A WEI COMEDIAN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1911, Page 3

A WEI COMEDIAN.

PERCY COMES OVERLAND IN RAIN. FAREWELL TO GREYMOUTH. “The wet West Coast welcomes me in the old-fashioned way,” said Mr W. S. Percy, when he arrived from Otira last •’veiling. “Some kind person told me you have had fine weather since Christmas, Snt if I had seen Greymouth without some rain I would have been disappointed.” The reporter suggested that perhaps Mr Percy would like a further example of the Coast’s rain-making powers, but the little comedian shook himself vigorously, and replied that he was prepared to be satisfied with a small quantity. “I’m soaked now,” he added, “and any further moisture would sec me washed over the bar or into one. Joking aside, though, I am pleased to be able to see the Coast before I go away. For travelling theatricals the Coast with its tricky harbours is always in low favour, but the people here more than make up for any little vagaries of the bars. The Coast has sucli a large heart and one always has a good time here. I shall always remember the Coast, even if I forget the rest of the Dominion. The reporter suggested that perhaps Mr Percy might talk of himself a little instead of using all the available space with words on Westland.

“About myself!” exclaimed the comedian. “Why, West Coast people know all about me. I came here _ years and years ago with Pollard’s Liliputians. _ I joined them in 1891 and my first leading role was the Pirate King in “Pirates of Penzance’ —result of great and glorious failure and retirement. Later I blossomed out as a baritone, and it looked as if I was doomed to play heroes only, but I was snatched from the burning—or the limelight and comedy claimed me. Since then I have had no other. Mr Pollard’s thorough teaching during my days with him has stood me in good stead since Mien, and I owe practicallv everything to him. Oh, yes, I did. a little —I had to supply the nerve to go on and try to be funny. Once or twice I was nervous, but now anything in that nature is merely due to an anxiety to please rather than to a fear of failure. I have had only two engagements—l 4 years with Mr Pollard and a brief six years with Mr J. C. Williamson. The future for me will rest in London. Tt Is the Mecca of all actors, you know, and I’m going to try niy fortune in the Big Smoke. I will be leaving Australia next month, but I wish it announced that I have not accepted an invitation to be present at' the Coronation festivities. “It will be like the old, old days to appear in front of a West Coast audience a wain,” added the comedian, followed as an afterthought by “And if you don’t let me °"o and get dry, I will not be able to get on—or ,at least, I won’t be able to say what I want to say and what I m going to say when I say that I’m going to stay away from New Zealand for some time; so excuse me. You might ask the weather manager to keep the sunshine on the town while I’m here, and you might tell everybody how pleased I am to be on the Coast—but I wish it were whitebait season.”