MISS DOROTHY COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 729, 31 January 1910, Page 3

MISS DOROTHY COURT.

; WITH, AUSTKAI&SIA,

':■. Miss ..Dorothy Court, the princess of, the -King of Cadonia, is- a very : pleasant, .attractive 'little lady to meet. ' ; She' says : at orice tnat she has riot much to say.. ahout herself. : and she talks about tho. company's travels through tho-North'lsland; -which, they appear to have done - .very thoroughly." : ■ She . has enjoyed all of. it except,the;deadly travelling from- one ' town ,to another; .which thev. have found 'very exhausting—it was a-wearied 1 company which; after an early, start arid halt; a day's ■ slow; travelling, appeared at .the Opera; House' on Satur-, day—but she. says'. it was < delightful to; play at'a large theatre again after some of those in the small towns. .The.compariy is .still itself, on having left Wahganui the. day it did, for on the next, night tho i < hotel, where several-of them stayed, was burnt, down, and/they, think, they, came ; quite near enough to .'an. exciting experience. ;The company has had a. pleasant time in Australia, though, it was inot all joy to be iri Sydney during the strike. ..... "Personally, -we .were not much .affected,'by ■it/'.:says' Miss .Court, ."except so

far. as the ..disorganisation of tram and ferry .services inconvenienced us, but the audiences - naturally were, for if those coming froin. a distance or from across the ..harbour were . able .. to reach the theatre without discomfort they could not be'. sure of getting home again as easily!.. We., were, afraid for some time that we should.' be stranded in Sydney, that there'would be no steamer to-fetch us across. It will take the country months, to recover, and it seems such a shame, for this was a splendid season,, and you should have seen the harbour' with all the ships lying idle and- the produce'rotting on the: .wharves,', while in. the,country fruit and orops rotted 'where, they grew." ,

_Miss Court likes,the.general conditions, of .an actor's life in Australia. She looks forward to being some day back in London, but she says the' charm of Australia is its' friendliness ; and -hospitality. London, can. be terribly lonely; in Australia.'one comes more; in touch- with people. ■'. She is in love with the-Aus-tralian chorus girl, . and speaks.- with evident pride of those in this ; company, who, indeed,, are a comely sisterhood. •■.' Miss Court's . professional experience has not been.a very, long one. She began as a concert singer with dreams of. opera,, and, by: the ;way, .Mr. Mallinson, who heard- her sing;/some of ,his songs, has sent her copies of themall. . It-.was i Mr. Howard ■;Talbot, part author with -Mr Clayton, of "The Honourable Phil," and author also' of "The White Chrysanthemum," and "The Girl Behind the Counter," who met Miss Court at some London function," and persuaded her to go on /the'stage; offering her. the-part of Winnie- Willoughby in "The Honourable' Phil." •■ Afterwards, she went to ; the Savoy '.to take- thel part of Josephine 'in "Pinafore," -and then :that/of /Mabel' in the "Pirates of Penzance." * Her favourite part is Cassilda.in the "Gondoliers," but. she/thoroughly enjoys her role*in'.the "King-of Cadonia," a comedy which she thinks impresses people the/moTe the more. ■ they, see it.'. The music .is ..not catchy,", she says,"but it is good, and it, charms you.when you know it':"."■'..-. : As, -they ■ play '■ this in Australia -. Miss Court, makes her, first appearance "in a gorgeous crimson and gold gondola, but gondolas are:. too cumbersome to carry, around* little [New Zealand -towns,' and this is left, behind,.so the Princess,'has to.sing her. barcarolle from a terrace;,' .Miss *'■'• Court does not play - any "part '•' in "Havana,". that•' is.,her tholiday 'time! The. company-is/ to' begin - rehearsing' for : the : -["Dotlar Princess, , "in which they. ■will ; appear on their'return to* Sydney.