THE STAGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12410, 30 August 1918, Page 3

THE STAGE.

—— NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By THE LIMELIGHT .MAN.) The principal newcomers at the Opera House Hoxt week arc Jonos and Rnines, llus couple arc old favourites here, and it will he remembered that they were amongst the survivors of the Wi’mmora disaster. They have quite recovered from their nerve-racking experiences, and are said to bo in very good form. On Monday Mr Walter' George will present his fifth musical comedy in miniature. This is entitled “Seaside hrelics, ’’ and Opera House patrons can rest assured that they will experience an enjoyable time when the piece is on. United Stales revenue officials report that the Federal income derived from the. tax on theatre tickets is three times larger than was expected. Only £8,000,000 had been counted on from this source, but, according to the present estimates, the amount will bo about £21,000.000, and ye,t it is suggested that the tax be doubled !

Anton Ysaye. son of Eugene Ysaye, the famous violinist, who is conductor of the Cincinnati orchestra, lias been decorated by the Belgian Government for bravery on the, battlefield. Two other sons have fallen in the war, while Ysayo’s homo in Brussels and the savings of his career, invested in Belgian securities, have been taken by the Germans.

A report which gives a good idea of what the theatres are doing in London during the war tells of the organisation in 1916 of a small company to carrv on a- theatrical enterprise. In the first year of its existence this -company earned enough money to pay a. dividend of £IO6O on each £IOO of invested capital. But when the excess war profits tax. the income tax and the super-tax each had iiad a bit out of the earnings there was left for each £1 invested a- dividend of only Is 2d.— “ The Cincinnati Inquirer.” Max Pemberton, the English novelist and playwright, has made a now version of Victorien Sardou’s “ Patrie.” This play was one of the two historical dramas written by Sardou in his early days as a dramatist, “ La Haine ” being the other. It was first acted in Paris in ISG9. The scone is laid in the Netherlands during the struggle for independence. Sardou dedicated the play to John Lothrop Motley, the historian of the Dutch 'Republic. Hylda Shannon, the charming soprano of the Walter George Sunshine Players, is known to her intimates as “Jock.'’ This is an abbreviation form of Jockey, and the nickname is bestowed on this clever young lady because of her prowess as a lady rider over hurdles. Miss Shannon has competed at the Royal Agricultural Show, Adelaide, on various occasions, and is the proud possessor of several first prizes. She lias ridden at many country shows also, including Jamestown and Petersburg. Of course many falls have come her way, but her most terrifying experience was at, Adelaide, when her horse bolted and crashed into a. fence. Luckily Miss Shannon escaped with only a few bruises. Eileen Boyd, the Australian contralto, who will be back in the Dominion soon, will probably be remembered by playgoers who recall the late Johnny Coleman. .Miss Boyd was a great friend of the famous dancer. Sim was only a tiny tot in the days when Coleman's fame was at its zenith, and nsed_ to appear with him in his dancing specialty. It was Coleman who advised Miss Boyd to try her luck in LondonThat she succeeded is evidenced by the fact that she remained in the world’s metropolis for over eight, years, nd when she loft for Australia she was starring at- the principal variety hails, not as a cleg dancer, hut as a contralto. Miss Boyd visits Now Zealand as a principal member of the “Samples” Uevuc Company, shortly to tour here under the direction of Harry Rickards, Tivoli Theatres. Ltd. The writer of “A Womans Letter”

in the "Sydney Morning Herald.” leaving viie round of the regular London theatres, forwards an account of Congreve’s ’‘The Way of the World."' ns produced by the Stage Society:—" This, old play has >n-eat merits of dialogue and wit. But, like all Restoration plays of the kind, it lacks movement. SHtl Congrcvo was the direct ancestor of rdl our epigrammatic playwright.-, Ifrom Congreve came, Sheridan, from Sheridan you paso to Pinero and Oscar *Wlde. The fearless handling of ’initial infidelity and the relations of the

soxos was more or less constantly their text. ' It was put on by the Stage Society in. Restoration stvlc. That is to say, - the curtain never fell through the course of the five acts of the comedy. Iho necessary changes of scene were made in coram populi. Servants substituted one set of furniture for another. 'Where the scene in the -Mali took place, however, two screens painted with trees and a pathway represented The Mall as it was m Congreve’s days. Miss Edyth Goodall played MillamonnL the chief’ character of flic women. Miss Ethel fixing was for some time considered the only possible Millamount. I believe she was exceedingly clever in the role. Whether she had distinction enough I cannot say. I not see her. I would have thought Miss Ellis Jeffreys nearer ♦■he •style of artist. Miss Goodall, however, made, her a very delightful figure, and was perhaps a trifle too restless for so great a dame. The men were not hke it at all; and. indeed, the critics agree that feminine ’ nature has changed less since the Restoration than have the men.’’

'I iolet Trevenyon reappeared on the J'nller circuit a few days ago in Dnuodm and was given a rousing reception, wuli bouquets following her songs! MisTrevenyon, who will be here before has been away, ior nearly two years.

St John Greer Ervino. the Irish dramatist and manager, was wounded while lighting in Franco with the Dublin I' nsihers on May 9. Two weeks later it was found necessary to amputate bis right leg. Ervine is known for Ins "Mixed Marriage” and “The Magnanimous Lover,” two of the better plays in the repertory of the old Dublin Abbey Theatre Company known as the Irish Players. Another play of his is "Jane Clegg,” Ervine was manager of the Dublin Abbey, when, in 19K). the majority of the better-known players speeded and organised a now company with Arthur Sinclair at its head.

Opera in Germany is going on as usual with "Wagner and other ■'German composers’ music given the, preference, although operas by Verdi, Massenet, and Gounod are also sung, according |;o lioimventnra Spink, an American soprano, wlio returned to the States recently from Dresden, whore she had been a member of the opera there for lour years. Miss Spink secured her passports out of Germany through the Spanish Ambassador. Another of Great, Britain’s enduring ventures with opera, the■■ Mootly-Mmi-ners Company, is for sale. The improssario is able to boast that in twentyone years’ existence the organisation has not had a loss. The reason for selling is given as the increased cost and lessened facilities of transportation.

Says the “ Boston Sunday Globe ” of recent date:—For the livsb time in the history of the “ Ziegfeld Follies ” the young women in that organisation, noted the country over for their beauty will not this year have the added adof artificial embellishment. I Ins is a rule set down and rigidly adhered to by F. Ziegiiekl, jtm., the connoisseur ol the beauty department, sav.s the- “New York Tribune.” This rule does not prevail strictly in the activities of the young women while on the stage, inasmuch as a certain shading of make-up is required by the strong lighting to which choir ibices are sulu ,|octed; but the -rule is positive so far as it concerns the girls on the streets or at rehearsals.

'J lie actors Hie is one of ease as compared with that of the ballot-mis-tress. That- is the firm opinion of .Minnie Hvereu, and she really ought to know. “ For every new production 1 iuivo to evolve some fresh step, some novel combination." she says. "The musical comedy, or revnc, that is laeknic, at least- one ballot that the. audience can pick out, and sav. '.lsn't itwonderful how they liml these new Things ?• is going to have a short life and a sad one, from my own 1 exuericnee I can say that- AmArrAtav; audiences demand more in the way of daneing specialities than those, elsewhere. The local ballet girl is, fortunatclv. so adaptable :ult l original in all that’she does that my task is lighter than would he the ease if 1 had to juggle with the extremities of the average pony bulleton Broadway. Here, too. we give f-u----more in the way of ballets than is usual with the original productions. ‘Oh ,ycontains in its dancing numbers alone enough material to run two American versions of the same piece. 'When 1 say • material ; I refer both to clothes ami actual dancing. Yes. if ever 1 have to apply for another position on the Mage u is going i 0 be as the leading lady. ’