HIS MAJESTY'S

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1299, 18 March 1915, Page 34

HIS MAJESTY'S

“THE GLAD EYE” It was a happy thought of the late Louis Meyer to catch his public by changing the title of the French farce “Le Zebre” into “The Glad Eye.” Having radiated in London for over 15 months under the gladsome appellation, it later cast its spell on Africa and the Australian public, and is now busy exercising its fascinations on a ready New Zealand audience. Aucklanders were given the “glad eve” on Monday for the first time, and judging by the hurricane of laughter it was responsible for, the experience was well approved. An airship (Le Zebre), two gay Lotharios, and she of the “glad eye” (by name Kiki), make up the farce. The husbands, Maurice Polignac and Gaston Bocard, on whom lightly sit their marital responsibilities, resolve to detach themselves for a time from their lawful wedded wives and monotony, and seek diversion in gay Paris. They delude the’.r women folk by informing them they are going for a trip in the “Zebra” with their friend Comte de la Beuve. The excuse ostensibly passes muster. The faithless spouses hie themselves to the city, enjoy themselves to the utmost, and gloating over the success of their escapade, return home to they fondly fancy — unsuspeci ng wives. But mendacity meets with its own reward, On arrival home, while the house is empty, they learn that the “Zebra” has had a mishap and has not yet reached terra firma. Their wives appearing at. this critical moment, they hastily seek a retreat, in the library gallery, and from there on the fun gallops along. Kiki, the furrier’s assistant, takes a hand in the game, and one amusing complication is only sorted out to be followed by another equally ludicrous situation, which would only be spoilt in the telling.

Chic, coquettish Kiki has a dangerously alluring counterpart in Miss Ethel Dane, who brings out all the seductiveness of the artful little Parisienne with deliciously subtle touches, the battery of her appealing eyes winning more hearts than the two wedded rascals. Mr. Tom Shelford as Gaston Bocard and Mr. Henry J. Ford as Maurice Polignac proved themselves consummate artists in the comedy line, emphasising the peccadilloes of the fickle husbands with irresistible humour. In fact, Ananias might have envied them. They make the scene in the library uproariously funny. Miss Elwyn Harvey and Miss Alice Hamilton made two charming wives, distinctly attractive to the eye. Mr. Frank Bradley got many a laugh as the spiritualistic father-in-law with an eye to a pretty girl, while Mr. Edward Landor as a lugubrious medium and Mr. Harry Sweeney as a mercurial Frenchman made strong links in the chain of laughter. Mr. Claude Vernon (who is also the producer), Mr. Frederick Hughes, Mr. Reginald Kenneth, Mr. Fred Twitchin and Miss Sinna St. Clair, by their understanding work, helped to maintain the harmony of the performance. The “Glad Eye” undoubtedly has the laughs, and the people who know how to deliver them. A musical comedy revue, specially imported from New York, will be introduced at the Auckland Opera House on Easter Monday. A company of 26 artists will present spectacular ballets, pantomime sketches, catchy songs, artistic absurdities and other turns in quick unbroken succession. The revue is said to embody all the glitter and show of pantomime, the gaiety and catchy music of musical comedy, and the snap and speed of star vaudeville. * * * * An Artists’ Emergency Corps has been formed at Home, consisting of well-known theatricals who cannot go in for active service. Sir Arthur Wing Pinero is chairman. They are diligent day and night for King and country.

THE WANTS OF PLAYGOERS. BEAUMONT SMITH’S ACTIVITIES. Beaumont Smith sensed the theatrical pulse of New Zealand when he first engineered “Tiny Town” so successfully through the Dominion, and later when he eclipsed the picture world with “The Miracle.” Mr. Smith has the happy knack of grasping at the outse* what the people want, and h’s trips to New Zealand were not made with his eyes shut. Hence his capture of the play-going public by “The Glad Eye” and the “Seven Little Australians” companies now on tour. Australia’s youngest entrepreneur has another project in view—a stock company. His idea, he told a “Review” representative, is to keep a company practically permanently in New Zealand, playing entirely new pieces all the time. He thinks there is nothing like something new to arrest attention. The company would only put on one play at a time, the tour to last ten weeks and to start from Auckland or Wellington. Then come back to the starting place and set off with another play, the company to be made up of people likely to make themselves popular and selected by Mr. Smith. “‘Mr.,\yu’ will, I think, be the first. ’’ ~ Ai 'oe 'The Barrier,’ and the third —if I find the public show that they want another —will be entirely a New Zealand play with the scenes

laid in Rotorua. The Stock Company will be under way very soon—in about six weeks.” The “Glad Eye” Company will also remain in New Zealand for some considerable time. Mr. Smith has decided not to couple “The Chaperon” with “The Glad Eye” during the remainder of the present tour. “The Chaperon” will be played on the return visit, and probably a third one will be made with “Who’s the Lady?” The “Seven Little Australians” is in Christchurch at present and will be in Auckland after Easter. After the New Zealand tour the company goes back to Australia, and returns later with the same people or a new personnel to produce a fantastic play by Arthur Adams called “Snooky Ookums.” “A most original piece,” said Mr. Smith, “appealing to children and lovers of children. It is full of quaint ideas, but I must not give away its construction.”

Talking about his late partner, Mr. Louis Meyer, whose- death occurred at Home recently, Mr. Smith said they had dissolved partnership just a month before, Mr. Meyer’s ill-health necessitating his giving up the theatrical business. “I regarded him as the cleverest of the young generation of theatrical managers,” said Mr. Smith. “A brilliant man and a wonderfully fine artist. He had great ambitions to extend his enterprises into the colonies.”

Mr. Smith considers that New Zealand is less affected by the war than Australia. His experience is that business here is as good as ever it has been. He had intended building a theatre in Sydney, but it has been postponed indefinitely. In fact, no sooner did Mr. Smith have a number of his cherished ambitions realised than war broke out, and “Mr. Wu” bad its premiere in Australia just the week before. So exploiting his enterprises at such a time is not exactly like lying on a bed of roses. Only a man of superabundant energy and optimism would seek to carve his way against such odds. For of such is Beaumont Smith! While in New Zealand he hopes to spend some time at Rotorua, where he will be joined by a scenic artist from Australia whom he has engaged to do special sketches for scenarios—of which more anon.

“Reverting to the ‘G-lad Eye,’ the mission of this company,” affirmed Mr. Smith, “is to make people hanpy Some good folk seem to think it a wrong one at the present time and have expressed themselves to that effect. But it has yet to be proved that anyone was the worse for a good laugh!”