THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 712, 29 October 1903, Page 18

THE STAGE

(By

“Coinus.”)

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

“A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.” Georgeous scenery,, brilliant costumes, and exquisite music are the salient features of Mr Musgrove's latest production. It is perhaps not too much to say that no play ever presented in Auckland has been more lavishly mounted. The same note of praise is not applicable to all the stage sets, and the first and second scenes of Act I. undeniably suffer by comparison with the splendid woodland pictures of Mr Hawes Craven, which form the framework of the two- following- acts. ttp lio-htino pffpof.e OTO liluxa ci- arort.pt,

Matthew Arnold, assuming some degree of taste, declares. that true poetry is unmistakeable, and the argument probably holds good in respect of the other arts. At any rate education is the thing wanted, familiarity with the best. And we owe it to Mr J. C. Williamson that this influence is much more frequently in operation than it used to be. Mr Frawley’s Company are all, in varying degrees, of like quality with himself, and the more we have of such the better it will be for us and the better for the stage. It will be welcome news to hear that Mr Frawley may return to New Zealand at the close of his South African season.

OPERA HOUSE

THE MAGGIE MOORE COMPANY

Miss Maggie Moore opened at the Opera House on Saturday m " l-d--lamey,” an Irish play of the usual type, aboundin' in mirth, music ar.-1 melodrama, and containing several startling effects. The plot comprehends a villainous land agent and his henchman, a broth of a boy, two or three engaging daughters of the people, and several members of the English aristocracy who own Irish estates 1 . There are several remark-

ably good impersonations. Miss Moore herself plays with a great deal of her pristine force, and sings as sweetly as ever. She is the central figure in the drama, though the interest is pretty evenly divided. Her songs were exceedingly well received and she had to respond to several encores. Mi- S. A. Fitzgerald ably sustained the role of the tyrannical agent, and fully kept up the popular impression regarding the class. Mr J. P. West, as the agent's creature, Corney Cooney,” was provided with one of those characters in which this sterling old Thespian is particularly strong. His make-up was admirable. Air John Forde made a huge success of the congenial part of O'Lannigan, ex-soldier and valet to the young ffrinrlk’li W wli.. o-oes—Co Ixpl-smucL. in an_.

ceptionally bright and varied. Miss Tillie Dunbar is one of the daintiest of series, Miss Dell is a most pleasing ballad singer, Eob Bell revels in the fun he creates, Mr Whaite is a specialist in pathetic ballads, Lucas and Watts dance and-sing like a couple of sprites, and all the other members of the company do their utmost to keep the flood of merriment at high-tide. New faces appear this week, including those of Fred Bluett and the Stagpooles, who have just experienced a most successful season in the South.

The members of the Frawley Company left for Wellington by the steamer Zealandia on Tuesday, and there was a large crowd of noonle at the wharf to sav p-oorl-

THE CITY HALL

FULLER’S ENTERTAINERS. So lon?g as vaudeville is the vogue, and it will always have its votaries, so long will Air Fuller deserve to be supported. For he certainlv does his best to keep up the standard 'of this form of entertainment. He possesses not only a thorough knowledge of the popular taste, but he has the enterprise to cater for it.. The best talent that is available in the Colony finds its way to the City Hall, and none of it is allowed to become stale by familiarity. The rapid changes effected would not of course be possible did not the firm run three shows in as many of the large centres, but judicious management is responsible for most of the success here and elsewhere. The programme current at the City Hall is ex-

The Marquis of Anglesey reconstructed “ The Second Airs Tanqueray ” with a view of playing the" name -part himself. A well-known manager in England recently, in the witness box, stated that Ada Reeve drew a salary of £250 weekly. * ❖ * * Air Alfred Dampier will commence his New Zealand tour at the Opera House. Auckland, on the 7th November, in ‘•The Bush King.” # * # George Dance, the author of Sheridan’s “ Lady Slavey,” is evidently not superstitious, for he has thirteen companies touring in England. ”** * * W. S. Penley, the creator of “ Charley’s Aunt,” is said to have, cleared £125,000 out of the old lady who hails from the land of nuts.

Aly Christchurch correspondent writes.: —The Musgrove Comic yOpera Co. are now producing “The Serenade” to full houses and a toney Dress Circle every night. “Fra Diavolo” is promised for Tuesday, and the season will, by that time, be drawing to a close. Financially at all events it has been a successful one so far Willoughby and Geach

will supply the Carnival week attraction, at the Royal, and as all the hotel accommodation is already (23rd October) engaged, there is every prospect of a record Carnival so far as the number of visitors goes. Because, you see, since last Carnival most of our hotels have been re-built, and can now accommodate three or four times as many 7 people as formerlv. We are tn have,® a

ly through a conversation with Air George Titherage, in being offered the Lord Jeffries in “ Sweet Nell,” in which the actor set forth the charm of living in free and easy Australia, where the sky is always blue and the sun shines every day. He remains here, let it be whispered, because he is engaged to a very charming widow in Alelbourne, to whom he is shortly to be married. Mr Gran is giving his support to Aliss Fitzmaurice Gill in her Sydney Palace season.

Aliss Nellie Stewart and the members of Air George Musgrove’s Comedy Company will play a week at Cup time in Melbourne. * * * . Air Thomas Breen (of Derenda and Breen) was at New Jersey when the mail left America. He is now assisted by Miss AL Carroll, who is described as “ Australia’s greatest lady juggler.”

Air Pinero’s new play, “ Letty,” which Air Charles Frohman has just produced at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, is a drama in four acts and an epilogue. Mr Dion Boucicault is producing the play for Mr Frohman, and the cast includes Aliss Irene Vanburgh, Miss Nancy Price, Mr Dion Boucicault and Mr H. B. Irving.

“ THE TWO MR WETHERBYS.”

The new play under the above title, which has been secured by Mr W. F. Hawtrey, who will no doubt produce it on the occasion of his next visit here, is thus referred to by the London “ Daily News — “ The Two Mr Wetherbys,” a middleclass comedy, in three acts, by St. John Hankin, author of “ Mr Punch’s Dramatic Sequels.” “ Life is a comedy to thope who think, a tragedy to those who feel. ’ Characters : •James Wetherby, Margaret (his wife), R-chard Wetherby, Constantia (his wife), Aunt Clara (Aunt to Margaret and Constantia), Robert Carbe (her nephew), Maid at the James Wetherbys’. Time— I The Present Day. ’The action of the play covers some 20 hours*, from the afternoon of one day to the forenoon in the next. Act 1. —Drawing-room in the James Wetherbys’ House at Norwood. Act 2.—Their Dining-room. Act 3.—Same as Act I—Next Morning. During Act 2 the curtain will be lowered for a minute to denote the lapse of 3 hours. The two Mr Wetherbys are brothers. The two Mrs Wetherbys are sisters. Mr James Wetherby is a young gentleman of fine sensibilities, whose reputation for uprightness has, however, rather been created by his desire to please and his consequent acquiescence in sentiments with which he is not really in agreement, than by any inherent ‘rigidity of character. He does not possess the strength of mind to forbid his wife’s Aunt Clara becoming a resident and her brother Robert a daily visitor in his house. Nor has he the strength of mind to 'confess that he does not spend his spare time at missionary meetings. His brother Richard is of a different kind. His guiding principle is candour. He frankly tells Aunt Clara that be knows she doesn’t like him. He frankly takes brother James to the Empire to cheer him up. And he frankly pleases himself and gives good advice all round. Through brother Richard, as through the Tom Joneses and Charles Surfaces of the eighteenth century, obviously speaks the author. And although he spends most of his time admonishing others, and even sacrifices his loudly-boasted independence at the close, and cannot think that Mr Hankin is not going to allow him to live indefinitely in hen-peeked misery. We feel sure that in one or other of Mi Punch’s dramatic sequels we shall find that Aunt Clara has become Sir Oliver Surface, leaving him a sufficient fortune to bring his rather insufferable wife quite meeklv to heel.

For this is the ideal of male happiness, to bring the ladies submissively to heel, and it is the essence of Mr Hankin’s comedy to show how, even with the most rebellious wives-, it inevitably happens—the economic dependence of woman, the stronger sex and the rest of it. The candid Richard has been separated from his wife, and rather likes it. She, realising that the position of a woman living apart from her husband has all the disadvantages with none of the privileges of widowhood, comes to heel in splendid fashion, and is reduced, even though he is the guilty party, to beg - and persuade him to take her back. The same thing happens with James' wife, when she has disr covered the Empire Theatre programme in her husband's foat pocket, and the revelation of his life of. duplicity has. caused her to threaten to leave him. and to wander round the drawing-room 'collecting her personal belongings on a tray. Richard points out that if she carries the joke too far, James may really allow her to go, and she comes to heel at once. The p'ece is brightly written, though one sometimes doubts whether the laugh is quite with the author.

STAGE CARDINALS.

The success of Mr E. S.' Willard at the St. James’s Theatre as the Cardinal Giovanni de’ Medici (says the “ Era ”) reminds the practised playgoer of former occasions on which the pnestly politician has been introduced into drama. The position of Cardinal is. peculiarly convenient from the playwright’s point of view. The Cardinals were in a very advantageous position for intrigue. They possessed almost as incontestable a position as the Pope’s, and more freedom of action. To use the vernacular, they “ had it both ways they could out-scheme their opponents with the worldliest of wiles, and if a Cardinal .sieemed on any occasion to be getting the worst of it, he could fall back upon his clerical character, and pronounce upon his enemies the “ curse of Rome.” The first great stage Cardinal was, of course, Wolsey, in “ Henry VIII.' We are not about to revive the controversy as to the authorship of that play : but we may remark that Wolsey undoubtedly does not “ come out strong " in it. As has been well remarked, “in this case the author of the play lost a valuable opportunity. We hear a great deal of Wolsey's commanding qualities,

but where do we see them ? Arrogance we see, and craft ; but nowhere does he produce upon us that impression of tremendous power —of magnificence in good and evil —which it is clearly intended that he should produce." “Is it credible,” argues the same writer, “ that Shakespeare, with such a figure as ’Wolsey ready made to his hand, should have given us this merely formal transcript from Holinshed, this ‘ thing of shreds and patches ?' How dramatically would Shakespeare have worked the ascending fortunes of the man to a climax ; with what crushing effect, yet how inevitably would he have brought in the moment of downfall ! As it is, the effect is at once trivial and spasmodic, and the famous soliloquies are but fine rhetorical preachments. One feels that there is no psychology underneath this big figure ; it stands, and then is doubled up by a blow : but one sees with due clearness neither why it stood so long nor why it fell so suddenly. The events in “ Henry VIII. ” happen, but they are not brought about by that subtle logic which in “ Hamlet ” or in “ Lear ” evolves the action out of the character, and so enables us to follow, to understand, every change, however sudden and unlooked-for, in the uncertain fortunes of a tormented human creature struggling with the powers of fate and his own nature.”

My Wellington correspondent writes, under date October 22nd :—The “Daniel Frawley Coy.” under J. C. Williamson, are to inaugurate their Wellington season on the soth October. “Arizona” is to be the opening production Dix’s Gaiety Coy. are still doing well at the Theatre Royal. Mr Tod Callaway has returned to the Royal, and is re-

called several times each evening for his songs. Miss Dora Taylor, a serio and dancer, makes a first appearance thfis week, and the Galardi Sisters also reappear to-night. The remainder of the Coy. are up to the usual standard. . . . Fuller’s Entertainers are presenting an attractive programme at the Choral Hall this week. The Stagpoole trio provide plenty of mirth during their turn, and are very neat acrobats to boot,. Another excellent item is that of the Diamond Duo, whose song, music and dancing was admired a year ago with Rickards’ No. 2 Coy. Harry Hart has returned, and is adding his delightful quota. Will Watkins, Ted Tutty, Bessie -Young, and Addie Mclntyre are also assisting A feature of Mr J. W. Harrison’s recent Carnival at the Opera House was the brilliant display given by pupils. The vaulting horses, dumbells, running ma .e fcr ladies and gentlemen, club swinging, and fencing, etc., were loudly redemanded There was a considerable cumber af “Poverty Pointers” in the city this week the Tayior-Carring.tcn Coy. going North, Sheridan Coy. bound for the West Coast, “Savieri’s” 'recently disbanded

Majeroni) Coy. fcr the South, and Montgomery’s new* show also bound for the West Coast.

William Anderson’s No. 2 Dramatic Co. opened at Perth on October 19, with “ The Ladder of Life. So densely packed were the streets that from 6;30 p.m. till the doors were opened all tram and vehicular traffic was, entirely suspended, ihe booking for the week ahead is a record for Western Australia.

“ What Happened to Jones ” will be seen on the West Coast of the f-'.mth Island early in December for 1 lie first time. WiJoughby and Geach' will make it. their trump card for the brief run.

'The Woods-Williamson Company return ed from the goldfields districts, where they did excellent business, on Friday, and left by Monday's boat for New Plymouth .

Mr S. A. Fitzgerald, leading- heavy in Maggie Moore’s Company, is making his second appearance in Auckland," having first appeared here with Chas- Holloway’s famous “ Power and the Glory ” Co. about three years ago.

The Black Family of musicians, who are duo at Auckland shortly, have ueen enjoying a very siuccessful tour in. the Wellington Province. They put up record at tendances at Palmerston North and Wanganui. At the latter place on- Sunday evening no less than 1380 coins were taken at the doors, representing fully 1400 people. The police took charge shortly after eight o'clock and would not allow any more to enter. The company are now in Taranaki.

Clyde Fitch is said to be the most original playwright in America, and “ r .l he Climbers ” his best play.

Miss Maud Jeffries, like so many actresses', is evidently of a domesticated turn of mind, says a Melbourne paper, for sihe has deserted the splendours of Menzies’ and taken a cottage at Toorak, where she now resides, with her brother as companion.

Miss Maggie f Moore, who opened her season here on Saturday last, will' conclude her New Zealand tour at Auckland. She returns to Australia at once,.after which she visits South Africa, havingsigned a contract with Mr W. J. Wheeler for an extended tour of that country.

Visitors to Eastbourne recently were greatly puzzled by the appearance on the front of a carriage in which sat a female figure in rich bridal costume. By her side was a gentleman in a high hat and light frock-coat, who was apparently paying the bride much attention. As the carriage approached many curious and puzzled glances were cast at the occupants) by those on the pavements. They realised how cleverly they had been “spoofed” when the vehicle passed and they saw oh the back a big bill announcing the approaching performance at the Theatre Royal that week of Mr Bert Coote’s company in “ The Fatal Wedding.”

The dramatisation of Tolstoy's “ Resurrection,” at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, has had a good run ; far fitter, indeed, than could have been anticipated, considering the riskiness of : the ‘ “ new departure.” Any “ riskiness ” ' that had been feared was dissipated by. the '. excellent and delicate acting of .Miss 1 Maud Jeffries in the difficult part of /Katusha.

“ When London Sleeps ” is not new to Sydney (remarks a writer in “Purivn”), but so little has the melodrama lost, its power of attraction that the’ revival at the Lyceum on Saturday was attended by all the excitement and enthusihsni : ' of a first night. The author, Charles Darrell, cannot, however, claim the credit fot . this popularity. It takes a manager like' Mr William Anderson to. prop up on prob’fißilities and to cloak the impossible by ‘bigness and brightness of scenic effects 'and stage spectacles. And with a competent dramatic company to back up the manager’s liberality in regard to the’ bictorial elements of melodrama, 'hejgrfe'at audience on Saturday got a very’full measure of palpitation and pleasure o'lit of the three hours’ entertainment. ,‘There are two fire scenes in “.When .y.ohclbn Sleeps ” —one in the third, and the other in the fourth act. These sensations UJone would have been ample for one eyfinipg, but the “ realism ” extends to real, circus horses, a picturesque ballet, danced I V. : a crowd of young ladies in an open-all-night club,’ and a thrilling episode .in which telephone wires are pressed iilto -service rand while the ornamentation of the plot is under consideration it is right to mention that Mr Bert Bailey, as Sammy Blythe, a circus clown and fetuaie impersonator, (bursts into song. Mr Bailey would not shine in opera serious cr opera comic. All the same, the comedian, who had artfully fortified himself with a female chorus, gained a thundering ■ encore for his singing of “ Mary Green."

In a recent interview in an English, journal,, .Miss, .Ada Crossley relates an amusing .experience which happened one n ght last season : —“ I was engaged to sing at an ‘At Home ’ in Grosvenor Square, but the coachman by mistake set me down at a corresponding number in Grosvenor Gardens. There was an awning over the entrance and every sign, of an entertainment in full swing, so, without noticing the surroundings further, I went in, took off my wraps, and made my way to the hostess. She appeared surprised, the more so as I was l perfectly nonchalant, but knowing me from sight on the concert platform, she soon- guessed the situation. “ You are engaged to sing at Grosvenor Square tonight,” she said graciously. Then the mistake dawned upon me, but the most amusing part of my blunder was that both ladies, though friends, were rival hostesses, and had an almost exact interichange of guests that evening, as I found later.”

Charles Arnold is giving very glowing accounts of Australia as a dramatic field, and of Australian theatres and playgoers to British interviewers. His is a luck upon which the sun never sets, and his experiences justify the opinions better than do those of some others. Still unquestionably, population for population, there is no dramatic field in the world equal to Australia. Mr Arnold points out that nowhere else would towns thesize of Sydney and Melbourne support such runs as they support, and while the highest priced ticket is ss, salaries are 50 to 75 per cent, more than in England,, expenses of living are very little in excess, and engagements are for longer terms.