GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1262, 25 June 1914, Page 36

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

“The Glad Eye.” “The Glad Eye,” soon to be presented in Australasia by the Beaumont Smith-Louis Meyer English Comedy Company, is an adaptation of “La Zebre” from the French of M. M. Arment and Nancey, who are the two best-known and most popular farceurs in a country where this class of play must be of remarkable merit before it is even tolerated. The story of “The Glad Eye” is a fountain of ceaseless mirth, every incident bringing forth spontaneous laughter.

The Triumph of Mischa Elman. From Melbourne papers to hand Mischa Elman’s performances have been hailed with unbounded enthusiasm. Says the “Age"’:—There are moments —and many moments —when he would seem to be playing upon the very heart-strings of his audience rather than upon one of his two famous violins. Indeed, it would be hard to discover a more apt image to illuminate what must have been vaguely felt by many who were present at the Auditorium on the opening night. Another point—one of many that might be instanced —is the extraordinarily vigorous and inevitable sense of rhythm, upon the waves of which Elman carries an audience whithersoever he wills; but, beyond everything else, the rarest of his qualities is beauty and exquisite delicacy of tone. Laughter and Tears to Order.

The theatrical claquer has ever been an institution in France, especially Paris, where a “chief de claque” enjoys a recognised status and receives a comfortable income. It is a mistake to suppose that the only duty of claquers is to applaud. A well-organised claque includes some members who have cultivated the art of infectious laughter. These, called “chatouilleurs,” attend the lighter forms of drama and laugh so heartily and naturally that their neighbours join in, and leave the house convinced that the play must be a most amusing one. Then, too, there are the “pleureuses,” who are paid to shake with sobs at the right moment, in melodrama. ♦ * * * Leads in “Mr. Wu.” “Mr. Wu,” the powerful drama dealing with affairs in Hong Kong, will open the Australian tour of the Louis Meyer - Beaumont Smith Dramatic Company, expected to arrive by the R.M.S. Orama soon. Mr. William F. Grant and Miss May Congdon will be the leading people of the combination. Both these artists have visited Australia before. In ,1001, Mr. Grant played cleverly the part of the Laird at Her Majesty s, Sydney, with Edith Crane and Tyrone Power as Trilby and Svengali. His appearance in England as “Mr. Mu” earned him uniform praise from the London critics. Miss Congdon made her Australian debut as leading lady in the long run of “The Fatal Wedding” at the Criterion, Sydney, in 1906, under the Meynell-Gunn direction. Miss Congdon is an actress of Shakesperian and other varied experience.

Popular Pantomimists.

The “Forty Thieves ’ Company had a great ovation on their last night in Sydney, prior to leaving for Brisbane. The principals lined the footlights with difficulty, owing to the large accumulation of bouquets and presents, which were handed up from all portions of the theatre. Miss Jessie Lennon, who was making her final appearance in Sydney before taking a trip Home, Misses Dorothy Firmin, Marie Eaton, Dolly Harmer, Gertie Latchwood, Maggie Dickinson, Ruby Kennedy, Edwin Brett and others received presents. During the evening Miss Jessie Lonnen was presented with a silver chafing set by the company.

Carl Bentzen’s Noted Pupils. Mr. Carl Bentzen, whose exposition of dancing with Miss Phyllis Lawton is one of the most charming “turns” ever put on at the Auckland Opera House in this line, enjoys the distinction of having taught his art to the daughter of the President of the United States. At the time Mr. Bentzen was appearing at one of the principal vaudeville houses in New York in the same act which he is now presenting at the Opera House. It was just then that the whole of the United States was in the throes of a dance craze which had infected everybody from the Senators at Washington to

the paper boys. One night at the theatre he received a visit from a White House, official, who informed him that the President desired him, as soon as he was able, to give his daughters instructions in some of the latest dances. Shortly afterwards Mr. Bentzen was installed in the President’s residence in Missouri, and commenced the work of teaching Dr. Wilson’s daughters almost as soon as he arrived. So apt pupils were they that in a few weeks they had become sufficiently proficient not to need Mr. Bentzen’s tuition any longer. * * * * Caruso and. His Love Affairs. Signor Caruso, the tenor, has paid £6OO in settlement of Miss Mildred Mefferth’s £20,000 breach of promise claim, commenced in 1908. Caruso’s letters were signed “Baby.” They were surrendered to him. The lady asserted that Caruso regularly corresponded with her, “writing in most endearing terms,” and that in June, 1910, at his request, she alleges, they visited Italy and England. He frequently informed his friends and associates abroad, Miss Meffert alleged, that he would marry her on his return to America in November, 1910. Subsequently Caruso postponed the date of. the marriage untill November, 1911. Instead of marrying her, however, he went to Europe, bidding her to follow him, which she d’ld. He introduced her everywhere as the future Signora Caruso. Finally, in March, 1913, he abandoned her.

“Bunty Pulls the Strings.” J. C. Williamson, Ltd., in conjunction with E. J. Carroll, will present, for the first time in Australia, at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, on June 27, “Bunty Pulls the Strings,” the Scottish comedy by Graham Moffatt. The piece has had a phenomenal run in London, and will be staged by the original London company, including Graham Moffatt as Tammas Biggar and Kate Moffatt as Bunty Biggar.

Success of “Pinafore.”

In view of the forthcoming Gilbert and Sullivan season at Her Majesty’s, Melbourne, it is interesting to note that “H.M.S. Pinafore” has been staged in New York at the Hippodrome on a big scale, and has proved enormously successful. The “Dramatic News” thus refers to the production: —“‘Pinafore’ has attained success at the Hippodrome-such as was never anticipated. It was supposed that this opera, having been revived so frequently, had more or less worn out its welcome, but there are no signs of this at the Hippodrome, which has been crowded every night since the opening.” -

“The Argyle Case.”

“The Argyle Case,” at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney, has proved a mystifying thriller. The audience have been kept in the dark as to who committed the murder of John Argyle right up to the finish, and the result has been something in the nature of a ' guessing competition amongst

the people in front. During the intervals, all over the theatre playgoers have been heard asking each other the question: Who do you think killed John Argyle? “The Argyle Case” comes to New Zealand after the Sydney season, opening in Auckland on July 20.

Harry Lauder and the Journalists. Harry Lauder was the guest of honor at a dinner in Sydney given by the New South Wales Institute of Journalists. Responding to the toast to Scotchmen, Mr. Lauder said: “Ye canna get somethin’ for naethin’. It canna be done. I cam’ here not thinkin’ I’d be asked to speak. I suppose ’cause ye gie me some chicken and a wee cup o’ coffee I’ve got to speak to ye? (Laughter.) I said ye couldna get somethin’ for naethin’. (Laughter.) But it’s a great pleasure to' be entertained by you. The press is the great fertiliser of the earth. Naethin’ can be done, naethin’ can be said without the press. The press is a mighty sword in the battle o’ life. An’ the press has a’ways been verra kind to me. At all times I have tried to be as courteous as possible to the press, so when you asked me to come and meet you I thought it was the best thing to do. (Hear, hear.) I have travelled a lot, and I like to rub shoulders wi’ the press. Ye see, the press gets into a lot of corners where it’s not possible for other mediums. And I a’ways like to get into the wee

corners. It’s the wee things that tell. (Laughter.) Awa’ oot on the hills and the plains the news of the press goes. That’s what makes ye so mighty and so strong.”