “The Cat and the Canary.” This piece is going strongly, so that Miss Elliott’s date is indefinite. In recognition of the whole hearted support accorded “Sally,” that musical piece id to be redressed at a vast cost. The “butterfly” costumes alone demand an outlay of £llOO, and there are some 90 people, one way and another, included in the refurbishing scheme. At latest it was intended to close “Sally” on July 18, at the 225th performance. This would leave “Our Mis, Gibbs" in possession of the Australian “230 record.”