GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1244, 19 February 1914, Page 36

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

A New Comedienne. The Fuller-Brennan Vaudeville Circuit at the Opera House, Auckland, will present in a few weeks’ time a lady who is described as one of America’s greatest comediennes. This Js Miss Elfie Fay, who for the past several years has been making some big hits in the United States. Miss Fay posseses in a remarkable degree the power of facial contortion. She is able to work her face into almost any shape, owing chiefly to a peculiar formation of the muscles, which control the movements of the cheeks and mouth. Added to this is the fact that she is the possessor of a charming voice, and there is no doubt that she will add Australasia to the list of countries in which she has made a hit. * * * • ■ Sidelights on Melodrama. Mr. Frederick Melville, the author of many dramas, gave evidence in London in the case in which Miss Rosemary Rees, who wrote a play called “The Beggar Bride,” is suing for damages on the ground that her play is plagiarised in the drama “A Beggar Girl’s Wedding,” which was written by Mr. Melville and produced at the Lyceum Theatre. The witness said that his drama contained stock incidents and conventional characters. He was not aware of the existence of “The Beggar Bride” at the time that he wrote his play. Writing melodrams was easy, added the witness. His greatest difficulty was the finding of euphonious names, and in his trouble he usually referred to a directory or a telephone book. He dictated this particular play in less than a week. The best play, said Mr. Melville, was the one that made most money. The hearing was adjourned. * * . » * Black and White. Coming after a long series of brilliant colour work in “The Forty Thieves” at Her Majesty’s, Melbourne, there is a scene which in some; respects presents a striking novelty and change, and for this reason has made a big hit with pantomime audiences. This is the much-talked-about scene of the “Black and White Club,” in which Barry Lupino and Gertie Latchford feature their “Chrysanthemums” specialty. The scene is the work of W. Coleman, junr., the son of W. R. Coleman, the notable scene painter at Her Majesty’s, whose work is the admiration of playgoers all over Australia and New Zealand. The story is related that a visitor to the paint-frame saw young Coleman at work putting the finishing touches on this setting, and remarked, “I suppose you will now fill in the colours inside those black lines.” “Oh, no,” said Coleman. “I’m going to leave it like that. I haven’t got time to finish it.” The visitor didn’t see the joke, and was staggered at the suggestion that the management would allow a scene to go on the stage not completed. However, on the first night of “The Forty Thieves,” there was nobody in the audience louder in admiration of the black and white scene than the visitor, who, until he has read this, was not aware that the setting in its plain black and white was absolutely completed in this form when it left the hands of the painter. * . fl: “Joseph and His Brethren.” A successful play is as good as a gold mine. When “Joseph and His Brethren” had been staged with enormous success by Sir Herbert Tree at His Majesty’s, London, a syndicate, which had exploited with enormous financial results “The Sign of the Cross” in the provinces, approached the author for the purchase of the sole provincial rights, being in the belief that the piece was another “Sign of the Cross.” As a matter of fact, it is considered that it will excel the success of this phenomenally popular play. However, Mr. Louis'N. Parker refused an offer of £lO,OOO cash for the provincial rights, maintaining that he could obtain more by' sending out companies to play it on a royalty basis. “Joseph and His Brethren” has to pay the heaviest author’s fees of any play the J. C l . Williamson management has handled in Australia for some years. * fl* ' 'fl: * ' A Terrible Ordeal; Seldom does the experience of having to “gag” in a legitimate performance befal a dramatic actor, for, as a rule, it is only in musical comedy or pantomime that the capabilities

of an artist in extemporising have to be drawn upon. Malcolm Tearle (who is playing Joseph in “Joseph and His Brethren”) had such an embarrassing experience. “It was the most awful incident I. have ever had to go through on the stage,” said Mr. Tearle. “I never want to repeat it. It was in “Mrs. Dot,” and the lady playing the role was seized with a bad bilious attack, and had to leave the stage precipitately. It was either go on or stop the play. We decided we would go on. For twenty minutes the actor who was playing Blenkinsop and myself extemporised a lot of speeches, and gagged for all we were worth. The strain was awful, but we kept it up. We introduced little waits, during which we would sit down and look at each other fixedly, as if thinking over what had previously been said. At last we absolutely got to the end of our tether. There was nothing more to do but to go off when, just in the. nick of time, the lady in the title role came on again, and we got through. Yet few people in the audience knew the real state of affairs, though had they looked at us closely they would have seen the perspiration on our foreheads from the strain, and the fear of breaking down. I never want to go through that experience again.”

A Stickler for Detail. “Let’s have a look at your nose. That’ll do. You’re an Egyptian. Get over there.” Now, to the uninitiated these instructions might seem somewhat extraordinary, but in the selection of the ladies for the J. C. Williamson production of “Joseph and His Brethren” in Melbourne special physical requirements had to be attended to. Cecil King, who is producing the play for the firm, is a keen stickler for detail, and in his idea the type of girls who represent Egyptians or Israelites is an important matter in getting the right atmosphere for the play. Every person engaged as an “extra” supernumerary in the play had to pass before Mr. King’s critical eye before selection, so that each might be relegated to the most suitable part of the production, and given instructions in make-up, dressing, and other important matters. Mr. King leaves nothing w chance. “One can’t afford to,” he said. “The public are too critical nowadays.” i * * * A Story of Harry Lauder. In a recent interview Harry Lauder, the great comedian, expressed .a profound admiration for America and its progressive institutions. “ I like America,” he said, “its big po icies and the big way in which things are done, and I like the ambition that Americans display in their municipal work.” But, according to Lauder,

there is an objection. Americans are too energetic and carry their doctrine of “hustle” to exthemejs. On this point he ventured a happy little anecdote which is worth repeating. When he was last in New York he met a friend flying down a sub-way to reach a local courthouse. “Hey,” inquired Lauder, “what are you scurrying down there for?” “Save a minute by this route,” answered the breathless citizen. “Good-bye,” “Hey,” called Harry after the fleeing coattails, “what are you going to do with the minute now that you have saved it.” * * * & Maud Allan and Her Dancing. If Miss Maud Allan, the great classical dancer, can repeat her Indian success in Australia, she will be well satisfied.. Much preliminary clamour in India drew attention to the visit of Miss Allan to that part of the world, and for weeks prior to her arrival she was the subject of a controversy that involved the press and pulpit and created excitement throughout the land. Every subject was subordinate to the main question whether Miss Allan’s dancing in her airy costumes would or would not be damaging to British prestige in India. All sorts of people who were neither sufficiently interested nor intellectually equipped to give an opin-(

ion grew quite mad on the subject with the result that the great artist got a tremendous but undesired advertisement. Naturally when she eventually appeared, she was a phenomenal triumph, her first week’s takings alone amounting to £3OOO. * ■' * ' * * What Puzzled Harold Bauer. Harold Bauer, the world-famous pianist, who has arranged to appear in Australia this year under J. and N. Tait’s management, has all a modest man’s objection to be lionised. Not long back a London hostess, whose hobby was the. parade of al-, leged musical lions, tried desperately to get Bauer to attend one of her evenings. She got an introduction to the virtuoso by some manoeuvring, and when she thought she knew him sufficiently, dropped him a discreet little note begging to engage his services professionally, and adding, as if bfy an afterthought, that Lord so and so would be among those present. Bauer’s reply was brief and to the point. “ Dear Madame,” he wrote, “Apart from the fact that I shall be 'otherwise engaged on the evening you mention,, I fear that I shall be unable to be present owing to the doubt existing as to whether I am to entertain Lord so and so or whether his Lordship is to entertain me.” * * w * C..:' The Greatest Dramatic Success. Louis N. Parker, the author of “Joseph and His Brethren,” which

was staged at Her Majesty’s, Melbourne, on February 14, confesses that he first conceived the idea of writing this play years ago. Two or three times he commenced work on the script, but abandoned each effort, feeling that his ideas had not yet matured sufficiently to enable him to do justice to the subject. Later he made the acquaintance of George C. Tyler, the noted New York producer, with whom he discussed the possibilities of the play. Tyler was emphatic on the subject, and said: “You had better go right ahead.” So Mr. Parker went ahead. The result was one of the greatest successes the dramatic stage in England and America has ever known.

Chief Eagle Horse. Chielf Eagle Horse, whose sweet baritone voice delights his audiences nightly' at the Opera House, Auckland, comes of a distinguished Ind’an family. His grandfather, who died at the. ripe age of 114 years, acted as the representative of his people in all the negotiations, with the AmerL can Government in regard to Indian land settlements. Chief Eagle Horse himself was . educated for thet Ministry, Wit John Phillip Sousa, the American ■ “March King,” heard him sing and advised him to take up. the study of music.