THE STAGE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16905, 2 December 1922, Page 21

THE STAGE

Allan Wilkie, who concludes his Wei. lington season to-night, has a repertory of fifteen Shakespearean plays. On November 23, the company celebrated its 600th consecutive Shakespearean performance in Australasia. It is contended that no ot-lier company since these plays were written over 300 years ago has given 600 consecutive performances in any part of the world. Mr "Wilkie’s leading lady on this tour is MjAs Hilda Dorrington, a tall, dark, and graceful Australian. Miss Dorrington has played in Xew York in “ Anthony in Wonderland. 7 ’ and “ Under Pressure.’’ arid she has also played in India where she was with a company playing as many as ten performances in a week (■including Sunday), and featuring such different productions as “ Beauty and the Barge." ‘Madame X.,” and “The House of Gla»ss.”

Vaudeville mniTjigers frequently receive queer applications from strurk people, and one sent to Mr V. aT ter Fuller in Wellington recently seems to indicate that a genius has arisen in that city who is going to make a worldwide name for himself. His list of accomplishments, as set down by himself. are given below i—(1) Ventriloquist. (2) Contortionist, being double and triple-jointed from head to toes. This performance includes: Dislocation of toes, ankles, hips, shoulders, el- : bows, and hands. (3) Handcuff and chain manipulation. (4) Comic singer and patter artist. Have a collection comic (clean) poetrv written by myself (o) Also claim to be a wonderful performer on an ordinary one shilling mouth organ, including classical, ragtime, and sentimental music. The oldest actor in Australia is said to be Harry Daniels, who played with G. V. Brooke. Miss Daisy Kennedy, the well-known Australian violinist, who was to have made u concert c >ur of Australia last rear under the management of Messrs 1 and X. Tait. has notified the firm that she liar, not been able to make the necessary arrangementto have Fugland. and that her tour will have to be deferred. Mr Frank Rigo. stage manager for grand opera at Covent Garden under Sir Augustus Harris and later in .the same capacity in Australia under F C. Williamson Ltd., has made a proposal for tho revival of grand opera ii, Australia. There is to be varied a capital of £25.090. Shareholders will have priority in booking seats ami a reduction of 15 per cent on broking prices. After negotiations extending over serno considerable time. the biggest deal in theatrical real estate ever made m Australia v.a- consummated on No- [ td.. completed the purchase of the block of buildings at the corner pi Pitt and Market. Streets. Sydney, which in elude. Her Majesty - Theatre, two hotels and several shops. The purchase price was in the vicinity of £150,000. Australian girls can do all sorts of things on the stag ' if they are given i chance (says an Australian paper). The other week Bene Gold stepped oiF:)i the shadowy background at short notice and replaced Edith Drayson as j the singing heroin'', of “ Cairo ” when the laU-er temporarily lost her .voice. JvCne Gold ha< been known as a reliable chorus girl tor some years past, but this was her chance to sparkle. This is/.he third occasion in as many weeks that a young and practically unknown Australian girl has stepped into tile shoes of the principals and made good. Tho others were Thelma Burgess. replacing Kathlvn Hilliard, and Digit Lyons in Josib Melville’s solo ounces in “ The Peep-Show.” Miss Reeve is one of the actresses whose work has benefited bv very early stage exp eric lire. She appeared at the age. of six years with her parents, who were members of Frederick Wright’s repertory company, and after playing child parts in drama and a number of singing parts she made a change to “ variety.” At the ago of 14 years Ada lteeve was a London favourite in that type of 'work. Fn musical comedy Miss Reeve was the original “ Shop Girl ” at the Gaiety, and she played the name-part in the long season of “ The Gay Parisian no.” This was her first part in Australia under the management of Mr J. ('. Williamson. Most of her later Australian appearances have been made at the Tivoli Theatres. In London Miss Reeve was the first Lady Holyrood in ‘ • Florodora.” and succeeded Miss Marie Tempest as “ San Toy ” Among her other musical comedy parts were those in “Kitty Grey” and “Three Littlo Maids.” The first of a series of three farewell concerts was given by Miss Rosin a Buck man at the Town Hall on Xovember 11 (says tlie Melbourne “Leader.”) Miss Burkinan sang with much hril-lanc-e. Tho tone was at times of glorious quality. There were thrills in some of her top notes. The greatest of all came in the outburst Desdemona gives near the end of the “ Willow Song.” In the other parts of this item and its pendant. Miss Buckman’s treatment was full of feeling, though perhaps not always the right kind of feeling. The tones produced by the singer in this part were of supreme beauty. But that was really the case with almost everything she sang. “The Rose and the Nightingale ” (RimskyKorsakov) was fairly new. Tt was beautifully done. Mousspurgor sky’s * Evening Prayer ” (one of the many extras) was charming in its quaint display of unconscious childish humour. Mr d’Oislv v. as admirable in pretty well everything he did. His master effort of the evening was his performance of Massenet’s “ Fuyez douce image ” (Manon).

A printer used to employ me to give quotes to and take deposits from composers whose ambition it was to teach their own particular song of victory to the waiting nation—at eighteenpence a copy (writes a Sydney “ Bulletin ” correspondent). While the boom lasted we did a roaring biz, and in most cases it was a crime to take the money Success was earned by the most un likely looking individuals. One was an elderly hawker in ar? up-country town, who sold his song to his fruit and vegetable customers on the round. He came back for tlnee repeat orders of 1000 copies each., A returned soldier was the next best. He bought 2000 songs with liia own photo on the cover, and retailed them in small lots to other Diggers, who sold them from door to door. This chap was a good customer, but I lost him when one of hri pals came to say he was in hospital and_ planked down the cash for 1000 copies, which he got. Next morning the composer arrived with the news that he hadn’t seen the hospital., and that the oerfidious pal was retailing liis song to his canvassera at a lower price than he was charging, and was ‘ dam ’ good with his fists, too.” The victim of circumstances blamed me for the loss: of his business and never re-

The run of “ Spangles ” at the Palace Theatre, Melbourne, terminated’v on November 10, with the 242nd performance in thirty weeks. Miss Ada Reeve has had some remarkable season in Australia, but lier present success is record-breaking in several ways (says the “ Argus.”) It has been lor her a triumph of personality and of entertaining ability, supported by good material, and by very neat ,£ team work ” on the part of the company. The demonstration at the closing night was memorable for its warmth and spontaneity. yet ! not a greater compliment than the clever littlo artist and her company deserved. Ada Reeve is not merely a public entertainer of exceptional parts and ;> fine career, but she is everybody’s friend—a woman who has realised in the fullest, finest sense her obligations to her country' and to society. In all things a really wonderful woman, she has won our unbounded admiration and very frequently our gratitude. The little theatre on Friday night fairly rocked with enthusiasm. which reached its climax when at the clo e of the performance Councillor Wesbley, on behalf of her admirers and as a memento of an occasion unique even in her remarkable career, presented her with a diamond brooch and a congratulatory address signed by J the Lord Mayor and other leading citrj zens. Afterwards -Miss Reeve was entertained at supper. A now era in Australian theatrical supply, with sufficiently keen competition to stimulate enterprise to the limit, is indicated in announcements made within the last- few days (says the «• Australasian ”). When Mr Hugh Word withdrew from Williamson's. and joined forces with the I idler Proprietary, there was immediate activity. Both Mr Ward ancl Sir George Tallis left for England and America to obtain theatrical attractions for the rival firms, and engagements announced for Williamson’s indicate that 'he old firm fully realises | that competition, ii openly friendly, is j to be fierce and without quarter. Some of the most interesting engagements j ever made for Australia are included in f4v George Tallis’s lookings. and ! the firm are leaving nothing to chance I is regards their footing. Wit Inn the j last few da vs it is announcer! that- ] Williamson’s have purchased the block lof buildings which includes Her I Majesty’s Theatre in Svrlnev. and the i Grand Opera HoiiA. as. well as Kverv- ! body’s Theatre in Wellington. Nov. 1 Zealand, each transaction said to he j the most important deal ~n theatrical estate that has as yet been carried out in the ( omnrouweaith and Dominion respectively, ft, deeds, if not in words, both firms vay be accused of using threatening language in a public place. Mr Hugh Ward has something to say of his plans and -mentions, most of which are well on the way to maturity. They will control. Mr Ward says. 2-1 houses in Australia and Xew Zealand. Melbourne the Princess Theatre is being practically rebuilt at a cost, of about £40,000. In Sydney a leading house for the new firm is being built an what is known as the old High School site in Cast.lereagh street. The land for this theatre cost £IOO,OOO. and the huildinc. when complete, will •ost another £150.000. Obviously, ATr Ward ha - no intenti >n of maki light for bis late colleagues. The gloves are off. yet it by no means fol•ows that the fittest only will survive in the fight. Mr Cyril Maud, who was so populat here as tin* delightful old character •Grumpy." is to star in the Xew York product ion of “ li’ Winter Comes.” the dramatised version of A. bh M Hutchinson’s successful novel, v Inch W illiamson’s have procured for Australia. Miss C'issie Loftus. a well-known English actress ''.a- charged at tin Marlborough Street Police Court with 1 eing an unauthorised person in possession of morphine and atrophine. She was remanded for a week on bail. Defendant, who was looking very ill.

was sent to a nursing home. Writing from New York, Sir George Tallis (representative of •). William son, Ltd.) paid a- high tribute to the Australian chorus girl, and re-echoed hi; opinions previously expressed as managing director of J. C. Williamson. Ltd., regarding her attractiveness and ability " I saw every show in London and a number in the provinces,” wrote Sir George Tallis, “ and for the past three weeks 1 have been seeing New York productions day and night. I have still a vast number to go through : and all l have seen made ine even more impressed than ever I was with our Australian chorus and ballet. There ri a very beautiful English type. There is also a very attractive American show-girl: but the Australian girl not only has good looks, she has also personality, charm.; ability and brains, as well as ambition, which ultimately firings them from the chorus and ballet into the cast. I will Ijack out Australian chorus and ballet against the best in London and Xew York. Our “exquisite eight” would bi> unbeatable in the stronghold of the beauty chorus in Xew York Apart from her stage attractions, the Austialian chorus girl is also a finer type off the stage.”

GREAT FRENCH ACTOR. Lucien Guitry is at tho head of the French stage to-day by reason of bis versatility and the passionate power of his acting, the intensity with which he invests even the trivial with significance, and the melodramatic with tempestuous tragedy. He is an unmistakable genius, says Mr Anthony Clvne in the •* Bookman.” Ho is of the com- i panv of Ma-eready. Kean, Irving, and of his compatriots Talma and Frederic Lemaitre. Guitry spent ten years in the city which was then St Petersburg, and lie learned to unite with the technique acquired in France the primitive vigour and emotional sincerity of the Slav. On the death of Constant Coquelin in 1909 he became the unchallenged chief of French actors. Born in Paris in 1860, Guitry became a student at the Conservatoire, gaining a second in tragedy and comedy. He should have remained another year, but he was impatient with the formal instructions and conventional histrionics, and he left, incurring a penalty of £4OG. As Guitry listens to a conversation on the stago the slight movements of his body and hands, the expressions flickering across his face convey remarkable ideas that pass through the mind of the character he is impersonating. What might a crude harrowing of the feelings becomes a drama of souls. A machine-made comedy with stock characters and age-old situations is invested with a sparkling gaiety it does notin reality possess. His acting is t-b.o perfection of make believe ; the illusion is complete. For some years Guitry was associated with Sarah Bernhardt. In “ Le Juif Polona-is ” lie was as powerful as was Irviug in its English version,

“The Bella,” but in another fashion. He pourtrayed Coopeau, tho drinkmaniac in Zola’s “ L’Assommoir,” as successfully as Gortelon the scandalbroken politician, in Bernstein’s “La Griffe,” and he did equally well in a great variety of'other characters. But Guitry has his limitations. He presented the Ch&ntecler not of Rostand, but of Guitry, and it was much less intricate and less profound than the character provided by the author. As Hadji in “ Kismet,’’ too, he remained a great French actor playing a part very cleverly, instead of becoming the Oriental Beggar. With exceptional observation and memory Guitry can take every part in a play with wonderful'mimicry. His son—Sacha Guitry, the playwright and actor—lias talent not genius. “ Sacha ” is at bis best v,i litrht comedy of Parisian life, but in “Pasteur” he lios shown a power of constructing tragic scenes. NEW THEATRICAL COMPANY. EXTENSIVE OPERATIONS. Mr Hugh J. Ward, a leading figure in Australian theatrical circles f° r many years, returned to Melbourne on November 10 after a seven months’ business trip to Europe and America, (savs the- Melbourne " Leader ”). Last rear Mr Ward, in conjunction with Sir IF Fuller and Mr J. Fuller, see out to form a new theatrical enterprise. His trip abroad was made for the purpose of securing new talent-, and the quest, Mr Ward savs, has been very successful. Tlie new firm. which will be known as the Hugh J. \Ya~d Theatres Co., will have no connection with tho B and J. Fuller Co., which will continue under the existing management, but it will have the use of the Fuller theatre* throughout Australia and New Zealand, in addition to several new theatres which are to be built in the principal cities. The Princess Theatre, Melbourne, is at present being completely remodelled for the new company. and a large theatre, to be. known a.-. St James, is being built in Cas t lore.a gh Street, Sydney, at a total cost of £“250,000. It is the firm’s intention to build another theatre in Mellater. Li all tile company will control twenty-four theatres in Australasia. Referring to the new project. Mr Ward said it was proposed to stage everything from farce to grand opera, and tin' first production, a musical entertainment- appropriate to tho holiday season, would open in the Princess Theatre at Christina*. To play the principal parts in the various productions he had engaged forty artists, nineteen of whom were now on their way to Australia to play in the Christmas production at the Princess and in u pantomime at tho Palace Theatre. The company also had secured the option over operas and plays produced at six of London’s leading theatres, including the Gaiety. Adel phi and Drury La-no, and in a. number of leading American theatres. The production rights secured included those of Oscar Strauss’s latest comic opera, " The Fast Waltz,” “ The Gipsv Princess.” (Robert Everett), 1 Gabrieile ” (by tho Australian composer Georg© Clutsam) ; also the rights of various dramatic productions, including Sapper’s " Bull Dog Drummond," and Bruce Bairnsfatlier's “Old Bill. M.P.” These were apart from the rights of a number of American musical'comedies and dramati • productions. Arrangements had been made. also, to bring out Henry Baynton. a young Shakespearian, actor with a reputation in England. Amongst the artists engaged were Arthur T,uca.s (Gilbert- and Sullivan tenor, of the Savoy Theatre). Mark Daly (comedian, of the Alhambra), -Eva Dale (leading ladv in the “Gipsv Princess ”). May Beatty (an Australian artist, of the Gaiety), and Willie Redstone, composer of the musiral comedy “ A Night Out.” who with Hamilton Webber (another Australian) would fill the role of musical director and conductor. The choruses would all bo obtained in Australia.