GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1452, 21 February 1918, Page 34

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

Miss Vera Pearce, the principal bov of the C. Williamson pantomime “Dick Whittington,” is a great favourite with the children who appear at the big production at Melbourne Her Majesty’s. In many ways they have shown their admiration and affection for her. One day last week Miss Pearce reciprocated by giving the children a party at her charming home.

At Sydney Her Majesty’s “The Bing Boys are Here” continues to break all records. It is the biggest success ever known in the history of the firm. “The Bing Boys” is a series of spectacles eclipsing in gorgeousness anyhing hitherto staged. It comprises eleven kaleidoscopic scenes combining riotous fun, unique situations; and a wealth of catchy, lilting music. In due course “The Bing Boys” will be seen in Melbourne, but that time is a long way off, owing to the Sydney success and the phenomenal run the “Dick Whittington” pantomime is enjoying in Melbourne, which precludes the necessity of any change.

Bland Holt, in his palmiest days seldom produced anything as sensational as “Seven Days’ Leave, the submarine play in which Allan Wilkie made such a big impression in Melbourne and Sydney. The big thrill of the Walter Howard play shows the German U boat beneath the waters waiting for the signal to rise. The heroine gets wind of something, however, and while a British cruiser waits on the surface, the U boat gets a false alarm signal and comes to the top. Subsequently explosions and hurling into eternity of the wicked folk are depicted with realism, and in a manner that gives the lover of the spectacular all the thrill he desires.

Miss Ada Reeve, at present playing the name part in “Winnie Brook, Widow,” at the Tivoli, tells a story against the American tourist in England. A party of American tourists were being shown Shakespeare s house at Stratford-on-Avon, when an earnest-looking business man turned to the guide and said: “Say, was this really Shakespeare’s house?” “Yes, sir,” replied the guide; “records say he was born in that little room over there.” Whereupon the American turned to a fellow-tourist, and said: “What d’you know about that? I always thought he was born in a manger.”

Captain George D. Treloar, who has just been decorated by the King with the Distinguished Service Order, and awarded the Military Cross, was the original Jim Carey in “On Our Selection.” He joined the Bert Bailey Co. at its inception, but left Mr. Bailey to go to England with Oscar Asche’s company, from which company he enlisted at the outbreak of the war.

Anyone who is afraid of getting fat should play the dame in pantomime for a few nights, declares Arthur Stigant, who is appearing in that role in “Dick Whittington” at Her Majesty’s, Melbourne. The clothes, says Mr. Stigant, are fearfully hot owing to the amount of padding they contain, and are the next best thing to a Turkish bath.

“The “Vogue” ballet is one of the sensations of the “Dick Whittington” pantomime at Her Majesty’s Mel-

bourne. Associated with Miss Maggie Dickinson and Mr. Sidney Yates are, the best dancers of the famous J. C. Williamson ballet. The dressing, too, is startlingly unique, each of the dancers representing a figure from the covers of the famous fashion magazine.