ASIDES.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 88, 22 November 1912, Page 6

ASIDES.

The "Triad ,, on that grand old actor, George S. Titheradge: "Mr. Titheradge never stales. Roally, you know, this man is a flowered oasis, a blessed angel, a recompense and a consolation or whatever else you will. His English, to start with, is delirious. His vowels soothe as they flow, his consonants are accented with consummate ease and tact. He is the only actor in Australasia who speaks English as if he enjoys it for its own sake. And he acts ; so superbly that, every time you realise ' that he is merely acting, a new thrill lof wonderment and pleasure passes through you. Hero we had Lord Illingworth to the life, oven if possibly at : odd moment's a. trifle idealised. No New Zealand theatre has ever seen a. finer piece of work." * * « : The same critical magazine on Mrs. Brough: ''Mrs. Brongh was the Woman 'of Xo Importance)—or, rather, since it is well to ho honest. Mrs. Brought emphatically Wasn't. How did it ever happen that some of us once thought, that Mrs. Brough could act ' rather well? Probably because she lived and moved in the efflorescence or aura !of a magnificent stage personality, then her husband. Just now her work is ■ without inspiration or any trace of shining merit. Slip is one of those unfortunate actresses who look more than their age on the boards. She hns no subtlety and no genuine emotion. i There, is no word for what she does— ' rhe glawps : and if then l is anything : more tod ions than glawping, she does Mint "too. In the Wilde play she was i completely and absolutely out of the picture." I•«" . . i L In the principal actor's opinion, his j own is generally a case in which the ! ipart is greater than the whole. j * * ■■■ ■ At a recent reception a. young lady | introduced to Signor Marconi mistook | him for Signor Mascagni, and begged him to play his "lovely Intermezzo." "With pleasure," replied Marconi, I "but I shall have to do it on a wireless piano." I * * * j Bletsoe's Crimson Ramblers, who supi ply the first part of the programme at :tho Theatre Royal, Wellington, are all 1 i accomplished artists, and "go big" each : night. They are headed by Albert and 1 Maud Bletsoe, both of vhom are clever 'and versatile entertainers, and, he- • sides, are responsible for the attrae- '■ tive freshness , and up-to-date novelty of the whole portion of the show contributed by them and 'their associates. The i Ramblers should be, right in the boom I during their Dominion tour. . Reviewing "Kismet," the "Triad" ! says: "Mr. Oscar Asche is the finest soundest producer that New Zea- . land has ever known. By dint of sheer • skill in his specialty ho has given the . play just the atmosphere it needs. Mr. ! Knoblauch should prostrate himself at j noontkki and in the- deep night to I praise Allah the Compassionate for sending him such a benefactor. The ; play is good enough in its kind., but J the perfect production lifts it above its kind and gives it a certain precious quality for which the producer is chiefly responsible." j The matrimonial recipe of the chorus girls and musical comedy stars who marry into titled families evidently begins with ''First catch your heir." * * * . Some of the side-shows at the Pal- ! merston show were absolute takedowns, says an exchange. One raucousvoiced showman informed the public that he had on view "a burlesque wild : man, with teeth three inches long—he i won't hurt you! He won't hurt you! I He's in the pit! Now, girls, get busy. he wants a wife!" he megaphoned to the crowd, and they parted up and went in. The alleged wild man was an ordinary individual whose face and handf were liberally smeared with some red coloring matter; horsehair partly covered his face, and two enormous temporary teeth protruded at right and left angles from his mouth. Ho was seated on some straw, which lie involuntarily clutched and released with one hand while in the other he held <i shin bone. He was clothed in a cap. j singlet, trousers and socks. Occasionally he would glance up with a look of amusement, no doubt at the gullibility lof his patrons. Another side- show which did good business with 'a ccrtai" .section, who richly deserved being taken in. was billed as follows: "For rnon only. A three-legged female undressed." The three-legged female was a cat, minus one leg. Steadily growing in public favor. Miss Amy Murphy, who ranlv. as one of the

; J. C. Williamson prinia donnas, is mak- \ ing a position for herself as a. singing '■ actress. Her career has been singu- ! larly bright, the gift of a soprano voice 'of rare quality having made the way i easy for her. "I am gome to stay in comic opera now," says Miss Murphy. "T enjoy it thoroughly. It is most interesting work. Nothing, however, i gives mc more joy than touring New i Zealand. They look upon mc there as •belonging to them, and I like to feel 'that I do. It's good, you know, to I belong sbmewhere." "Miss Murphy 'can rest assured," comments the SydI uey "Sun," "that in belonging to comic 'opera .she belongs to Australian audijences also, and her artistic work will ! always make her appearances at theaI'tres this side of the Tasman Sea wel- ' come ones." Miss Murphy will be hack lin the Dominion shortly with the Now 1 Comic Opera Co., who aro due to com-'menc-i, a tour of New Zealand on Boxi ing Night. ! * * * I Apropos, Miss Murphy, appearing in j the title role of "Dorothy," made her first appearance in tights in Sydney recently. When she played it with the Wellington amateurs she wore a button-ed-up coat and high boots. "It is a : terrible sensation to appear in the ! tight white trousers of the gallant of I the period," (Miss Murphy states. i "When I went on the first night it I was an agony of self-consciousness. I ! have to say to Lydia, 'Now then, 'Lylia, a little more confidence, and a ' dash of bravado.' That is exactly what I wanted myself. As for the Lvdt'a, this was Miss Sybil Arundale, and :she says she has ko often played principal hoy that she feels uncomfort[able on the stage in skirts!"