IN PERSONAL TOUCH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1289, 7 January 1915, Page 34

IN PERSONAL TOUCH.

Mr J. J. O’Sullivan, business manager of > '? Court Cards Costume Concert Company, is well known through New Zealand. Mr O’Sullivan toured the smalls of the Dominion as' manager of the O’Connor Operatic Company a short time ago, and has had many years' association with the theatrical business. He is a brother of Mr Tom Pollard.

Mr Walenn claims that he has' Gilbert's warrant for every bit of business' that may seem new to audiences in this part of the world.

The extra special demonstration reserved by Sydney playgoers' for “One of their own,” says the Australasian was' given to Miss Dorothy Brunton when she appeared at Her Majesty's in the name part of “The Girl in the Film.”

Mr Charles R. Walenn has played Koko in the “Mikado” and Jack Point in “Yeomen of the Guard” six or seven hundred times; He was trained by the D’Oyly Carte Company—a strict school he says. D’Oyly Carte rehearsed him personally in most of the parts and he never departs from the reading laid down at the original rehearsal.

“H.M.S. Pinafore” is to be revived at His Majesty’s on Friday with a four nights’ presentation. An hilarious performance is promised. As a Sydney paper points out: the satiric burlesque upon social precedence and naval discipline, more especially the red tape at the Admiralty by which a railway bookstall proprietor (W. H. Smith, M.P.), became First Lord, left no sting behind it even in 1878, when Gilbert wrote it. Now, with our Royal Navy guarding our native seas triumphantly, the burlesque remains more than ever a harmless piece of fun. “Trial by Jury” is to be put on in conjunction with “Pinafore.”

Madame Schell claims' to be the smallest wild animal tamer in the world. She is under 4ft Bin in height.

La Milo is il’uminat’ng American vaudeville at present. New York “Variety” and “Star” devoted much pictorial space and matter to the famous poseuse in a recent number. Says the “Star” Stage Pictorial; “Of all the big girls in the world, La Milo is' among the few who possess the correct measurements according to c’assical prm ort’ons. " She is a beautiful girl and that ’s still more in her favour, for good looks go the greatest way in the race for popularity. Nevertheler ■; it is in her figure that is her chief beauty. She is perfect in every measurement. Artists seeing her say she is a new Venus de Milo. Even her flesh is marble.

Miss Maude Fane, the dainty comedienne of the “Court Cards.” has already been making decided hits with several exclusive numbers speciallv written for her at Home. Her rendering of “Piccadilly Percy.” “Beautiful Eggs,” and “Sister Sewing Shirts for Soldiers” ha vo nroved decided trumps as interpreted by the Queen of Hearts.

Mr. A. A. Hintz, advance manager of the “Court Cards,” reports excellent business in the South, and has gone on to Hamilton to prepare for

the companv’s anpearance in the Waikato. The “Cards” open their Auckland season on January 18.

At the farewell gathering of the Austral Salon in Melbourne for 1914. Mr. Walter Kirby was presented with a blue enamel and gold star —the Salon badae Mrs. Thomas Baker (vice-president) said it was a token of the esteem of the members, all of whom felt a personal interest in his career, as it was at the Salon he had made his debut, and they regarded him as one of their most successful proteges. Tn responding, Mr. Kirbv said he considered that the Austral Salon had done good service in helping the voung artists of Australia to gain a footing which ’n many instances had led to musical or dramatic advancement.

Miss' Gladys Moncrieff, before she left Sydney, was presented with a bouquet from the Sydney board of directors of the Australian Natives’ Association on behalf of the Townsville branch, of which Miss Moncrieff was a member, congratulating her on her brilliant success.

Mr. Edward McKeown will take the of Ralph Rackstraw in “Pinafore” on Friday night. He is said to pxnress the spirit of the mus’C to a nicety.