STAGE AND STUDIO. A Chat About Theatres, Pictures, and Books. (FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.) The Vagaries of Theatrical Management— Strange Oases-A Recent Blunder-Byron's Posthumous Comedy—Thorne's Opinion — Produced at Last — "Open House" — Extraordinary Success — Another "Our Boys"—Jennie Lee's Season Collapses—Some of the Colonial Coin Dropped—Bancroft's Farewell Production—" Ours" Once Again-Irving Back Home—Reserved Pit and Gallery Seats.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 110, 11 July 1885, Page 6

STAGE AND STUDIO. A Chat About Theatres, Pictures, and Books. (FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT. ) The Vagaries of Theatrical Management— Strange Oases- A Recent BlunderByron's Posthumous Comedy— Thorne's Opinion — Produced at Last — " Open House " — Extraordinary Success — Another "Our Boys"— Jennie Lee's Season Collapses— Some of the Colonial Coin Dropped— Bancroft's Farewell Production—" Ours" Once Again -Irving Back Home— Reserved Pit and Gallery Seats.

Lojsdon, May 3. TnERE is no accounting for the vagaries of theatrical management. Eventheshrewdest men are constantly making the queerest mistakes Bancroft declined to produce "The Colonel," which subsequently made Edgar Bruces fortune; "Confusion" was offered fruitlessly alike to provincial and metropolitan managers, and eventually sold to Thorne, of the Vaudeville, for a modest "tenner." It ran two years, and has literally realised the lucky speculator tens of thousands. Sims could get no one to believe in "The Lights of London" till Wilson Barrett consented to read it. Similar instances might be multiplied indefinitely. The auainteat error of all has, however, quite recently been made by the last man whom anyone would have suspected of such a blunder. The whole world knows what a prodigious run " Our Boys " had at the Vaudeville. Byron's bubbling wit and clever characterisation just suited this little house, and Mrs Swanborough's theatre higher up the Strand. "Weak Women," "Old Soldiers," "The Girls," and several other comedies from the same facile pen paid thoroughly well at one or the other. When poor Byron died Thorne was known to have a new play of his in hand, and of course people fully expected it would be produced at once. The manager, however, made no move. The piece, he told his friends, would not do. It was a weak, expiring effort on the part of the poor playedout author. Witty in places, oh ! yes, but a feeble plot, slovenly drawn characters, etc., etc. So the subject dropped, and what with the success of " Confusion " first and "Saints and Sinners" afterwards, Byron's " Open House" remained in a drawer forgotten. Now comes the amusing part of the story. When the run of "Saints and Sinners " came to an end, a play by Dr. Westlard Maraton was produced called " Under Fire, "and failed miserably. Thorne had to find a new piece in a hurry. He determined to put a farcical comedy by Hurst called "Loose Tiles," which had achieved a succes d'estime at matinees in the evening bill, and give " Open House " a chance at a morning performance "just to see if there was anything in it, don't yer know ?" Byron b name proved quite sufficient to draw a large antf curious audience (in which the profession was prominently represented) to the Vaudeville to see "Open House." The comedy had scarcely a fair chance, for it was indifferently rehearsed. Nevertheless, Thorne became aware before half the first act was over that he had stumbled on a theatrical nugget of the first quality. The house simply roared oiit at the innumerable word twistings and^ewee d'esprit that kept popping off like a fire of champagne corks. Thorne, as Jack Alabaster, the smooth, good-looking, hypocritical friend of the family, who takes endless liberties with his host on the strength of having saved him (a lie) from drowning, had a part that suited him perfectly. Old Farren, as a quarrelsome old beau, for ever bickering with a sour virgin of sixty, was dryly funny. "I shall breakfast in my bedroom to morrow," says he, angrily, after one of their quarrels. "So shall I," replies the spinster, with dignity. "No, you won't, mann, for 1 shall lock my door," retorts the old man, chuckling, and, of course, the audience are delighted. The piece went better and better as it progressed, and at the close there was quite a little scene. The press unanimously pronounce " Open House" one of Byron's lightest and brightest efforts. It has no plot to speak of, but it makes people laugh. That more and more is becoming a sine qua non with theatre-goers. They don't want instruction ; they want amueement. "Open House " is now in the evening bill at the Vaudeville, and will run many a month. Poor Jennie Lee and her husband have, I fear, lost some of the money they made in Australia at the Strand Theatre. It was an unlucky season. "Jo" is played-out in so far as West End London is concerned, and " Good Luck " was shocking rot. Success in America and Australia very often leads a "star" to under- rate the critical acumen of London audiences. Miss Lingari and Mrs Langtry, not to mention many lesser lights, failed at first through this. Miss Lingard aspired to take London by storm in r&les associated with the names of Bernhardt, Descle'e, Modjeska, and Adelaide Neilson. She practically "won her spurs " after many disappointments in comedy-drama, to wit, " Breaking a Butterfly" and "Called Back." The Bancrofts' farewell season at the Haymarket closes with "Ours," which has now taken the pluce of "Masks and Faces." Of all Robertsons comedies this is the best and most difficult to do real justice to. The colonies have never seen it as it can be played. There is no Hugh Chalcot but Bancroft, no Mary Netley save Marie Wilton (Mrs Bancroft). I remember once witnessing " Ours " at the Theatre Royal, Auckland. It was several years ago, during a Lingard season, I fancy. 1 am not sure, but I believe Miss Lingard was Blanche Haye, and Lingard General Shendryn. The players knew their parts, and acted to the best of their several abilities, but a more dismal performance I never sat through. Going out, I heard a young masher wonder how it was Londoners talked so much about that rotten piece ! Haymarket successes are made by persevering rehearsal, generous mounting, and a thousand and one little touches that the art of an experienced actor and cultured manager can suggest. In his own line, Bancroft is facile piinceps, Irving can do justice to "The Corsican Brothers," " The Courier of Lyons," and such pieces, but would bo astray if called upon to produce a Robertsonian comedy, Irving is back at the Lyceum running a brief season of revivals prior to the production of "Olivia," in which he will play the Vicar of Waterfield, and Miss Terry the title role. He has introduced a weloome innovation by enabling pit and gallery seats to be booked beforehand. It would simply have the effect of emptying the upper box people into the pit of most houses, but Irving can run risks.

Dunedin Trades and Labour Council has declared in favour of a thorough protective policy for the encouragement of local industries. ' ; ' l > ' t.