GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1413, 24 May 1917, Page 34

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

Miss Nellie Stewart, Australasian idol, has accepted an engagement on the Mclntosh circuit, and is at present appearing at the Tivoli, Sydney, in the first act of “Sweet Nell.” The whole play will in due course be staged at the Tivoli, the presentation being in serial form. • * * * Madame Melba describes Miss Marie Tempest as her favourite comedy actress. “She has no equal in the world to-day,” Melba says. Three o: Australia’s youngest and brightest ingenue actresses —Misses Lizette Parkes, Eileen Sparkes, and Nancye Stewart —take part in J. and N. Tait’s comedy success “Turn to the Right.” * * * * Miss Lottie Sargent, the dainty little soubrette who was formerly with J. C. Williamson, Ltd., and retired owing to ill-health has now joined the Dandies, and at latest advices was appearing in Brisbane. Madame Alverna and M. Laerte (the Wielaerts), gifted musicians who toured so successfully on the Fuller circuit, are back in Sydney, and intend taking up concert work.

While in America, Madame Melba met Charlie Chaplin, and did an impromptu film with the great picture comedian. Madame Melba says she is going to make money out of it for the soldiers. “A very charming and good looking man,” is her verdict of Charlie.

It is good news to learn that Miss Ada Reeve, the famous music-hall artist, will appear in New Zealand at an early date. Miss Reeve is creating fresh triumphs in Australia under the Hugh D. Mclntosh direction.

Mr. Robert Greig and Miss Beatrice Holloway were immediately received by the South African public as players entitled to star rank. They were very successful there, more so than any artists brought from England and America for the J. C. Williamson South African houses. This in itself is a tribute not to be lightly discarded. The Williamson management has selected three of the best plays in their repertoire for the New Zealand tour of Mr. Greig and Miss Holloway. They have carefully selected the members of the cast to be associated with them, and prepared complete and artistic settings for the comedies., so that everything augurs well for a highly successful tour of the Dominion.

“London Pride,” now being played in Melbourne, tells the story of a London costermonger, who enlists on the outbreak of war, and, leaving his business in the hands of his partner and his “donah,” goes to the front. “Intolerance,” D. W. Griffith’s first and only production s'nce “The Birth of a Nation,” will be shown at His Majesty’s Theatre, Auckland, at an early date under the management of J. C. Williamson, Ltd. * * * * Allan Wilkie has struck another rich vein under the Fuller direction. Recently in Sydney he turned his attention to modern drama, temporarily forsaking the classics. The piece chosen was “The Story of the Rosary,” and the box office reports are jubilant. * • • • Antonio Molinari, the grand opera tenor imported for vaudeville by Ben. J. Fuller and at present appearing at the Auckland Opera House, began his singing career at the age of 15, when he toured Europe with his father, mother and sister. He was born in Milan, of French parents, and has sung in all the principal theatres of Italy and France. He also toured South America with the

Quinlan Opera Company. Signor Molinari offers a great vaudev.lle treat as he sings most of the fine arias that are now being sung by the great tenors Capelli and Balboni of the Gonsalez Italian Grand Opera Company. Signor Molinari sings in three languages —French* Italian and English. John Junior, who discloses the mercurial character of Muggs in J. and N. Tait’s comedy-drama “Turn to the Right,” at the Sydney Palace, s rather proud of the ease with which he picks Deacon Tillinger’s pocket, and plants 10 dollars in the clothes of Joe Bascom. Mr. Junior explains his cleverness by the fact that he practised the little bit of pocketpicking very sedulously in private. Apropos h’s light-fingered work as Muggs, he tells a story of a visit to Sing Sing Prison, New York, where a noted crook and pick-pocket was having a long holiday. This unworthy personage was very interested in John Junior. In fact, he said, “You’re dat guy who’s lifting de rolls (money) in dat Broadway play. A friend o’ mine was tellin’ me about you. From all I ’ear, you oughter be ’ere ’stead o’ me.”