THE DEADHEAD'S DIARY

NZ Truth, Issue 818, 16 July 1921, Page 10

THE DEADHEAD'S DIARY

Jennies. Hartley, of "Bing Boys" fame, has signed up a contract with the Fuller firm, and, after doing the firm's theatres m Australia, will come on to Noo Zee m due course. Jennie should be a big draw on the circuit, for she took on amazingly m the "Bing Boys," and later m pantomime. Certainly she has plenty of go about her and is a pastmistress m rags and jazzes. Among- the big turns booked- by Ben and John Fuller for the Australasian circuit are the following: Lola Stantone, violiniste, due to sail on the "Marama," July 22, from 'Frisco; Melville and Stetton, musical act, sailing beginning of 1922; Nadje, acrobatic specialty, sailing- per "Ventura," September 6; Capt. Adams and Odiva Seals, tank' and seal act; Rastus and Banks, colored comedy duo, singing and eccentric dancing, sailing per "Naklera," July S; Stenard Duo, xylophone players; McCoy antl Walton, song-, patter and dancing; Selvini and Grovini, patter and song; Maxwell Carew, dame; Bill Val and Partner, musical comedy singing. Abe Gelhor, well-known Wellington fiddler, who journeyed across the Tasman some time back for fresh woods and pastures new, is doing 'well m Sydney, where he states the prospects for good musicians are of the best. He is fiddling morning, noon and night, and m between times is running away to the bank to lodge his earnings. Abe reckons that if only he could do without sleeping tha.t he would be a millionaire m no time. His sister; Mrs. Noel Monkman, and her hubby, are also doing well m the musical line. It will be remembered that Mrs. Monkman, was Kittie Gelhor. before her marriage, a talented young pianiste, attached to one of the "Dandies" companies. Her husband was attached to the same company as 'cellist. :: :: :: Amy Castles is at present giving a series of concerts m Aussie. The famqus songstress is being assisted by her sister Eileen, Signor Alberta Torzello, a gifted harpist, and Miss Waldimar Siedel, a young pianiste, of some brilliance. : : : : i : Martin Duff, the -perky little tenor from Wellington, who journeyed across the Tasman a few months ago to chortle to Australians, is evidently climbing the scale. A Brisbane paper just to hand refers to him as "Martin McDuff," the Scots Tenor." "Deadhead" cannot understand the violent objection some old fogies make when they hear "gagging" m Gilbert and Sullivan -opera. Time has not dimmed the scintillating wit of Gilbert, but surely even Gilbert himself would have admitted that clever " gagging," with topical flavor, might bring much more laughter than the original and wellknown words of the operas. The test of the matter is that despite the objections of the fogies, the introduction , of new gags, when they are m keeping' with the^ delicate and subtle' Gilbertian wit, are always greeted enthusiastically. Cheap "gagging" m G. and S. opera, and we had one example m "The Gondoliers," as staged by the present company now m Wellington, always falls flat. The point "Deadhead" would like to make is that while the music of Sullivan will always live (the mere .thought of trying to improve on it is hoi'rible to contemplate), present and future generations are out of touch, perhaps, with the wit and satire of Gilbert. Gilbert's humor- is the better and finer product of another generation; the present generation hag been educated v to a lower and broader type of humor, much of it unfortunately of a cheap Yankee flavor. They cannot be blamed, but the blame can be laid on the shoulders of the theatrical people who are flooding this country with the cheap and nasty humor of the Americans. "Te Puhe" inciuires from "Dead-head" as to the whereabouts of Miss Marie Ne. , or to give her her name m private life, Miss Marie Fix. The last "Deadhead" heaTd of this talented and graceful young actress was that she was m the good company of Emily Polini, playing next t6 her m her company m Australia. This shows tliat our clever young Wellingtonian is still making progress on the stage, for to play next to such a front-ranker as Emily Polini is no small honor for a young lady who has been only a few years on. the professional stage. Although Marie Ney is always referred to as a Wellingtonian, she was born m Chelsea, but as she has lived all her life m the Welling-ton City she really belongs to us, :: s: :: The Universal Company announces that "King of the Circus," its latest serial to airive m this country, was written from incidents that actually occurred m Eddie Polo's own life, who was a celebrated acrobat before appearing m moving pictures. The serial is crowded with real circus atmosphere, the fanfare of the grand parade, the medley of side-show activities, the lure, of the big tent, and most marvellous of all,, the homely drama of the dressing teiit and the mysteri-, ous "behind the scenes" of a, big show. Polo is m his element as a circus performer and acts, his part with unstudied realism. His new leading woman, Corinne Porter, also seems at home amid circus surroundings. She is as daring as she is pretty. «: :: :: Scott Colville, who so successfully managed the New Zealand tour of the locally-made comic opera. "Mararaa," is endeavoring to form a small syndicate J!or the purpose of staging the show m Aussie. While wishing him every success, "Deadhead" hopes that he will .take an all-New Zealand company with him (there is no doubt but that the talent is here) instead of, as has been suggested, "strengthening" the show with Australian professionals/ An all-New Zealand show would make the people, over the Tasman more anxious to seevthe opera, and make a greater impression on them. Anyhow, it is good to know that all the .Maori members of the company are making the trip. "Stiffy and Mo," one of the cleverest pair of comedians that the Fuller firm has ever laid hands on, had a rapturous reception on their recent reappearance m Aussie. Referring to the event,- a friend of "Deadhead's" writing- from Sydney states: "Their opening- performance was the scene of a truly remarkable outburst of enthusiasm. .Shortly after the commencement of their revue, "The Lords," a particulaiiy vigorous outburst from the orchestra led the expectant audience to believe that it was the- signal for the appearance of their cherished favorites, "Stiffy" and "Mo," and when a moment ajjfei-wards. the appearance from behind a "wing" 'of the wellremembered red and green jersey, the distorted red nose, shock wig, and grey felt hat proclaimed' the appearance of "Stiffy,"- the house went wild. But when, a moment later, the little green Stetson, baggy habiliments, out-at-finger gloves, and inimitable Jewish caricature make-up, heralded the arrival of "Mo," the noise was deafening. The audience applauded and cheered, and cheered again, and it was some minutes before the performance could proceed. Such a reception comes to the lot of few performers. Every evening the seating accommodation has bee.n at a premium, and the amiable person who makes the life of all theatre K.armgers pleasant by ringing up at 10 minutes to S, and saying, "Please keep me two seats m the front row — near the middle," has ' been m very bad luck.