GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1398, 8 February 1917, Page 36

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

Miss Elsy Treweek, the charming soprano with the Selinsky-Amadio combination, came over from Australia on two occasions under engagement to the Wellington Choral Society, taking the solo parts in “Faust” and “Cavalleria Rusticana.”

“Turning out film plays with machine-like regularity is what ails the artistic details of many plays,” says William N. Selig. “Film productions should be developed, not manuiactured.”

M. Selinsky, who is in the first rank of violinists, is a son of Peter Selinsky, the famous Russian conductor. His first bow to the public was made when he was eight years of age, and was in his father’s orchestra. He afterwards studied at the conservatorium at Petrograd under Professor Aver, who was also the teacher of Mischa Elman and the Cherniavskys. He has toured in practically every city in the world, and since the outbreak of war has given Red Cross concerts in conjunction with Madame Melba and Mark Hambourg.

Miss Dorothy Brunton will leave for America on a twelve months’ holiday tour in May next, sailing from Sydney by the Niagara.

Mr. Lawrence Campbell, the brilliant Australian elocut onlst, continues to achieve a great success with his recitals from “The Sentimental Bloke,” under the J. and N. Tait direction, in New Zealand. C. J. Dennis, the clever author of that remarkable book and the equally arresting “Ginger Mick,” is now bus ly engaged on another book, which will shortly be in the press. “The Sentimental Bloke’s” creator is now living at Teolangi, Vic.

Miss Connie Eoiss, of “So Long, Letty,” writes: A leading crit c remarked that I wasn’t on speaking terms with my voice. That’s not so; I am on speaking terms with it. What’s the matter is that I and my voice are not on singing terms.

The J. C. Williamson, Ltd., Royal Comic Opera Company is to play “The Pink Lady,” which achieved a notable sucess on both sides of the Atlantic, ’rhe music is by Ivan Caryll, who was responsible for the music of “The Toreador,” “Our Miss Gibbs,” “The Duchess of Dantzic,” “The Orchid,” “The Spring Chicken,” and other big successes.

Miss Florence Rockwell, who is starring in “The House of Glass” at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, has done a great deal of picture work. She confesses, however, that the spoken drama is more to her liking. “I must admit that I like applause,” she laughingly admitted, “and to put one’s best efforts into a scene co the accompaniment of the turning of a handle is not sufficietnly encouraging to induce me to keep on with moving picture work. 1 have always found it difficult to take moving picture work seriously. In my opinion, .t is a mistake for an artist to combine spoken drama and moving picture acting. They are separate and distinct, and each requires different handling and a different temperament in the artists.”

The various I. C. Williamson companies have been denuded of men since the war started. As a matter of fact, the Williamson directors have made it their policy to keep down to a minimum the number of men, including choristers, in their compan’es, ever since the recruiting campaign was launched in Australia. Every encouragement has been offered by the firm to their employees to enlist, including the keeping of their positions for them when they return, and the making up of the difference in their pay, which is handed to their dependants. The roll of honour at the various J. C. Williamson theatres is an imposing one.

Miss Maude Fane, the brilliant young comedienne, last here with the “Mother Goose” pantomime, has fitted into musical comedy as though to the manner born. Her bright personality and sense of fun have established her quickly in firm favour. Miss Fane will be seen here as Beatrice Carraway in “To-night’s the Night,” to be presented by J. C. Williamson’s Musical Comedy Company.

Adeline More, in a book just published in London, has a note which is of great interest to all New Zealanders just now. She writes: —“In the report of the British Royal Commission on venereal diseases it is stated that the commissioners invited Professor Blaschko, of Berlin, to come over to London to give an account of the progress attained in combatting venereal disease in Germany. Among other things Professor Blaschko says: ‘A further improvement in our work of enlightenment was the organising of a representation of Brieux’s drama “Les Avaries” (“Damaged Goods”) in the English translation. Most of our local branches as well as the head society supported the representations. In Berlin alone the piece was played over 100 times at seven theatres. In many large and small German towns, travelling companies played this piece. The work of the German Society has thoroughly changed the public opinion on venereal diseases.’ ”

Mr. Borneo Gardner, the New Zealand siffleur, who was for some time on the Fuller circuit, is appearing ac the London Opera House.

Frank Harvey was commenting upon the round of varied parts he has played since he came to Australia. ‘I wish that acting was a training ground for a business career,” observed Mr. Harvey. “If the captains of industry could be induced to see actors in that light there is no knowing to what heights we might aspire in the world of affairs. During the last few years I have been in the Brit'sh Secret Service twice with great distinction, in “The Man Who Stayed at Home” and “Under Fire.” I have been a successful rector, rising to a bishop (in “Romance”). It is true that I got the weed into my crop in ‘The Land of Promise,’ but the indicat ons were that success lay ahead of me as a farmer. In ‘The House of Glass’ I am a railway magnate of conspicuous ability. Of course, I have been several times married. My worst experience of matrimony was in ‘Joseph and His Brethren,’ when I was Mr. Potiphar. My wife’s behaviour on that occasion s, of course, notorious.”

The “champion moving play” was the title given in New York to “Very Good, Eddie,” the brilliant musical attraction which J. and N. Tait are staging at the Palace Theatre, Sydney. The piece earned the title because on

account of previous bookings it had to shift from one New York theatre to another without losing a whit of its popularity by the changes. Crowded houses were the rule when it opened at the Princess Theatre, New York, and crowded houses followed it back to the same playhouse after it had enjoyed the same wonderful support at the Casino and Thirtyninth Street theatres. Eventually, “Very Good, Eddie,” was compelled to leave the Princess Theatre once more, and as there was no other thea tre available it was sent on tour, with the same extraordinary box office results. Judged by its American vogue this musical piece should be an enormous attraction in Australasia.

A Reuter message to the Australian papers say that Mr. Harry Lauder has received world-wide condolences which include letters from Queen Alexandra, Mr. Lloyd George, churchmen, public servants, lawyers, journalists, and theatricals, as well as the general public. It is understood that Captain Lauder (his son), of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was killed instantaneously by a shell while entering an exposed trench.

The receipts from Pollard’s Pictures monthly benefits since their initiation in August, 1911, have been the means of contributing over £lOOO to the Grey mouth patriotic funos.

During a recent interview, Mr. Allan Wilkie talked at length about the wonderful material to be found in Australia, not only amongst the audience, but among the young Australian artists. “I feel,” he continued, “that the establishing of a permanent Shakespearian Company in Australia will give an opportunity not only to the young Australian actor, but will act as a stimulus to the profession as a whole. Not that I wish to imply that Australian theatrical productions are below the level of those of other countries, but we must remember the distance of the Commonwealth from the art centres of the world. Up to the present I think the Australian actor has often had to stand back in favour of the imported artist. I think also, in the near future, this will be altered. There is an excellent supply o-f good material in Australia. As soon as it is moulded correctly, it will be equal to that of any part of the world.”

“The artistic temperament! Is it a gift of God or a visitation of Providence?”—Sir Herbert Tree.