LIGHTER SIDE OF WAR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14578, 8 April 1918, Page 3

LIGHTER SIDE OF WAR.

A THEATRE UNDER FIRE. i HOW THE NEW ZEALANDERS ' CARRIED ON. j (From Malcolm Ross, War Correspondent with the New Zealand Forces.) | January 20. j A little more than a year ago the New Zealanders decided to have their own theatre for the entertainment of their fighting men at the front. The genesis of our* theatna dates back to the beginning of December, 1916, when, after, our return from the Somme, a paragraph appeared m divisional routine orders, asking for performers for a Pierrot Troupe. There was already m existence a small orchestra consisting of members of the Third Field Ambulance that used to play m its spare time at hospitals and rest stations. This was now handed over to the more ambitious organisation that was irr process of development under the immediate direction of a machine gun officer, who, m the capital of far-away New Zealand, has been a leading "Savage" and musician. The first idea was to entertain the men of the division during the winter months only, after which the gay • Pierrots would go back to trench and dug-out for the summer fighting. But the Pierrots had come to stay. EARLY TRIALS. Tho musical "Savage" machine gun ' officer was dispatched to London with carte blanche to buy music and costumes. After many days ho returned to try the voices that had heroically responded to the call m routine orders. These were various. Needless to say no Caruso was discovered. But, eventually, about a dozen men were chosen lo don tile motley. Meantime, the carpenters of the Maori Battalion had been set to work to build a theatre. The first theatre consisted of a light wooden framework with a sort of tarred paper. The first performance was given on Boxing Day to the children of the village. It was decided to try it on the French children first. Though they did not understand a word of what was said or sung,- it was a good augury that they laughed. Any doubts that" may have lingered m their minds about the success of the performance -were dissipated at its close by the appearance of a Father Christmas, who sent the happy audience away laden with * Christmas ' *,'if's. The real "first night" was on Boxing Day. The costumes had not arrived, and tl?->. troupe played m khaki. There was one amusing incident. "While the performance was m full swing there was a startling imitation of the shriek and explosion of a bursting shell. The Pierrots were m a semi-circle on the stage, when, suddenly, came the shriek and the crash, and the lights went out. The big drum and the trombone played their parts, and the chairs on the stage wero intentional" v tipped over as the lights went out. One 1 , of the chairs falling against the only pack-cloth of the stage, that too fell, and it seemed as if the whole theatre was about to topple down. This was too much for a couple of Maoris, Avho were sitting m the front row. They really thought the theatre had been hit by a five-point-nine, so they rose hurriedly and bolted for their lives. As none followed, they came back to find the whole audience m fits of laughter. "Bi- Crikey!" said. one of them, his "bewilderment ovencome. "that ths dam goffl act." In these days the stage was lit with ace'vlene lamps, hut the lamps worked Wllv. and gave off such a smoke that t'-e Pierrots, who were white at the beginning of tho performance, werye to--1 -wnvds its end more like neero minstrels. . ftOMK STRANGE EXPERIENCES. I mat winter was orre ol tlie most i { seven*) ever experienced m Flanders, ana , tne billets were cold and uncomiortable. iiie French chateau is well remembered. I'ierrots' first billet was a i arm-house j managed by a. character who was known us "The Angel." She was a very good sort, aud looked after the boys well, but j oiu* comrades from Kangaroo Land had (been there before us, and "The Angel" had acquired what was described to me as "a very solid Australian vocabulary. ,> I This she mixed with her own voluble I French, greatly to the amusement of the Pierrots. Fortunately "The Angel" and I her two little children were quite ignorant of the meaning of most of the I words m the new vocabulary I For a time the who-ie troupe, includ- ! ing the orchestra, lived m an estaminet. | 'Ims was kept by a woman, who, m y addition to this new family of thirty - ! two, had a family of her own, so it may I De imagined that tho place was some- ' wnat crowded, especially when* a number of customers from brigades quartered •iv the vicinity dropped m as well. The . scene when tlie orchestra was practising, e.tiioi* independently or- all together, anal I tlie proprietress, with three or four little children hanging on to "hei 1 skirts, was endeavoring to servo her ciamounng cuslu.nois, was one never to be tor-gotten, o»en though, its outlines were sonrewiiai v. aired by the cloud of tobacco smoke that hUed tho place from lloor to cerirug. t , "i think that woman was very delighted 1 to tee the last of us," said the conductor vi Una orchestra, artcr he had iett ior l r esii scenes. | Weektf passed, arrd yet the costumes { bought vi. London did not arrive. The I management was m despair. There ji\er c iro local tailors who could make them on the spot. Finally , oi all places 'm the word, they were made at> a coni vent. . The good nuns hero entered rnto j tho spirit ot the joke. as they could speak little English and tire l'rerrots : ie^« French, dirtrcultre© liad to be smooth- ' eit away almost entn-ely by means oJ | diagrams and. tape measorernents, witlr j u^u.y pour-quois on the one srde and a i mature of liiglish aud "_Na-poo* Frencn j on tne other. Suitably clothed and ai- ! j together m the right frame ol mind the j No»v Zealand Pierrots now proceeded [ 'along the road to success, and tneir fame spread. — ' ' I UNDER SHELL FIRE. J From the did ArmenUercs sector Aye sinned further up the line, and the I theatre was housed m a comfortable 'iiU-ia hall an a smad town. lins was {a- wick buriding, and the Pierrots had quite a good, stage, of which the scenrc artist took full advantage. Here tire j troop was joined by a sapper from the engineers, a young Wellingtonian, who i' liau a good deal of experience on the Loudon and provincial stages. He joined up as producer and stage manager, and from that moment the show went 'a bead with splendid strides. AM the ■j performers began to improve, and the j professional touch gave a rinish to the Uutertainments that they had not before I possessed. The girl, a neat-limbed yoaiig gunner, was quite a draw. On many occasions this tojwn was vigorously shelled by the Germans. One day m particular is memorable. Very heavy stuff came crumping and whooting , m, and about 5.30 p.m., just as the per-' fornrrance was about to start, two shells landed at the back of the theatre, only ten yaixls away from the stage wall. This, m. the language of the fruirt line, ratner put the wind up the fellows, who ! were putting on the grease paint, but they finished their masing-up and the periormairce was du'y commenced. [Twenty minutes afterwards there (was ar: awful crash outside. Thirty yards [away from 'tho entrance a shell had burst o-u a house and blown it to bits, i The orchestra, in' the middle of one of 'their* choice selections, became a, little more "windy" than before, but both per- | formers arrd audience were evidently determined to "stick it." . However, a senior officer who was present, went to the stage, manager* arrd told him tlrat it would be iwise to stop the performance at, there being so many men m a small spa.cc, there would undoubtedly be a heavy casuali ty list if a shell were to hit the building. The stage manager came before the footlights and explained that it was deemed advisable to get out. Then , the audience rose as one man and went .quietly away. Just as the theatre was leleared another shell landed, -'and burst r - - -?™^s?^^"- •

within about five yards of the front door. There were about a dozen casualties — flesh wounds and broken aiiins — and there was a good deal of blood about. The ambulances came up aard took away the more seriously 'wounded. The .sbelfhtg of the town went on for some considerable time after that, but j on no occasion did the German gunners get so close to the theatre. I The time had now arrived for the New Zealand. Division tp undergo its training for the memorable Battle of Messines. The troops were pulled out of the line and the Pierrots were -given a change of scene. They made jaunts m several directions, and gave performances to '-Tommy audiences. r In.plaoies they drew crowded audieiices,tha.t Svere a strange mixture of English," Scottish, Irish, and overseas troops, though the latter* were m a decided minority. Opena'r- performances were also given. GETTING CLOSE UP. On one occasion the Pierrots went to give a concert on the slopes of Hill 63, which fronts Messines. Needless to say, it was the reverse slope that was chosen. The performers had their shrapnel helmets and their gas respirators at the ready, for you never quite knew. what would happen at that corner. It was a beautiful, hot June Sunday afternoon, the swallows were flitting about the wood, and the lark was singing m the blue just as if the world Avas as merry as ever it had been. But, mixed with the orchestral accompaniment of the Pierrots, came the deeper bass of two six-inch howitzers tlrat fired from an adjacent guripit, and the scream and whoof of the German shells tliat, from time to time, went crashing into the locality. However, the Pierrots got safely back that night to their billets at Nieppc. During the time we were m the Messines sector* the Pierrots gave several open-air performances to brigades out of the line. Tlie theatricals sot shelled out of one spot. A lrigh-vclocity gun blew* things up m the trees. One night a. lot of gas shells were sent over, and box- respirators became a necessity of the moment. • After Messineg there was a trek to a district far behind the lines, whero the troops were scattered over a considerable area, and the V.M.C.A. presented the Divisional Theatre with a huge marquee, which, ever since, has done good service. It will seat between eight and nine hundred) men. From this place the Pierrots travelled round m a. motor lorry visiting the various battalions that were quartered m the adjoining villages and farms. At one of these villages the Pierrots performed to a Canterbury' battalion outside an estaminet on a stage built of two barn doors resting on eight beer* barrels. The audience occupied) the village square. Tho stage exits were through the windows of the bar-room. One of the performers distinguished himself by falling through the window. History does not record the number of his- exits and his entrances. To another battalion tho Pierrots, who had by this time become veritable barnstormers, played m a scrim-covered shed, to get to which you had; to wade through deep mud. Their* dressing room was made from at few biscuit tins and more scrim. It was brilliantly lit by a couple of candles. The artillery were also visited at their training ground, and an afternoon performance, given at the same time as sports competitions were being decided. On occasions the applause for the Mile Handicap and "I'll Sing Thee Songs of Araby" synchronised. Or there were time-} when the cheers for a sprint final broke m upon some more ambitious theme, causing a svneopation not. warranted by the score. A TOUR TO THE BASE. When the New Zealanders went forward to their attacks on tho Gravensta I'el-Passchehdaeie Ridges no place could be found 1 for the theatre, so the Pierrots set their faces coastwards and established themselves for nearly three weeks at the New Zealand base. They gave entertainments m various base depots amd at hospitals. This tour formed a very pleasant outing, and was irr th© nature of a ve&i for the* nerformers. They also played two nights at an army school. Everywhere they had crowded and enthusiastic audiences. PANTOMIME AND SHELL-FIRE. . After some further goings and comings we . found ourselves once more m what had been the old Ypres salient, and, m a ruined Belgian town that had been both prosperous and religious before the war, the Pierrots met their* marquee again. ' Another Wave of the autocratic democratic hand, and, lo ! a pantomime ! Winter was already upon us, and 'discomfort' gazed with lc a clen eyes across a devastated land. The great tent wag cold and . cheerless, and there was no dressing room. Some English engineers who were camped near by remedied the latter defect. They built a room m which the mummers could dress arrd make-up m some degree of oomfort. Tlie scenic artist got work, and the famous city of Bagdad began to materialise, for the Christmas pantomime was to be nonet other than "Achi Baba and the Forty Thieves." The sapper from the Engineers was despatched' post-haste to London, and, after an absence of. three weeks, he returned with several large hampers of costumes, many of which- were very generously presented) by Mr. Oscar Asche and Miss Lily Brdyton, of "Chu Chin drow" fame. Other costumes were hired from London theatrical costumiers. During these three weeks the orchestra was busily rehearsing the music. Then the O.C. of "The Forty Thieves" and his merry men got to work m real earnest. For ten days -now the theatre was closed down, and the play was rehearsed morning, noon and night. It goes without saying^ that many of the costumes, procured m a haphazard way, would not fit. For instance, the Fairy Queen of tho London pantomimes, is probably not more than fifteen inches' round the waist, but our musical conductor who took the part mci Flanders is iro lightweight, so that. the circum ferI ence of this light and • airy robe had to be increased' to something like forty inches — an inch for every thief m the play. The two ' English Bosebuds — a corporal and a driver — required but a little less material. As the theatre was m the evacuated zone, seamstresses weve unprocurable, but two members of the orchestra set to work and did all the sewing for the pantomime. Eventually everyone was fitted out with costumyes, the sergeant scenic artist had minted an ideal Bagdad, and the electricran had] been busy with lights of red and whito and blue, so that we could have Bagdad by sunset, and Bagdad by night, and Bagdad looming up m the distance through "the outer fringe of the forest." There was one thing remarkable about this pantomime. There were some fifteen principal parts m it, so that, with the limited supply of artists available, all tho principals had to bo chorus, and all the chorus principals., And as there were only eight actors available for thieves, these had to walk round eight times to make up the requisite number ol" Captain Camouflage's brigand band The opening night saw the theatre packed to tho entrances and hundreds turned away. Tlie actors were letter perfect the' orchestra, was really excellent, and the whole pantomime went with a swing amd a go that .greatly delighted the crowded house. Night after night officers and men from the New Zealand and from other divisions flocked to Achi Baba. There was always a queue at the ticket office, where officers paid their one franc and men their halffruuc for admission. A prince of the blood, and generals (both British and