Greenroom Gossip

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1559, 11 March 1920, Page 32

Greenroom Gossip

STAGE REFORM. AN OUTSPOKEN BISHOP. The Bishop of London presided at a ■conference at St. Martin’s Vestry, London, of representatives of theatrical managers, actors, authors, and critics. The conference was called through the London Council • for the Promotion of Public Morality to consider the question of licensing all employers of stage labour. The Bishop said the Public Morality Council was not in the slightest degree opposed to theatres and musichalls. “But what we will not have is filth,” said the Bishop. “We are not going to have people going to the theatres to hear things which degrade them. The people of London intend to be masters of their own household, and they intend to proceed until they stop this sort of thing. We fully believe the great majority of managers, authors, and actor-managers are also anxious to stop it, and it is not the wish of the great acting profession to have such things performed in London.”

Mr. Sydney Valentine, president of the Actors’ Association moved a resolution that it should be made compulsory for all lessees and managers of theatres, music halls, and all other places of public entertainment, and all employers of actors, actresses, and other artists to be licensed by a duly constituted authority, and that such licenses should be reviewed annually. He said that the tendency of the theatres lately had been downward. Since the war they, had had many cases of revue companies run by men of a very low class, who engaged any type of girl, and took them to the small provincial towns. When business was good they paid the girls a mere pittance, and when it was -bad they paid them nothing at all, and the girls were constantly left stranded in all parts of the country. The Actors’ Association had now no weapon with which to fight such men, and the license would undoubtedly be the first direct weapon they could have. It was obviously bad for the profession and for the public if they had disreputable people giving disreputable' shows. The resolution was carried.

Mdlle. Gaby Deslys left her dancing partner, Harry Pilcher, an annuity of 18,000 francs.

The “Cinderella” pantomime at the Grand Opera House, Sydney is notable for at least one sensational speciality, that of the Three Fishers of the Human Crocodiles. This act was specially engaged in America by Ben J. Fuller, who saw in them a correct possibility for introduction into the spectacular show. The Fishers wear real alligator skins of tremendous weight; the tails of each are so massive that they have to be electrically controlled. Two of the Fishers are of amazing physique, and the third is a lady of no less amazing figure.

The Reynolds-Denniston Players were appearing with great success at the Lyceum Theatre, Shanghai, when the mail left on January 10. The company includes, amongst others, Valentine Sydney, Shirley Huxley, David Belbridge, Pressy Preston, and Reginald Wykeham, all known to Australians. Mr. Denniston himself appears in some of the plays. The repertoire embraces such New York successes as “Up in Mabel’s Room,” “Friendly Enemies,” “Civilian Clothes,” “Our Wives,” “Nightie Night,” and “The Woman in Room 13.” After China the company proceed to Japan, Eastern Russia, Singapore, the Malay States, and India.

The largest indoor motion-picture stage in the United States is practically completed at the Goldwyn Studios at Culver City, California. This huge building contains thirty-three thousand square feet in clearance from floor to cross-beams. This will accommodate the tallest setting that could possibly be desired. Overhead trolley lighting systems are being installed, so that lights can be elevated and rolled directly over the setting using them, and in addition, they can be adjusted as to angle and height. This is one of the finest systems in the industry, and is installed at a cost of over twenty thousand dollars, in addition to the original cost of the mammoth stage, which is over twenty-five thousand dollars.

Over a week of the new year has elapsed and no picture of the Caruso baby has appeared in the New York dailies. Is the American journalistic system breaking down? —‘New York “Musicial Courier” of January 8.

Count Filippini, the Italian baritone, who visited New Zealand with the Gonsalez Opera Co., and is now resident in Sydney, states that a limited liability company with a capital of £lO,OOO, has been formed for the purpose of establishing an opera company, to be known as the Australian National Opera. He says that his agents in Italy have been instructed to engage eight principals, consisting of a light and a dramatic soprano, two contraltos, two mezzo-sopranos, one tenor, and a bass. Two conductors are also to be engaged. He is expecting a cable at an early date announcing the names of the artists. Signor Balboni, the dramatic tenor, and Signor Cacialli, the bass, have, Count Filippini states, 'signed contracts with the company. The chorus of Australian singers has already been formed, and is now actively rehearsing “Aida,” with which the season will open in Sydney in July. All the operas will be sung in Italian. Among operas new to Australia, which are included in a repertoire of 25 works, are “Mephistophele” (Boita), “Vally” and “Lorlie” (Catalina), and “Isobel” and “Iris” (Mascagni). Count Filippini adds that theatres have already been engaged in each city in Australia, except Sydney, and that the company will also tour the East.