GREENROOM GOSSIP

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1563, 8 April 1920, Page 30

GREENROOM GOSSIP

London “Opinion” is reminded that the revival of “The Mikado” gave a man the opportunity of working off a chestnut the other day. Requiring in a hurry a copy of the “book” of Gilbert’s best-known work, Rutland Barrington dashed into a music shop, and hastily demanded: “Mikado libretto.” “Pardon?” said the assistant, blankly. “Mikado libretto,” snapped Barrington impatiently. “Pardong, senor.” stammered the young man, “me no spika Italiano.”

Mr. George Tallis, of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., received a cable message from London intimating that Miss Muriel Starr had been engaged to create the leading role in the London production of “The Man Who Came Back,” which was recently played by her in this country. The engagement was made at the suggestion of Messrs. J. C. Williamson, Ltd. Miss Starr made her farewell appearance in Melbourne early this month in “The Silent Witness.”

“Norbell” in the “Bulletin”: I think Augustus Neville, now with Allan Wilkie in Maoriland, was virtuous in more plays consecutively than any other Australian mummer. Charles King put up a fresh-off-the-ice bellowdrama every week in Brisbane for four years on end, and, with only one or two slight breaks through illness. Gus Neville was the beauteous hero all the time. It must have been a strain to be aggressively virtuous in 200 consecutive plays. Everything was perpetrated, from “East Lynne” to “Silver King.” In the tremendous list of “Bad Girls,” “Good Girls,” and' shandygaff maidens, the record shows “Message from Mars,” “Trilby-,” “Lady' Godiva,” “Allah’s Orchard,” “Face at the Window,” “Little Lord Fauntleroy,” “Struck Oil,” “Camille,” and “Fun on the Bristol.” For months after the Season '■ closed Neville couldn’t ask you to have one without casting his eyes up to Heaven and mentioning his dear old mother. By way of variety he was King Charles in Nellie Stewart’s picturisation of “Sweet Nell.”

Moon and Morris, who make such a hit in the J. and N. Tait, Bailey and Grant pantomime of “Mother Hubbard” at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, are regarded as the most proficient simultaneous dancers on the stage. For most of their adult life they have been dancing in unison, and they can tell of strange tales of rehearsal before they attained their present brilliancy. It took them several months to produce their big dance to their satisfaction, but their reward came when they tried it out before several vaudeville managers, who competed with one another in booking the turn, one finally securing the two artists for a long contract as an unprecedented salary.

One of the features of “The Better ’Ole.” Bairnsfather’s musical comedy, which is due here shortly, are the interpolated songs and dances, which are introduced in such a manner that they blend naturally into the warp and woof of this most amusing play. Soldiers without singing—at least, British soldiers without singing—are not to be imagined for the future, which was made abounding plain by Mr. Dennis in his “Singing Soldiers,” so it is no infringement of the dramatic verities to find Old Bill, ’Erb and Alf —wonderfully faithful types of the British Tommy—enjoying a song or dance when the occasion offers. The play also introduces the “Fascination Jazz,” which has Miss June Addell (who figures as Victoire) as the chief exponent; and Old Bill makes merry in a lugubrious fashion in the song “She Venus de Milo to Me.” Other songs introduced are “The Fight Where the Best Man Wins,” “Somewhere in France,” “Washing Day,” and “Dreamland.” The New English Comedy Company which is to present “The Better ’Ole” is headed by Mr. Lionel Walsh as Old Bill, and his chief supporters will be Mr. Harry Young as ’Erb and Mr. Hubert Lee as Alf. Other members of the company are Miss Dorothy May, Miss Lena Henry, Miss May Hewlett. Messrs. Arthur Bertram, Edward Kaye, and Ernest Rich. The company’s tour commenced at Invercargill at Easter, and will work northward during the following three or four weeks.

“An English play at last.” This summed up the expression of the viewpoint of the audience at the first-night performance of “Tilly of Bloomsbury” at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne. “Tilly of Bloomsbury” is quite unlike the American type of play to which Australian managers have had to have recourse during the war. There isn’t a “crook,” a telephone, or a bedroom scene throughout the three acts; yet some of the scenes are so funny that the audience laughed themselves tired.

If the popularity of the music is any criterion of success, “Kissing Time” at Her Majesty’s, Melbourne, is one of the biggest hits since “The Merry Widow.” Music '.sellers in Melbourne report that the sale of the scores of this piece is the biggest since Lehar’s opera was staged in Melbourne.