GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1377, 14 September 1916, Page 34

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

Among the many illusions done by Horace Goldin, at present touring New Zealand under the Mclntosh banner, is a vivisection feat. A girl is placed on a table and the illusion.st, using a long knife, cuts off her arms and legs, or seems to do so, and throws them to an assistant. The 1 mbless trunk and its appendage ’> t.re. placed in a basket and at levol.ei report, becomes again a who.e g rl.

The advisability of staging “Damaged Goods” is being discussed in Australia at present. In view of the recent revelations of the Commonwealth Commission, the time is considered opportune. The J. C. Williamson management is considering the question of production.

Mr. Harold Bowden, who was “lent’ to Mr. Hugh D. Mclntosh for the Dominion tour of the Tivoli will be touring manager for “Peg o My Heart.”

“Peg o’ My Heart,” under J. and N. Tait’s direction, established a record of 111 performances at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, and is following up a similar success at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne.

Miss Marie King Scott, “the country girl” who sings, dances and talks, at present touring the Dominion with the Horace Goldin combination, is right up in the front rank of vaudeville artists in America. In New York and the other big cities she has often played two and three months engagements, and always headed the programme.

Every actress is familial with the type of girl who wants tc sway emotions of people across the footlights. Such a girl wrote to Miss Madge Maitland, who is appearing at the Auckland Opera House. After mentioning half a dozen reasons why the dazzling .lights of her genius should not be obscured by parental opposition in Travers City, Mich (U.S.A.), the writer added, as the most important of all, the fact that “everyone who knew her saia she looked just like an actress.” It was this statement that brought the rep j from Miss Maitland: “If, as you sav, your personal appearance is such tnat ‘everyone says you look like an actress ’ you are most unfortunate. Tne better ‘class of players are most annoyed bv having their occupation detected by the casual observer and general public. Try to overcome bus misfortune while you are still young.

The members of the “Mother Goose Pantomime Company, on departing tor Sydney, presented Mr. John Farret with a set of gold studs and sleevelinks as a token of esteem. * * ’ *

Miss Sara Allgood, who makes a great success in the name part of J. and N. Tait’s production of Peg o’ My Heart,” says the Abbey Theatre where she learnt the rudiments of her art, has supplied a number of Irish actresses to the professional ranks. When Miss Allgood herself was recommended for the part ot Peg in an English provincial tour ot the comedy,!. Hartley Manners, the author and manager selected her because she was an Abbey actress. Three of Miss Allgood’s old colleagues with the Irish Players —Miss Anne Coppinge, Miss Cathleen McCarthy, and Miss Eithne Magee —were each engaged to appear as Peg in various parts ot the world.

“High Jinks” has just been reproduced by the J. C. Williamson management at the Adelphi, London, and a cablegram has reached the firm announcing an extraordinary success, accompanied by warmly favourable press notices. Two artists of the Austral.an cast, W. H. Rawlins and Gwen Hughes, appeared at the Adelphi, the former in the important role oi the elderly timber merchant, J. J- Jeffries, ' and the latter in a small responsible part.

Report says that Mr. Charlie McMahon is going on the road again with his own company. “Lady Godiva” is to be the first venture.

Shooting from the barrel of a rifle a cruel-looking packing needle to which is attached a long and gaily coloured ribbon, through the body of an attractive ycung laity, is one of the tricks Horace Goldin, the Russ.an illusion's!, proposes doing during his New Zealand tour. The needle, after having apparently gone through the lady, scores a bull’s eye on the target placed behind her.

Mr. Hugh D. Mclntosh was recently elected president of the N.S.W. Returned Soldiers’ Association.

On four distinct occasions Horace Goldin, the Russian magician, who opens at His Majesty’s, Auckland, on Saturday, September 16, has been honoured by royalty. He holds the record for “command” performances before King Edward V 11.,, having performed before that ruler no less than four times within a s ce of eight days. This was away back in 1903, when the King of England was entertaining the Emperor of Germany. As a memento of that time he has a beautiful diamond pin, a large “E. VII.” worked out in diamonds on a gold base, and a letter from His Majesty’s Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir D. M. Probyn. He also is the fortunate possessor of a diamond pin from King George V., and one from the Queen of Saxony, now, of course, an enemy subject. He also had the honour of mystifying the King of Siam, who takes a lively interest m magic, and who was very keen to know how certain of Goldin’s tricks were performed, but as that would have been giving the game away, Goldin had politely to refuse.

Mr. Eric Maxon, at latest advices, was in New York, playing Lorenzo in Sir Herbert Tree’s production of • rhe Merchant of Venice.”

Miss CeLa Ghiioni’s husband, Mr. Ronald McPherson, has left for the aont as an officer with the Reinforcements of the Pioneer Battalion.

Mr. Harold Gregson, the brilliant Auckland organist, left on Sunday for Dunedin, where he will judge the musical events at the fifteenth annual festival of the Dunedin music and elocutionary competitions, which commence on September 13. Gisborne lovers of music will learn with pleasure that Mr. Gregson will i ay them a visit at the end of September, when he intends giving a number of organ lecitals in that townskip. The weilknown organist, who has given many recitals in Gisborne on previous occasions, has always been greeted with crowded attendances and keen appreciation, and is looking forward with pleasure to renewing acquaintance with a musical public.