GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1138, 1 February 1912, Page 19

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

Miss Dorothy Dix. Miss Dorothy Dix, leading lady with “The Speckled Band” Company, understands the art of pleasing the eye. With an uncommon beauty of her own of the brunette tpe, Miss Dix shows it off to perfection, her frocking on the stage making an exquisite mounting to a pretty picture. Though only nineteen years of age, Miss Dix has had four years experience at Home with Lewis Walker, and speaks most enthusiastically of the training she has received through association with that fine actor. “I am passionately fond of romantic drama,” said Miss Dix to a “Review” representative, “that is what I was particularly schooled in, but these pieces don’t permit much scope. All one has to do is to try and look nice.” But with Miss Dorothy Dix, that is no effort! With youth and beauty on her side, combined with talents, this charming young actress has every essential for climbing to the top rung of the ladder of fame.

Brennan’s Huge Entertainment. The entertainment that is to be presented by Brennan’s Amphitheatres, Limited, at His Majesty’s Theatre on Friday, February 16th promises to be the greatest entertainment of its class that ever toured the Dominion. Mr. James Brennan, the governing director, toured the world to secure the best possible artists to open the Melbourne Theatre; when it was found that the theatre could not be opened at the original time, this company was sent on tour. It is a crystalisation of the greatest acts that could be obtained throughout America and Europe, and the cream of the world’s greatest artists will appear in rotation each evening. The greatest animal act that has ever been brought to Australasia will be the big feature of the entertainment. * * * * A Sjensationa) Feat. Les Petit Totos who will be seen here with Brennan’s Amphitheatres, Ltd., were engaged by Mr. James Brennan at the Alhambra, Paris. The appropriateness of their name lies in their comparative youth and diminutive stature. It is a dumb comedy acrobatic act that they give. One of the most sensational feats performed by them is that in which one member with the other above him in a free head to head balance almost runs up and down a double staircase from 15ft. to 20ft. high. The thing appears to be done quite effortlessly. Moreover, after descending the two of them face the audience and continue to hold the balance for quite a while. Technically a “free” balance means a balance were the hands are not used by either of the men in any way with a view to steadying themselves. * * * * Hebrew Comedians. Jordan and Harvey who will be seen in Auckland with Brennan’s Amphitheatres, Limited, are famous throughout America and England as Hebrew Comedians. “We do not,” says Mr. Jordan, “burlesque the Jewish character. Ours are simple, natural character imitations, precise replicas of ourselves or as we appear on the stage, are to be seen by the thousands in ordinary life in London. Many a time we have walked through the streets there from the hall to another in our make-up without attracting the least attention. People saw nothing out of the way in our appearance. Our first object is to avoid doing anything that would in any way hurt the feelings of our co-religion-ists. Without being offensive to our own class we try to please all classes, our own included.” Jordan and Harvey have the distinction of being the first who introduced Hebrew comedy work on the English music-hall stage.

Wirth’s Circus. Mr. G- L. Petersen, touring manager fcr Wirth Bros., writing from Frankton, sends the following particulars of the country tour. Opening at Taihaue on February 19. Ohakune, Taumarunui, Te Kuiti, Hamilton and Rotorua follow with one stands. Cambridge will be visited on 26th, then Te Aroha, Waihi. Thames. Paeroa, and Pukekohe, arriving in Auckland in time to open on March 4. Business has been brisk all along the line.

Are You Happy ? ‘‘ls Everybody Happy” is the greeting of Duke Johnson, of Johnson and Wells, every time he makes his ap-

pearance. “At first,” says the “Sydney Sun,” “the audience receive the salutation a little chilly. They are not quite sure whether they are happy —or are going to be happy. But long before the pair have finished their turn all doubt on this point is dispelled. Johnson’s dancing invariably rouses the audience to the greatest enthusiasm. More highly recommended coloured comedians ha'iVe never come to Australia. Johnson has been before the public for fifteen years. Miss Wells’ record is eleven years. During that time they have played all the best houses in America, including numerous seasons at Kammerstein's, in New York, and repeated tours of the big Orpheum circuit. They have also been all over Great Britain and on the Continent, have appeared at Brussels, Vienna, Berlin,

Leipsic, Amsterdam, and elsewhere. Johnson and Wells will be seen here with Brennan’s Amphitheatres, Ltd. • • ♦ « “Sinbad the Sailor-” Miss Minnie Everett’s work in the “Sinbad the Sailor” pantomime at Melbourne Her Majesty’s is seen in a practical form. The magnificent ballets, and the gracefulness and carriage of the girls generally testify to Miss Everett’s art and skill in dealing with the raw material and adding to the efficiency of the proficient. The J. C. Williamson firm has always been noted for this feature in its productions. It would be difficult, it is conceded, to find a better collection of charming, graceful and accomplished girls as grace the “Sinbad the Sailor” pantomime in Melbourne. Mr. Steyne, the producer, summed them

up in these words: “I ought to know what I am talking about, for I have been producing plays for just a few years. And I say that if the whole crowd in “Sinbad” were shipped complete to London or New York, they would absolutely stagger the people there. I have never seen anything to come up to this chorus in a pantomime or a comic opera anywhere. Nor have I ever been associated with a better ballet mistress and teacher than Miss Minnie Everett. She knows how to get the best out of the girls, and she knows how to handle them. They like her as a teacher and as a woman. And that’s where half the battle is won!” sk ❖ * 4: Foul of the Censor. Mr. Oscar Asche has been falling foul of the official Mrs- Grundy over the play “Kismet,” which has been playing successfully in London, and which is coming to Australia in about three months’ time . All London, including Their Majesties, has flocked to see this gorgeous picture of Eastern life, when suddenly the Licenser of Plays and Censor of Morals woke up to the fact that the bathing scene was immoral and too much like the naked truth. Although the manager protests that the girl who bathed was fully clothed (in skin tights), the Licenser decided that she “wouldn’t wash” until she had some more on. Mr. Asche had to yield and add some trifling drapery, which, remarks “P meh,” probably only had the effect of emphasising the supposed nudity—but satisfied the moral delicacies of the Licenser, who was seven months discovering that there was anything objectionable in the “situation.” « ® 0 * Miss Ethel Irving and New Zealand. It should be good news for playgoers in New Zealand (says the “Referee”) that Miss Ethel Irving will take her company to the Dominion at the conclusion of her Sydney season. Up to Monday it was arranged that the brilliant actress was to give a few performances in Perth (W.A.) before returning to England. The decision in favour of New Zealand was come to on Tuesday. New Zealanders had the bad luck to miss a star in Margaret Anglin three years ago. The distinguished American actress was not able to extend her contract with the Williamson management. * * * 0 A Popular Lead. Mr. William Anderson, director of the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, has offered a re-engagement at the end of the current contract to Roy Redgrave, who has been playing leads for him for the past three years. Mr. Redgrave first came to Australia from South Africa, under a ten weeks’ engagement to J. C. Williamson- The ten weeks extended to three years, and after that he went to England, where he remained for three years, r.n:l then came to Australia under a twelve months’ engagement to William Anderson. :> s’: & V,. The Art of Dressing, The frocks worn by Miss Dorothy Dix in “The Speckled Band” come in for much admiration. A particularly becoming one is of French blue charmeuse with ninon tunic finished with Oriental embroideries, a band of velvet encircling her jet black hair. Very smart is a driving coat of tussore silk, with which she wears a distinctly modish white hat surmounted with two sweeping plumes. Another dainty frock is of ashes of rose ninon with wide charmeuse band of a similar shade, while en deshabille Miss Dix looks equally bewitching in vieux rose crepe revealing an exquisite underskirt. « ® * * “At Cripple Creek.” Some new and unique scenes are presented in “At Cripple Creek,” George Marlow’s production. In the first act there is a sensational scene, the selling by auction of two girls. This is said to have actually happened at this famous mining camp in America. In the second act of this drama there is a cabin situated among the rocks. A daring and sensational rescue is made by an Indian in midair,, through swinging out from cliffs on the opposite side to the cabin, and grasping a little girl in his arms and swinging back to safety again. This is all done in full view of the audience nightly, but the strain of the suspension and rescue is so great on the artist that the act is seldom done twice in one evening. During the run in America of this piece the artist during this scene fell and was fatally injured.