“Trying it on the Dog.”

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue XV, 13 October 1900, Page 691

“Trying it on the Dog.”

Nowadays a new play is usually produced in the country, and licked into shape by a run through the provincial towns. This process is called, in theatrical parlance. “trying it on the dog.” One of the most successful comic operas ever played—and, moreover, one that is played throughout the English-speaking w’orld to-day—is “La Mascotte.” The late Alexander Henderson, one of the most acute of theatrical managers, doubtful of its merits, produced the opera at Brighton with a cast including Lionel Brough, Vio- • let Cameron, Henry Bracey, and many other well-known stars. It ran triumphantly there for a week, and was subsequently brought to London, where it attained the huge success which it undoubtedly deserved. More recently. Sir Henry Irving produced Dr. Conan Doyle’s touching little drama, “A Story of Waterloo” far away in the country, where it was duly knocked into shape before bringing it up to the Lyceum. The same process was undergone by Mr Walter Firth’s play “The Man of Forty,” which Mr George Alexander is now playing so successfully at the St. James’ Theatre, London. Mr and Mrs Kendal, with that dramatic instinct which is hereditary in the family, make a practice of producing new plays elsewhere than in town. “The Elder Miss Blossom.” which was a charming play, full of promise for the future of the collaborating dramatists, needed a lengthy provincial tour before it was brought to London. And of recent years Mrs Kendal has played few’, if any, new parts for the first time before a metropolitan audience. That epoch-making play, “Cyrano do Bergerac.” by Rostand, after a deal of buffeting about in the hands of different English translators and adaptors, was at last produced by Mr Charles Wyndham far away in the country, and after a trip to Ireland and several important provincial centres, was brought up to Wyndham's Theatre as a thoroughly rehearsed and well-worked-up play. Another class of performance which takes place from time to time at some more or less remote country town is the copyright representation for the purpose of securing full rights to the producer by a so - called public performance, which. however, is not

advertised, and to which admission is usually charged at the exclusive price of one guinea each all round. A notable instance of this was the first performance of “The Pirates of Penzance,” by Sir Arthur Sullivan and Mr W. S. Gilbert. This enchantingly clever comic opera was produced at the town immortalised in the title —Penzance —and was witnessed by some score of bewildered countryfolk, who little dreamt of the importance of the performance they were attending. This single show was given simply for the purpose of securing certain rights, both in England and America, and the actual "first night” took place at the Opera

Ccmique Theatre before the existence of the r.ow famous Savoy. Mr George R. Sims nearly always elects to produce his dramatic pieces somewhere in the provinces. In this he shows his appreciation of country audiences, and his clever business methods. "The Dandy Fifth.” for instance, was given a healthy provincial tour before being brought up to town, and derived much benefit ther-*-from. London audiences saw’ it in the full flush of early adolescence, and promptly pronounced it a success. Mr Wilson Barrett first played "The Sign of the Cross” far away from the metropolis. In this he showed his wis-

dom and good taste. When it eventually came to London, it W’as a finished and smoothly-running play. It must be remembered that audiences in the chief provincial towns are ev >ry bit as critical and exacting as metropolitan ones, if, indeed, they are not more so. If they pronounce a play to be a success, it is a hundred to one that it w’ill prove to be.one, and their judgment is rarely at fault. Perhaps it is not too much to say that three out of every five new plays are brought out in the country and licked into shape by' a. short provincial tour before they are introduced to town.