GREENROOM GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1578, 22 July 1920, Page 3

GREENROOM GOSSIP.

A THEATRICAL GALA. The Prince of Wales was the guest of the Commonwealth and State Governments at a gala performance at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney, on June 22. The theatre was a scene of unexampled brilliance. The decorations were composed of delicate verdure, interspersed with artificial roses, the flower of our Mother Land, in softest shades of pink and yellow. The hall was draped in palest blue and white, the colours of New South Wales, and sprays of wattle, filmy light, were mingled in delicate harmony amongst the wreathing ferns. Within the theatre, from stalls to the heights of the dome, were myriads of roses. There were roses twining round every post and covering all the balconies. Golden baskets, such as figure in the designs of the period of Louis XV;, were hung at intervals along the balconies, and between them heavy wreaths depended with many coloured lights. It was a fairy palace of jewelled lamps, a dream come true of delicate beauty. Above the proscenium hung the Prince’s arms, supported by the Union Jack and the flag of the Commonwealth. The opening scenes of the entertainment consisted of the tableau, “A Pageant of Empire,” in which the part of “The Spirit of Empire” was taken by Miss Florence Young. Africa was represented by an Eastern scene of great magnificence, where Miss Violet Yorke kept court as Cleopatra, attended by her harpist (Miss Goldstone) and the singer (Mr. Browning Mummery), “Isis is Dead, Osiris is Past,” the song lamented, to the music of Mr. Andrew MacCunn. The dead past gave way to the living land of Canada, “Our Lady of the Snows,” all frosty white and glittering, who, in the person of Miss Gladys Moncrieff, offered the Prince her people’s “love that is warm as flame.” A group of girls in a sleigh gave local colour to the scene. As India, Miss Maude Fane appeared amidst a company of dancers, slaves and incense bearers. She sang of India as “a jewel that a Prince might crave,” her beautiful voice ringing clear and true in the swinging, waltz-like melody. The ever-popular Miss Nellie Stewart, in the part of New Zealand, won all hearts with her well-known charm, speaking of the country she represented as “the sweeter heritage.” The last tableau of the pageant represented Australia, in the person of Miss Gladys Cole — Australia “garlanded with flowers.” The stage was filled with figures emblematic of the States, and flags and flowers in brilliant array. A row of seven girls, draped in the flags of the Commonwealth, stood at the back. At a signal their gay mantles were thrown aside, displaying the word “Welcome” to the Prince. On them the curtain fell, to rise again on the first scene of “Kissing Time.”