GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, 3 October 1912, Page 21

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

Oscar Asche Company on Tour. The Oscar. Asche-Lily Brayton > company finish their Auckland. season on Saturday with “Othello/” and open in Wellington on Monday, October 7 for a three weeks’ season. Christchurch will be visited from October 28 to‘ November 16. A season in Dunedin follows, and the tour closes at Invercargill in December. .. .' *’* ■ * * They. Steal his Boots! ‘ One of the chief disadvantages of being small,” says Hayati Hassid, the mayor of- T-iny Town, ■ which its Auckland season at the Town Hall on Saturday, “is that .when at a hotel, I dare not put my boots out to be cleaned as they are invariably stolen by curiosity hunters.” Hayati Hassid?s boots are specially made and he carries with him one trunk containing nothing but foot-gear. Also he has a collection of silk handkerchiefs, each one being the gift of a celebrity.

“Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford.” Records, like .wonders,, never cease in the theatrical business. The latest is that established by “Get-Rich-Quick- Wallingford” at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney. The piece is now in its seventh week and the only trouble the Williamson management is having with. it is to find seats for patrons. The comedy has been, standing them up” at every performance and in the language of the land that produced it, “Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford” seems likely to continue the big wise” of Sydney for weeks to come. As far as it has gone the production has played to the biggest business ever attracted by comedy in Sydney.

A New Australian Play. “Albert Edmunds,” the author of the famed “Squatter’s Daughter” has written for the Bert Bailey New Dramatic Company a new Australian play entitled, “The Native Born,” and Mr Rege Robins of the King’s Theatre has commenced the preparation of scenery for it. The play will be produced in Melbourne next year. The author, or more correctly, duo of authors, are members of the Company and they will appear in prominent characters when the piece is staged.

Mail Day in Tiny Town. Mail day in Tiny Town is quite an event in the midget community. Each little mite has his or her friends tn write to in various parts of the world. The 30in. Mayor, Hayati Hassid, likes to drive in state to the post office to despatch his own mail. He is usually accompanied by one of the tiny ladies of the company, and the Tiny Town policeman is specially engaged to sit on the box seat of the mayoral carriage with the coachman. This precaution is always found to be necessary to keep back the crowd of giant-like adults which assembles when the carriage, with its fairy-like ponies pulls up at the post office. Auckland folks will see the sight of a lifetime when the mayor of' Tiny Town goes to the post.

Esprit de Corps. Successful matinees were recently held in Sydney and Melbourne in connection with the Actors’ Association of Australia. The major portion of themoney is to be ear-marked as a special account for the assistance of all bonafide actors and actresses who are distressed or aged, irrespective of membership of any association or union,, and a special committee, consisting of Mr. Victor Prince, Mr. Godfrey Cass, Mr Neville Montagu, Mr W. S. Percy (four Australians), and Mr Walter Bentley, has been appointed to consider and relieve, if necessary, and to report on all cases submitted. Mr Bentley is hon. general secretary. * * * * “ Excuse Me!”

“Memo: Excuse -Me, please clear printing from American boat.” This was the note handed to the transport officer of the J. C. Williamson management on the arrival of the last ’Frisco boat. He could not quite see where the “Excuse Me” came in, and when case after case was landed at the ship’s side plastered all over with the same phrase, he thought a joke was being played upon him. “Excuse Me,” it turned out, was the title of a new farce to be played by the American Comedy Company now at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney.