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Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 69

" I cams to Australia for the first time in J *95." Then she continued hex chat, and the interviewer gleaned a few facts which will be new to at least some. If they point nothing else they show th© courage and ability which have combined to lift "little G.P.," on the presentation of that " first chance," into her present idolised position in the hearts of the people. '9£v saw Grace Palotta in London — desiring to go on the stage — as many have -desired — but without the knowledge of any English. Mr "Williamson wanted a girl , with a foreign accent for a part in that [ pcpiuar thing, "The Gaiety Girl." ''That's . "where little 'G.P. came in," said Grace Palotta. " I fcnew no English — when someone asked me my name I answered 'Yes.' That and 'No' were the only words oF the language that I knew. I had to learn my ■parts by heart, and when I came to Australia in '95 I could- sp^ok very- little. The Australians etill remember me as the girl who sang 'When you can't afford a hansom take a 'bus.' '"I/'.ke the life? I think life oei the stage is simply lovely. If anybody wamfcs to •know what to do to enjoy life to the full I cay, 'Go on the stage, be a success ' "—" — lie re Mie3 Palotta leaned over and repeated ■with delightful emphasis — " be a success — j and tour the world under Hugh J. Ward." "Ah! yes," 6aid the interviewer as there rose a vision of the failures of the stage, "but how many can do that?" - "Look you!" The words came tumblmgly, eagerly rounded, delightfully, wifch that suggestion of accent as Mise Palotta again leaned over. '1 bslieve it is given to a great many to' be successful if they only - knew it. A. whole ,lot of people are quite satisfied to sit down and take life as it conies without making any struggle, any effort. Why, do you know tihat 1 don't believe anybody realises that I am speaking in a tongue that is not my own. Look at the obstacles that were in my way. I knew no rjie end had to learn the lan- ' guage. When I was with Mr George Edwardes I could hardly speak two eentences. j I got' my start with that little French j uart in the 'Gaiety Girl.\ Before -going to ■ London I chad never been on the stage, ] and all my experience since has been be- ' fore English audiences." Miss Palotta oontinued a charming chat, not strictly confined to any definite subject. Her apology for this was as ohaarmimo: as her masuter. "A thousand thoughts come to me. It is in the blood. You know I have French, Hungarian, Italian, and Austrian blood in my veins, and it does not run smoothly, consequently I do not speak deliberately or think an hour before I say one sentence. As I speak to you a thousand thoughts come into my mind, and I must say them 01 else I forest them." Then she rippled on about the wonderful trip through the East, and she told how they had carried 16 plays in their repertoire, and had made records upon records owing to the completeness of the mana- ; gerial arrangements and the ability of the performers. Never once during these pre- ] sentations in different countries has the ' prompter's voice, notwithstanding the ' claims of carrying 16 plays in working ! order in the head, been heard. A* every • place the success has been wonderful — j "marvellous"— says Grace Palotta. Of Cal- jcufcta especially will she tell you, and how the crowd there was the greatest thing that -had ever been in Calcutta in regard to ' theatrical crowds. ] 1 Continuing the chat Miss Palotta describes : the glorious delight experienced in China — ' the land of the mysterious and the charm of age. She likes China better than India— ' India is rather dirty,— -and hero she breaks x>ff into a little description of the burning J burials of Bombay, where on the one hand ] there _is the most fashionable promenade, * and side by side with it on the other are ' these cemeteries. The -Parsee burial < ground, again, is attended to by the vul- 1 tures, while the Mahommedans, she thinks, c decently bury their dead. Coming back from this excursion she , J says, ''Let me see now: where were we?" ■ "Just leaving China," replied the inter- c viowei . I "Oh! I wish we were," was the retort. < China fairly captured her imagination. £ The people, their lives, their manners, their * habits, those lovely rides— what a memory ! ' From Hongkong and Singapore down to * Saigon ! And of Saigon she relates a little i incident which is an unconscious indication ; of one of the secrets of her success. "At Saigon there is a lovely opera house sub- ' ; fiidised by the Government — French — for a I Jarge part of the year. Mr Ward, when he * discovered that the theatre would be avail- 1 -able, promptly arranged to give a play, as r the steamer would be there for a night. The performance was *. consist chiefly of vaudeville dances and songs. The population, of course, being chiefly French, ap- v preciated this greatly. Now comes in n Grace Palotta." "I ~**ed one of the l< = officers of the boat So translate for me * 'Oh ! listen to the band,' and this I learnt v off for the evening performance, and oh ! d weren't the people delighted. You can ' ; imagine the enthusiasm," she said engag- v ingly. "when I started to sing the chorus v in French. And, by the way, I had a little v Indian ayah with me — such a treat she was P — and whan she hoard me begin to sing ' ! this over in French before the performance y she said in her peculiar little English, 'But, ]i Missie, how will the conductor be able to Q play that in French for you?'" ' v But did you learn that song off just a few hours before singing it? "Oh, yes! You see, being on the stage f ; is like a continual school, and you must c become very quick to pick up things. I did "; know a little French before, you know." [ •' Passing on, then, from India the interest- I f, ing conversation continues, and - she de- 1 scribes the journey through Batavia and contiguous places, and comes at last to ■j; T?rooma, in Western Australia. "This was ! • just Jovely. The audience yras a, packed 'j, ono of pearlera, and they gave us a lovely j welcome." Through Australia the trium- j** phal progress is simply current history, |f and need not be touched upon here. • \ Speaking of her personal career Miss P' Palotta says this is the fourth time she has - . visited Australia. The audiences have all b) been uniformly large and enthusiastic, and S I naturally she was glad to be back amongst ** the warm-hearted people with whom she y 1 was such a favourite. dI Conversation drifted at last towards the %* Australian people as containing the elements H going towards the" making of successful w< actors. Our charming visitor's opinion is bi that they have been remarkably successful, di and she explains it by, "They have the Sa temperament ; they are full of iife and go, an have the ability, are brought up in a Ei climate that makes them happy and joyous, ot and so are bound to be successful." I But bearing in m>ud that hax>x>y initial ' en

reference to the vast utility of airships, the -interviewer -expresses his disinclination to further detain the happy actress. Prettily considering, "Now, what slse can I say?" Miss Palotta at last - concluded with a genuine appreciation of Oscar Asche as a very successful Australian actor. He was now in Australia rendering Shakespearean drama, and his success had been very wonderful. "I saw 'The Taming of the Shrew,' " said Grace Palotta. "at a matinee performance, and I enjoyed it immensely." But time is inexorable. A friend is calling at the door, and Juno Joyce, of "The Bachelor's Honeymoon,'" passes atvay, casting behind her from the door one of those brilliant smiles of hers familiar to all who have admired her on the stage in her various happy roles.