GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1442, 13 December 1917, Page 34

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

Not only as an actor but e.lso as a manager has Mr. Cyril Maude, the great exponent of the immortal “Grumpy,” held a prom’nent place in the theatrical profession in London. The creator of “Grumpy” nas played under his own management in London dur ng the past 15 years, conducting his own theatre, the Playhouse.

The Fuller firm are so satisfied with the success of the stock dramatic company in Melbourne w.th its policy of a new piece every week, that they have deeded to try the same dea in Sydney, and in their new Majest'c Theatre, Newtown, have installed Kate Howard and her dramatic company.

M ss Muriel Starr and Mr. George Barnum, the producer, stopped over in Hawaii long enough—while on their way to Australia and America-—to get local colour for the production of “The Bird of Paradise,” wh’ch is to be Miss Starr’s opening piece at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne. The acton of "The Bird of Paradise” takes place in Hawaii. It is the story of a white man who falls under the spell of an Hawaiian girl, and allows the lotus 1 fe of the islands to draw him away from the interests of his own sphere of life. Miss Starr appears as the Hawaiian girl, Luana.

M’ss Kathlene MacDonell’s latest success in Sydney has been scored in “The Rainbow,” as a girl fresh from school —a charming piece of feminin’ty. There is a simpl'city about the story that is decidedly refreshing, and the play is said to include “just such a series of events as might befall any family.”

This year M’ss Maggie Dick nson, the premier danseuse of the J. C. Williamson pantomime, “Dick Whittington,” will have as partner Mr. Sidney Yates, who has already appeared under the J. C. Williamson management. Both will take a prominent part in the ballets and spectacular dance scenas.

Mr. C., the clever enterta’ner, who, with his partner Miss Maud Courtney, is proving a strong draw on the Fuller circuit, doesn’t believe in the raconteur having to wait for a laugh. It is the audience who should do the laughing, he reckons. Mr. C. has been appear ng as a raconteur for over ten years. Previous to this he was on the stage as a double-voiced singer. It was Tony Pastor, doyen of American vaudeville, who first suggested that he should become a monologue entertainer. At this time Mr. C. was appearing at Tony Pastor’s theatre n New York. In the course of his singing Mr. C. used to slip in one or two little stories, and it was through the telling of these that Mr. Pastor came to the conclusion that storytelling was Mr. C.’s true metier. “In pretty well all my stories,” says Mr. C., “I follow the principle of omitting the last sentence. I let the last sentence —that 4 s to say, the joke—suggest itself. Audiences like to be taken into your confidence in this way.”

Somerset Maugham’s delightful comedy, “Mrs. Dot,” will be the* final production of the Marie Tempest-Graham Browne Company at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, where the company is entering on the last nights of the farewell season prior to leaving for New Zealand. “Mrs. Dot” ran hundreds o“ n ghts in London, where both Miss Mar e Tempest and Mr. Graham Browne appeared in the' original production. It is considered one of the wittiest comedies on the Englishspeaking stage.

Miss Tien Hogue, sister of Trooper Blue Gum (L eutenant Oliver Hogue) and daughter of Mr. J. A. Hogue (formerly Minister for Education), has recently made a success of Posy in “Quinneys” at the Playhouse, Sydney. Miss Hogue was understudy for Miss Sara Allgood in “Peg o’ My Heart.”

Messrs. J. and N. Tait have combined with Messrs. Bert Bailey and Julius Grant to produce the pantomime “Aladdin and H's Wonderful Lamp,” at the K ng’s Theatre, Melbourne, this year. No expense or trouble is being spared to make this gorgeous production something unique in the annals of pantomime.

Thus a prominent Sydney critic acclaims Cyr 1 Maude: —Mr. Maude possesses charm and magnetism not unlike those of Joseph Jefferson. As the astute octogenar'an “Grumpy,” who hides a warm heart under a gruff exter.or, and who sets out with undaunted energy, despite his years, to unravel the mystery of a robbery and achieves his purpose, Mr. Maude is at his best. The play is a melodramatic comedy. It has served to estab--1 sh Mr. Maude as one of the greatest character actors ever seen cn the Australian stage.

The numerous playgoing friends in New Zealand of Mr. Richard Stewart will be interested to learn that bis daughter, M'one, has started in the profession, making her first publ c appearance at the Repertory Theatre, Sydney, last month. The Sydney “Morning Heiald” notices her performance as follows: “At the end of her first scene from ‘Rigo.etto,’ after the youthful actress had garnered profuse gifts of flowers, Mr. Walter Bentley (with whom she is in training), referred to the fact that she was the scion of a family so distinguished upon the Australian stage since her grandparents’ days to the present time that the occasion might almost be cons dered historic. (Applause.) ‘I hope their mancle may fall upon this child of the th rd generation,’ continued the actor-manager. ‘She is assisting us in a movement to further the comfort of our hero'c boys at the front, which is a good beginning anyway, and I would ask her to remember three things, Faith, Hope, and Charity, during her future career; Faith towards her managers and the public, Hope as an inspiration to perseverance and hard work, and Charity towards those around her as the greatest of all the graces.’ (Cheers.) Miss Mione Ssewart, who s tall and slender, w th a strong family resemblance to rhe most famous of her predecessors, opened as Nina to the well-known Rigoletto of Mr. Bentley, supported by the Assuuta of Miss Ruby Black. In the central scene she displayed a low, sweet voice that carried well, a clear enunciation, and a vivid suggestion of the gentleness, affection and yearning for the gaiety of a larger 1 fe, wh’ch characterised the too strictly-guarded girl. However, Miss Stewart had much more scope as Helen to the Modus, admirably solemn and dull, of Mr. J. McAnneny. Here her sense of humour and playful archness satisfied old playgoers that ‘there was stuff in her,’ and that experienced training had thoroughly prepared her for a start on the regular stage.”

Miss Ruth Budd, “the sing’ng, swinging Venus,” is crowning all vaudeville acts in New Zealand at present. Prior to appearing in a s’ngle act, she used to perform an act with her brother. The boy, however, had bad luck. After the pair had been in partnership a few years he met with a serious accident during their turn at a theatre in the United States. Result: hip disease, and Ruth had to perform on her own. The accomrd’shed slip of femininity does all the tricks her brother did, and is considered by eminent critics to be the greatest lady trapeze art’st in ihe world.

News has been received that Major Evelyn Beebohm, nephew of the late Sir Herbert Tree, has been killed in action.

Some 564,620 feet o; picture film were examined in New Zealand by the censor (Mr. William Jolliffe) during the month of November, br nging up the total for the eight months since April Ist, 1917, to 3,381,890 feet. Only one picture was turned down in November, but eighteen cuts were made in other 'films.