MUSIC-HALL ARTISTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 May 1914, Page 5

MUSIC-HALL ARTISTS

THEIR STRENUOUS LIFE. SMOKE THAT KNOCKS YOU DOWN. LONDON, May 22. Further interesting evidence was given yesterday in. the suit in which the London Theatres of Variety, Ltd., is asking the court for an injunction to restrain' Will Evans, tlie well-known comedian, from appearing at the Gaiety Theatre and other places of amusement. , i ■ According to counsel's opening statement Mr Evans contracted with the plaintiffs, who own 22 music halls m London, to give four performances a night at various of their halls, wihtin a radius of 12 miles, at a salary of £BO a week. Mr Seymour Hicks, the wkell-known actor and author, gave evidence that the strain imposed upon artists in a music hall was infinitely greater than that in a theatre. "The smoke on the stage often knocks you down," declared the witness. Miss Violet Lorraine said that it was easier to play principal boy in a pantomime than to sing four songs several times a night in the halls. Medical evidence was tendered to show that an examination of Mr Evans' throat had revealed the existence of pretubercuular conditions. Mr Justice Aitken suggested to counsel that the case was one in which some arrangement might be arrived at, and the hearing was further adjourned.