The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-12

urally claimed and received chief atten-
ton, 1t is upon Arthur Collins custom
ary scale of splendor and easinly puts
every thing else ef the sort into the shade.
There is no need to enter into detailed
account of its many attractive features:
enough that 1t is we'll up TO the recog-
nized Drury Lane standard. Pantomime
In this country is a dish that never OF
rarely fails: when it does the only per-
son to be blamed is the purveyor who has
| either neglected his duties or does not
possess the experience to profit by the
| opportunities afforded him. As a matter
of fact many of the provincial theatres
virtually exist upon their pantomimes.
| Beerhohm Tree is back in London, but
| have only had the chance of two
minutes chat with him. Brief as our
interview was, however, 1t proved suf-
ficiently long to show that he was i'm
mensely pleased by his stay in New York
and that he looked forward to his return
there with the livelest expectations.
There is always fly in the ointment
and in Trees case 1t turned out to be a
bad tooth, which caused him a great
deal of pain and discomfort. He has be-
queathed it to a New York dentist, who
choicest treasures It's memory. however
still fingers with Tree, as he has not yet
quite recovered from the results of it's
extraction.
Rehearse New Pieces
Next week. managers whose attractions
happen to be showing a dropping ten
dency, will make a real start with re
hearsals of their new pieces There Is
always a desire to hold over novelties
until the end of January, so that the first
rush for pantomime may be over and a
comparatively clear field insured them.
At the st. James George Alexander has
assembled the artists engaged for Karl
Vollmoellers fantastic Chinese play "Tu-
randot," on the stage some half dozen
times, but the proceedings have been of
distinctly desultory character. On Mon
day the company will begin to put their
shoulders to the wheel in earnest. In
previous letter | indicated that the for
tunes of the piece would largely depend
upon the efforts of the four principal
comedians. | may now add that these
are Edward Sass. Fred Lewis, Norman
Forbes Ca younger brother of Forbes
Robertson and Vivian Reynolds, the last
being the st. James stage manager A
stronger team could scarcely have been
got together and as they are to be al
lowed a good deal of latitude in regard
to the development of their parts the
Issue of their endeavors may be awaited
without anxiety. Handsome Mack
Barnes is to play the role of Princess
Turandot's father, Evelyn D'Alroy to be
the Princess and Godfrey Tearle, who
young though he Is, is pretty certain be-
fore long to join the ranks of West End
actor managers. her lover The scenery
an exact replica of that used by Max
Reinhardt when he did the piece in Ber-
lin, has been made in Germany while the
author himself has returned to London
lin order to instruct the artists in the
business respectively arranged for each
1t is a particularly interesting expert
ment this new departure of George
Alexander, who seldom plays the part of
truant in his own theatre But he is a
man of many occupations and really
stands in need of rest. AS an untiring
member OF the London county council
he has to keep a watchful eye upon pub
lie events. When he joined that body
1t was with the firm determination to
act up to his responsibilities | have
known him on quite number of occas-
ions put his understudy on at the ST.
James rather than neglect a meeting
at which he thought his presence might
be necessary. Although late to bed he
is always an early riser, and as often as
not If you ask for an appointment you
will find that the time named by him
comedies rather inconveniently with your
own breakfast hour. His theatre is run
on strictly business lines these he is the
first to observe, thus giving him the
right to complain If others are less mind
ful
"The Son and Heir"
Louis Meyer also will be starting pre-
parations for his production at the Strand
of Gladys Ungers play The Son and
Heir" For close upon six months Evelyn
d Alroy has held herself free to play the
leading part-it was, indeed, she who
brought the piece to Meyer. But the OBJ
stinate success of ''rhe Glad Eye has
prevented the realization of this inten-
ton. And just as it seemed likely TO be
fulfilled the offer to go to ST. James'-an
offer too fiattering to be refused-came
along. So Ethel Irving is to have the
character. Later she will resume West
End management on her own account.
OF that she has already had same eX-
perience both at the Criterion and at
the Garrick, although in one or two in
stances her choice of plays proved not
altogether fortunate. OF new pieces she
has had plenty of time to accumulate a
goodly store, so that we may expect to
see her. when at last she makes another
start, in a series of carefully selected
and interesting roles.
The presentation OF the new Revue
"Hullo Rag-time,'' at the London Hip
podrome possesses two decisive claims to
notice: first. in that it is sort of
apotheosis of what | am tempted to des-
cribe as Americas national dance; the
second, because ii contains a fifteen min
utes' sldt upon the censor and his meth
DDS This has been hailed as the gem
of the production t,lt only one critic, so
far as I have seen. has recognized in it
the hand of j. NJ. Barrie The thing was
really done by the author of Peter
Pan" although he refused to have his
identity acknowledged or his name
printed on the programme. However, 1t
so evidently bears his sign manual | am
surprised it was not at once universally
spotted The trile hinges upon the recent
craze shown by dramatists for introduc
ing a bedroom scene into their plays. At
the Hippodrome it is not. however, the
censor who raises objections but one of
the characters, an architect who, on pro-
fessjonal grounds, insists that the play
wright cannot have his bedroom at one
porlt because ii would interfere with The
staircase; at another. because II would
stand in the way of the fireplace. and so
on. Barrie does some pretty hard hitting
ct octo thrOnph hp