IN PERSONAL TOUCH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1369, 20 July 1916, Page 32

IN PERSONAL TOUCH.

Theatre-goers heard with sincere regret of the death of Miss Josephine Cohan, which was reported last week. Miss Cohan in private life was the wife of Mr. Fred. Niblo, the popular American actor, and the sister of Mr. George M. Cohan, one of the most * interesting figures of the American stage. She paid a visit to New Zealand two years ago, acting with her husband in “The Fortune Hunter,” a lovable personality endearing hei' to a large circle of friends * * ~ * Mr. Fred. Macdonald, whose Dave in “On Our Selection” is known from one end of Australia to the other, has scored another success as Bill Englefoot in “Duncan McClure and the Poor Parson.” ■ • • • Mr. George Welch, the burlesque comedian with the Tivoli Follies, is undoubtedly the best stage drunk we have seen in New Zealand. When out for the night—in the revue —his nose and top lip have just a suggestion of that genial glow that may be the effect of the sunset or the aggregate result of a steady course of “snifters,” and his long- weepy moustache could tell wonderful tales of the narrow escapes it has had from drowning—in the flowing bowl. Mr. Welch presents an intelligent diunk —if one may be permitted to use the adjective — in that he never diverges from the zig-zag path of a gentlemanly sozzler. Mr. Welch says that he had an uncle somewhere in New Zealand, but it is a long time since the family heard of him. He was said to be doing well, but yielded to temptation and

went into politics, since when he had felt himself too disgraced to communicate with the family. If he Is able to locate Uncle Herbert, George is quite willing to kill the fatted anything that may be loitering round the premises. ♦ * I * Plenty of fun was occasioned in the toy ball throwing specialty in “Mother Goose” pantomime on Monday night. Numerous balls were projected into the lower boxes occupied by Mr. Hugh D. Mclntosh and the principals of the Tivoli Hollies, and needless to say they were .returned with eager zest as old friends were discovered on the stage. “Don’t hit me; I’m the boomerang girl,” slyly said the dame (Mr. Arthur Stigant), as he received the full force of cne ball from a laughing opponent and recognised Miss Vera Pearce —a sally which did not go unnoticed. • ¥ * * Mr. John Farrell is in Auckland in his capacity as business manager of “Mother Goose” pantomime. ♦ * * * Mr. Hugh Mclntosh’s Tivoli Follies had a rousing s< nd-off at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday evening. Vim and brightness marked every item, and one good thing followed another with exhilarating celerity, the curtain being rung down to a demonstrative accompaniment. The company leave for the South to-day, after a memorably successful week in Auckland. * * * * Gertrude Elliott, wife of Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson, the eminent English Shakespearian star is reported to be appearing in English vaudeville, as a singer of dialect and character songs. ♦ * * * Says “J.P.” in the “Bulletin”: Fred Niblo seems to be hitting New York hard. At present there is not a mummer who s getting more U.S. limelight He has been a big success as lead in “Hit-the-Trail Holiday,” which, from all acounts, is a mighty poor play, and would never have been a success without Niblo’s personality. Anyhow, New York is starting to dedicate popular songs to Niblo and to call its candy and the collars it wears after him. Mortal actor couldn’t ask for more than that. * * * * Albert Felino, who plays the Golden Goose in “Mother Goose ” himself invented and built the remarkable mechanism and the bird itself. “It took me three years to perfect,” explained Mr. Felino. “I started with a model one foot in height. When I got this working pretty well, I increased the size to two feet, and having remedied various small defects, I again increased the size by gradual stages till the goose stood as you see it at present. To work the bird in a lifelike manner is a feat in itself, requring an amount of physical effort undreamt of by toe uninitiated. This can be readiy understood when I mention that there are no fewer than 24 strings to manipulate in order to work the eyes, tailbeak, eyelds and wings. It is not only a question of pulling the strings, however, but the working of the bird in a natural and lifelike manner. One little mistake or the mixing up of a string makes the whole thing ridiculous.”

The specialty turn of Ross and Falls in the J. C. Williamson pantomime, “Mother Goose,” now being staged at His Majesty’s Theatre, Auckland, might be aptly described as a scream from start to finish. When the audience are not screaming with laughter it is with the fear of seeing the acrobatic pair dashing themselves to pieces. When each of the partners in turn sits on a chair placed on the top of tables piled to a height of 16 feet above the stage, rocks backwards and forwards, a scream goes up from all parts of the theatre, for any moment it looks as if the man perched on ton will be dashed backwards on the stage. But this is what really happens at the finish: the whole collection falls backwards, but Ross, who performs the feat, lightly rolls over and disappears on the rebound into the wings. This feature of the turn was really introduced by accident. The couple were performing in Mexico City, when, owing to one of the tables having been wrongly placed for the balancing act, the whole outfit, with the comedian on top, was hurled backwards and fell through a trapdoor. Mr. Ross was injured, but the idea struck him as such a good one that he practised it for six months, and on perfecting it this finish was added to the turn with great success.