MIMES AND MUMMERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10606, 31 October 1912, Page 2

MIMES AND MUMMERS.

* (By THE LIMELIGHT MAN.) " The Taming of tlio Shrew'' at the Theatre Hoynl on. Tuesday. V It is reported thnt three Marlow companies will lio sent to New Zealand next vear. - A companion has been found for "The Worst Woman on Earth"—a shock entitled "The Greatest Scoundrel Living."' « ♦ Oscar Asche and his wife are travelling their own motor-oar and chauffeur through the dominion, to say nothing of a dog or two. *•» •'Kismet" has been so successful that tlio season has been extended two days, and it will continue to hold the boards until Monday. Carl Hertz has fully recovered from his illness, and lias returned to activity. According to latest files he was fulfilling engagements in London. Photography and tlio Avon enter largely into the lives of the members of the Oscar Aschc Company in Christchurch. The members are to bo found principally on the river. " » • * For " Puss in Boots " Frank Dix will be producer, and now l\e is at work on the preparations. Andrew M'Cunn has arrived back from America, with tlio musical portions of the pantomime. * * f* Adelaide is to have a second theatre, and it will bo one of the biggest in Australasia. Tlio cost will be £BO,OOO, and tlio name for this"now playhouse is the Princess. It will be situated in Grot-o Street. # 9

For a week Miss Beatrice PTollowa j replaced Miss Josephine Cohan in " Get-liich-Quick Wallingford " in Sydney, the latter being on the sick list. Miss Holloway's part was entrusted to Miss Dora AVingfield. **** Anderson evidently is going to ir.nl-n a. big bid with his production of "The Land of Nod," an extravagant) that captured Chicago somo_ years _a£o. Three hundred people, it is said, v.ili be utilised for the initial production. V Announcements state that " On Our Selection," the Steele Rt.idd play that lias been touring Australia, will go to England in eighteen months' tune to tour there. The Australian ca.st is to put the play 011 in tho Old Co.ritry. ».* " Kismet" will be played in-France with Lucien Guitry as Hajj. Otis Skinner played tho part in tho New York production, and in both cases the version adopted was that with Asche's interpolations, amendments and additions. t * • «

Tho man who advertises usually considers liimsclf justified in taking any men sure to catch the evo of the public, but in connection with tho publicity campaign for Hugard's tho treatment of sonic of the posters is to say tho least in extremely had taste. * » One tiling that Oscar Asche said in Christcliurch was that tho biggest companies; from England that toured Australia at all could pay a visit to this dominion profitably. '"Kismet" is a huge expense, and Aselio spoke after a good test of this country's powers. '■ • * * J. 0. "Williamson, Limited, is reported as having secured The Girl from Montmartc." I will bo greatly .surprised if Miss Grace Pa lotto, does not figure in the Australian east. Tho pi ay is described as a farce with music, but the story runs along the French conventional lines, involving husbands and wives and mistaken identities. *•* At the welcome to Oscar Asche given in the Theatre Royal on Tuesday after-; noon there wcro several pronunciations of the actor-manager's name, one of the worst attempts being " Aschey." Finally, the correct.form was supplied by the visitor wh<? said that his name was " Arseher." In his company, however. the English pronunciation "Ash" is most frequently met.

Stephen Phillips did a lot of hard work on "Every woman," which went on in London on September 12. English papers say that he altered Browne's scenario and text considerably. Many scones—particularly the humorous ones —have been entirely re-written. The most extensive change has been to increase in importance and strength the part of Nobody, and this probably explains the presence of H. B. Irving' in the role.

I wonder if the people who bask in the sunshine of Shakespearian actors and juegle with literary lumber ever think that some peoplo enjoy lighter fare, and that their tastes are as worthy of consideration as the _ more " intellectual." One would not like to call "The Chocolate Soldier" ephemeral rubbish, nor " Veronique." "Kismet" too, is a feast for the eye chiefly, and as far as the mind is concerned is merely melodrama thrown into Baghdad.

Stage anniversaries October 27, Charles Fcehter's Enelish-speaking debut (I860): October 28, Drvdon's "play, " Amphytrion," produced (1872); October 29, new Grecian Theatre opened n.877): October 30. "Manfred" at Covent Garden (1824); October 31. Sir Charles Young bora (1839), " The Pilot" at the Surrey (1825); November 1, Harriet Covenev born (1827), " John Bull's Other Island " (1901'); November 2. Tyrone Power born (1797) John M'Cullough born (1837).

Birthdays thi3 week: October 27, Miss Viola Allen, well-known American actress; George Middleton. American playwright; October 28, John Mason, American actor successful in Augustus Thomas plays; Edmund Dnv, author of "The Round Up": October 29, Walter 0. Kelly, the "Virginia judge." a vaudeville artist who criticised New Zealand severely after seeing Auckland ; November 2, Paul Kester. author of the plavs "Sweet Nell." "Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall." "When Knighthood Was in Flower."

One of the complaints of the members of tlip. Asehe Comnany is that in tho dominion theatres hot water is not laid on to the dressinjr-rooms. In the Asehe productions colonrinti; is used by nearlv evorv member, and tho task of olenniiiDC after a show is unsatisfactorily .overcome without hot water. At tho moment, too. it dawns on one that in "Kismet" Miss' Lily Brayton as ~VTr>rsin.'ih is the only clean person. Even for an Oriental of fourteen years her Miirsiiiah is remarkably fair.

The holders of the Australasian rights for the Siberia-Alaska Pictures gave a private exhibition of tho films 'at tho King's Theatre yesterday. There was a fair attendance of invited guests, and the pictures ovoked frequent and hearty applause. Tho series deals very fully with tho scenery of Alaska, with the manners and customs of the Esquimaux natives, and with the hie game with which the threat North-Westem territory abounds. Tho first public exhibition of the pictures will be given at tho King's Theatre on November 11.

At latest August© Van Biene was in turbulent Ulster's capital. Belfast playing "The Broken .Melody" still.' Neil Tvenyon was in Glasgow* at the Palace,Harry_Phydora was in Colchester nlavhifr TJmbles, in "Pern"; Hall'iwell Hobbs, here with Irving Company in February, was appearing as Sherlock Holmes in " The Speckled Band," at Ipswich: Miss Cassie Walmer, the one-legged dancer, who v.'iis through the dominion o few years atji». was atthe l're-ton Empire ; and Victor Gonriat was with " The

'"Count of Luxembourg" on tour. In the bill :ifc the Colchester Empire wn,s Baby Watson.

R. 0. Carton has been discussing in tho ''Daily Express'' the cost of comedy production. Given a comedy, says Carton, whore you have no elaborate mechanical effect, you can produce your piece, cover expenses, and have a margin with £IOOO. An author of repute- has the right to expect the closing of the. theatre* for' a few nights for final rehearsals, and my figure includes, say, £2(10 a week rent, of the. houao during the closure. "Of course j you must know how to go to work,' says Mr Carton, " but an experienced hand can usually put on a comedy, including expenses of production, preliminary rent, and dresses for the Indies, 'well within the £1000."

New picture houses spring np every night. The Queen's Theatre, is to throw its doors open to the public tonight, and accompanied by a eulogy from the Mayor it will commence business. The new theatre has the advantage of being exceedingly comfortable, Tho seats on the ground floor are restful, and the spaeo between each two rows is ample. A bright white" light in the- vestibule ratfior hurts tho eye after leaving tho darkened hall, and inside some startling landscape work breaks up the big stretch of wall, but "breaks up" the audienco as well. There is a comfortable circle, and the building is airy. In the meantime a motion picture house is going up in Cathedral Square, and, I believe, it is to have cushion-scats. ■***

The tender of Sanders Bros., Wellington, has been accepted for the erection of a new theatre for the Wellington Opera Houso Company. Tho building is to be erected from plans designed by tho Hon W. Pitt, of Melbourne. In order to proceed with this work the capital of the company has .been raised by £30,000, which amount has, according to the secretary, W. M'Loan, been over-subscribed. Tho block of land on which the new theatre is to bo erected ia the vacant section opposite the Royal Oak motor garage in Manners Street, which was acquired from the late T. G. Mnearthy last year. This gives tho company a block having 116 ft frontage to Manners Street by a depth of 240 ft running down tho right-of-way which formerly led to Kobbell's mill. Pitt has designed a theatre of two tiers, which is to seat over 2000 people, which will give nearly as much stage acommodation again as there is at the Wellington Opera House. Tho stage will have a depth, in ordinary, of 59ft, which may be extended on special occasions by another 10ft or 12ft by taking in the scene dock at tho back. The stage will also be equipped in modern stylo as far as tho lighting arrangements are concerned. A complete scheme of ventilation will provide for a sliding roof. Tho main entrances in the theatre wil! bo from Manners Street. Twelve dressing-rooms aro to be provided in threo tiers on the prompt side of tho stage, and will be ventilated bv windows looking out on to a right-of-way on that side of the building. A foyer is provided for dress-circle patrons, with cloak-rooms, elc.' Th?

theatre is to be set back 10ft frp;n the existing building-line, and a cantilever concrete verandah will be erected on the Manners- Street frontage. Tho theatre, which is to bo erected in brick and steel, is to be ready for opening by Boxing Night, 1913.