The Deadhead's Diary

NZ Truth, Issue 555, 5 February 1916, Page 2

The Deadhead's Diary

Th© latest dance from America is known as the Salvation. Folk dance it on their heels to save their "soles." The Fullers have evidently 'discovered a comedienne and monolojjuist of parts m Miss Hilda Felstead, judging by the eulogistic way Manager" Hamer writes of-4ier showing m the Dunedin house, where she opened her New Zea-land-season. He/says it is a pity that her season there could not toe extended. We shall look out: for Hilda. Daisy Jerome, the bold and dashing, has reached these shou-es. and before starting to shake things * up m ,the; Fuller theatres, she betook her dainty self to Rotor ua for a 1 week. Daisy, who is a human dynamo of energy herself, will no doubt find a strong chord of sympathy m another marvel of nature there. We refer to the bubbling, bounding-, bursting geysers, for Daisy is some frother herself, when she lets herself go. It is now quite time that certain comedians, vaudeville and otherwise, became wise and eliminated the rather coarse saying "you dirty dog" from their bag- of gags. Also, if "The Firm" send us over any more American "drammers". will they kindly cut out all the cuss words. In "Under Cover" there were enough "damn" and "hell" to get every performer- three months, had they beon absent-minded enough to repeat their lines outside the theatre. ' The Les Tcodorwicz troupe of Dan- ' ish acrobats have now left for Sydney. The bulk of the wdrk m this act falls, ort the shoulders of the male member of the trio. It falls on His arms as well and this is the reason that he exhibits one of the most splendidly developed pair of arms and massive shoulders' lmaginable which are set on a torso and legs that taper away almost to mediocrity. At the shoulders he is a veritable Hercules, but whon it comes to his / shanks— who said sheep? :: t: :: ~ Ward Lear, the black-faced comedian, has finished up his New Zealand tour with the (Fullers and gone back to Sydney. Before he shows up, in' these parts again "Deadhead" earnestly , exhofts him to replenish his repertoire, with some new business. He has had the hide to reel off the same stuff that he unwound years ago *m the Old Theatre Royal. It is indeed a ptfy tO ( see a clever artist like -this running* to seed for the want of a little effort. Anyhow, the management should not boom as an "Ethiopian" a pale-faced gent, who is endeavoring to imitate a Chinaman. Mr. Harry ■ Quealy, the well-known ex-Pollard comedian, and Mrs. Quealy, the bright and clevW comedienne, who are enjoying a pleasant engagement under the Fuller management, are contemplating an early visit to America. They have been nearly.' three years on the Fuller circuit, and, wisely,- they think a tour of America w,ould< be in' the best interests of the public and themselves.' It's a pity one or two other footlight favorites have not had the horse sense "of this talented duo, and "vamoosed the ranch" for a, spell. These- should depart for 1 , fresh lields and pastures new which are not so fed up as the verdant vaudeville vales of Noo Zee, are with them. :: :: :: The comedy juggling act of Kipp and Kippy, which was last week m Wellington and is now playing m the Fuller House m Dunedin, is easily one of the classiest turns of its kind ever seen here. The male member of the pair— is ft Kipp' or Kippy?— does one stunt with a solid cannon-ball. He hurls it m the air and as it falls with a bang and ju§t whistles past his head with about the thickness of a cigarette paper between him and a horrible death. So close does, it whizz past that it makes a nasty hiss as it shaves his body. One of these nights Kipp (or is it Kippy) will do this bit of deviltry onco too often, and "Deadhead," for one, hopes he won't be there when they clean up the mess. : i : : : : The revival for three nights. of "Our Miss Gibbs" by the J. C. Williamson Royal Comic Opera Co. was a veritable triumph for the artists concerned. It is seldom that the pnrts allocated to a company of this size suit them all so completely and satisfactorily as' they did m thin prdductlon. Tho only regret was that Miss Florence young, of the gloriouß voice, was cast m a speaking part only. As the extravagant and impecunious Mrs. Farquhar, tho "hard-case" society butterfly; she ourprised her many friends by her clever characterisation of this part, but as we have said before, her golden voice was not on tap, and though no doubt, she personally waa grateful for tho rest, it was a. disappointment- to the public. 1C the public of thcße lonely isles lake on kindly to the* latest Fuller Revue, thd Bletsoo combination now ' playing at Wellington His Majesty"s, Messrs. Fullers will embark on a new oxperlmont by bringing across to these parts the Bert ]Le Blanc' Revue Co., which is a ( really big undertaking of this kind, and which occupies tho whole evening's entertainment. That the L.c Blanc Company is "some show" will bo glciiucd from tho fnot that the Paul Stanhope Revuo Co., the little organisation that recently proved such a goldmine In New Zealand, which success was repeated In Australia, happened along to Melbourne immediately ufter the ke Blanc show hud concluded its season, and It didn't go hnlf as? successfully as it might have done If it had not been preceded by this big show of a similar nature but ..many times as strong.

Ma Melba is due m Victoria on April 7. Nellie is returning to pursue the simple life at Coombe Farm, Lilydale, till the war is over. So far, Melba's Gift Book has panned out £600 for the Belgian Fund, and that lady has remitted that sum to the Belgian committee. Walter Begg, known professionally as Walter 'Bentley, is a candidate for Parliamentary honors and pay m Noo South. Walter wijl contest the byeelection for the electorate of Drum.mpyne, now vacant by the death, .of Mr. Richards. Walter, as a rabid coldwaterite, will go bald-headed for the closing of the pubs at 6 o'clock. The result of the poll will be interesting. How is it that so many' American vaudeville artists who visit this part of the, world, play that weird piece of brass known as -the saxa'phone? Is the saxaphone the national instrument ,of "Wont-row" Wilsonland, or do they favor it because it is ,easy to play? It isn't easy to listen* to, anyway,- for its strains are neither soothing nor sweet. . The sounds- it .emits appear to "Deadhead" to be a cross between the seductive bleat of a hungry calf and the peculiar- noise that grandroother used to make when blowing through a comb and a piec£ of tissuepaper. Leonard's Performing Dogs is an animal act that is pretty well k'nowiv throughout New Zealand and generally it is a clever' act of its kind, but it is marred by one incident which could with advantage be cut out. We refer to the business with, a black and tan terrier which is thrown whirling over her Jiead by Mrs. Leonard and caught by' the male canine trainer on the palm of his hand, the doggie landing on his fore feet and marvellously retaining his. balance with his hindquarters In the air. An' animal act only ceases tobe offensive when the audience. is convinced that the dumb brutes employed are enjoying themselves; and no one witnessing the stunt mentioned above will say that the little 'black v and tan is -happy while going through the above described process. If that dog could only speak! ' g Ethel- Cadman, on J. C. WilHamsorf's pay-sheet' as the* leading soprano m the Royal Comic Opera Company, ..now i playing New Zealand, was specially ! brought from London to appear m "The Marriage Market" m Melbourne.' Though not to be compared m voice or artistry to Florence Young, even at i this late stage of Florrie's operatic i career, Miss .Cadman hasto her credit the achievement .of a series of sue- , cesses m New York as well as London. After appearing m London m .the leadi ing roles of a number , of well-known musical plays, including "The Merry i Widow" and "Tho Waltz Dream," she ! went to New York to play under the 1 management of Charles Frohraan, the roles including Sombra m "The Area-" dians," which she played for two seasons, and a similar period m Leo Fall's I opera, "The •• Siren." 'Returning to 'London she played the leading part In the revue, "Come Over Here" (staged In Australia recently by J. C. Williamson, Ltd.) for several months. Since then she has been a "top Miner" at several London music halls. Prior ,to coming to Australia she played a starring engagement at the London Palladium and the Empire. : : : : : i • Marguerite Clark < and Mary Pickford are the two great stars of the big Lasky "Famous Players" Corporation. The former artist will be seen at the King's Theatre, Wellington, next week Jn one of the biggest productions that have come' from the "Famous Players" studios. It is entitled "The Crucible." adapted from Mark Lee , Luther's heart-stirring story of that name. This play ran for eight consecutive months m New York, and with a record like that it must be some picture. It covers the vicissitudes m . the life of J.ean Fahshawe; a: lovable' little girl; brought up by her father lityfS a boy with all a boy's mischievousness. She ■ earns the unjust accusation of being a thoroughly bad girl through her tomboy tricks, and is ultimately banished to a reformatory. It .is here where the play starts to grip, and m its realism and power is lifted far away above the ordinary run of pictures. Now follow scenes and incidents which run tho gamut of all the embtiona,, and little Jean, after many buffetings by Fato m a big and dangerous (to young girls) world, finally wins happiness and love after surmounting all her trials. { : : : : : Phil Smith, of the Royal Comic Opera Co., at present appearing at tho Wellington Grand Opera House, Is tho "hubby" of Miss Jessie Barleo, who, with a partner, Mr. S'utton, is appearing at His Majesty's m a comedy sketch act. When husband and wife are under engagement to different organisations and 'are on tour, theso chance meetings must be eagerly lobkoU forward to. In tho United States, the land of many big .circuits, and especially m connection with the vaudeville line of theatrical work, there is often something akin to tragedy when husband and wife aro working different clrcultH. Then if they manage to catch a brief glimpse of one another on a railway station platform as they are changing towns, they may account themselveH lucky. This Is all they see of each other for months, and when it Js remembered that If they havd any "kiddles." them* have had to be left behind m the home town. per. hap« a thousand miles uway. and one can readily comprehend that there is more pathos than bathos when' husband and wife meet ' In., these cireumsianccM. :: :: :: George Wheoler, the American musical tramp, now showing on tJm Fuller circuit In New Zealand, specialises on the stage In extracting 1 melody from nil aorta of unlikely thlntCß, Including a I'usly saw and a row' of "dead .marines. Off the stage, George Is a Hud dog, horribly oltilctod with a mania for practical joko«. The disease breaks out In a special form. a« young John Fuller discovered lust weelc, when brother Waller let him m the know. It wo» like thin: Wheeler and Walter Fuller were Htunding outside ills Majesty's when Johnny Fuller chanced to whiz past m hla benxine 'bus. With «i «inißter smilo Wheeler -remarked,- "Pipe thai guy" and pulled out of his pocket v -little Invention of his own, which makes a. noW ilk<? a motor tyre puncturing. Tho imitation was so real that Johnny pullod up his* cur with a J«rk, nnd Immediately f JJd a get ont.niul'Kvt under act, and made* an unxlouH inspection of the wlh'ol.s; only to find that thtfrewHH nothing wtom/jt with them, Tli«v HttU« -exP'*rtnM*ut >vu» ropented wcvoral timt't* on other tni«ii«-P(-<!tin«r inotoristrt. with eoual kuccomh. WhtM'lcr mimlt.4 that In* l.'is played thin little joko till. over Hk- world und Mover fa llk to l»tin# it o(T \n vnvh town InvlKlttv Mp KURji<>«ti>d u> Walter Fuller that thvy nhottld tukt* up their tumid In front of in** (Srand Hotel, wlu-ro. •»w>in« that It w»f! race day, tUty would g<H ft good-h'utt of ju'it-plus'Med motor* lulu. Walter excused hlinn^lf by In- j forming • Wheeler that "Lynch law" still prevailed In tnla country and that on this account; ho novpr played practical Joke« ouuddo the fnmlly.