A SHIPLOAD OF .ACTORS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 560, 15 July 1909, Page 4

A SHIPLOAD OF .ACTORS.

The. Moeraki,' which' arrived from • Sydney' yesterday, ■■'■ had, a distinctly theatrical' leaning as sue neared the Queens' Wharf. It .was caused by tho passengers Pushing to that side i of the Vessel nearest the' wharf. Under ordi-' nary circumstances tlicro. would i be; nothing theatrical 'imsiioh natural curiosity, but tho Moeraki's passengers included 110 members of the "Jack and, Jill" Pantomime Company (J. C. 'Williamsou), and some 30, members of M«yhell and Gunn's English Dramatio Company.. It is rare, indeed in Australasian, waters that . suoh a large number of factor-folk travel together for days, and they made the most of what was', really a . vefy/-'. pleasant". trip, that for many! ended vail too soon. -The pantomime . oompany inolndes; quite a. number of email girls, who could: not; have.prooecded far in their.teens, who have never been beyond Aus-, tralia before, One was overheard.to remark to a friend: 'Have you had any earthquakes lately?" As if frjew Zealand,, was* a side-show' in which courageous people may. experience tho quake sensation; in ;all-its awsomo' reality. , (New Zealand is as misunderstood abroad, as the Hon. Mr. Ngata thinks the Maori is by'-•• the pakeha.) Among' the ' principals of" tho "Jaok' arid Jill" 'Company are: Miss Betty Ohls, who is Jill ; in the pantomime. She will' ' bo 'remembered as tho 'dainty 6iiigor '• of : French ohansonettes; who only made ono appearance •, here .with ' "Tho .Merrymakers"', last: year,.' • Others include Miss Stella Gnstelle (a new principal boy), Mr; Walton Stanton (the friaht rooster), Miss Selbourrie, . Morris' and ' Wilson ' (the animar impersonators), : Mr, Fred : Lesli* (ooniedian),'last, here with "The Red Mill," and a .lot of clever people.■■': The company opens in Christohurch to-morrow evening. Tho Meyriell and Gunn Company, which is headed v by, Mr. Harconrt, Beatty and Miss Gladys Harvey opensits New Zealand tour at the Opera, House to-morrow evening; in "Lucky, Durham."- ■'■>' ■"■.'":■ .-.'■'■,■'■■:■ '■ -■ ."'•"'■. : '