The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-18
AUSTRALIANS HOME FOLKSY
SA US MRS. FRED MBLO
George Cohans Sister After Three Years of Successes with Brohes
Plays in the Antipodes. Talks Interestingly of Friends
She Made Abroad

From, the New York Times
The sentiment of her famous brother
song in which he announced his return
TO Broadway's stage last spring is Jose
phine Cohan Niblos.
Hello. Broadway
Gee you're good 10 Sc. you look good TO me.
ran the lyrics in best Cohanese. And
she has been away from the lighted lane
, for three years. playing Brother George
successes in the antipodes. And Aus
tralia is more than forty-fve minutes
from Broadway
So there are big times on the Long
Island estate OF the Conan clan these
DAYS. The fatted calf. or whatever they
kill upon the return Of prodigal not
son. has been devoured. Brother-in-law
Fred Niblo has told George NJ. which of
! his lines went best in Melbourne. and
young Mr.. George Conan Niblo. aged II.
has got thoroughly acquainted with his
younger cousins
Mrs Niblo has been resting most OF
the time since her arrival after the ex-
haustng trip from Australia, so she
hasn't done much talking. but the other
day she felt suficiently refreshed to tell
the Times reporter some Of her expert
ences and to make some interesting COM
parsons between the Australian and the
American theater.
After our engagement Of ffty-three
weeks in The Yankee Prince in the
KnickertNcker six years ago." said Mrs.
Niblo, Il was so worn out that / de-
cided I could not dance again. So took
a long rest, and when the opportunity
came to go to Australia and play dra-
matte parts. Mr.. Niblo and I decided TO
take It, I shall always be glad We went.
for our experience there was wonderful.
indeed You may know how We liked it
when we stayed three years and had
gone intending to stay but six months.
The Australians are wonderfully kind.
II they like you there Is nothing they
won't do for you. and even when they
don't like you they are considerate. We
were fortunate in being liked, as every
thing we did met with success. We gave
eight plays, and We always played to
packed houses. The plays were The
Fortune Hunter 'Get-Rich-Quick Wal
linsford.' Excuse Me. Broadway
Jones' Seven Keys TO Baldpate,' The
and Officer 66s.'
Most Of the time was spent between
Melbourne and Sydney. though We toured
some in New Zealand and Tasmania In
those two cities the theatrical season is
not divided as 1t Is here: 1t runs the year
round. and IL your play is successful
you can easily fill out year in the two
cities This has its drawbacks as well
as advantages for one must 60 without
a vacation. and playing seven perform
ances a week without q break for a year
is A bit Of a strain.
LAS I said the Australians are a kindly
PEOPLE and most generous. On an OPEN
ing or a closing night they shower you
with gifts and tokens of their affection.
On our last night in Sydney our trunks
were all packed and we received so many
presents We had to put them in extra
crates. More than GO kilograms were
sent US from friends in all parts Of the
country. and We spent an hour after the
performance shaking hands with those
Of the audience who came on the stage
to bid US bon voyage. The stage was
banked with flowers and covered with
streamers thrown from the gallery by
girls. for in Australia the gallery gods
are girls and not boys. An opening or a
closing night Is always such . gala &C.
casion.
First performances are given satur-
day nights. and the hrst-night audiences
are made up Of the same people. for they
subscribe for their seats the year round.
and II Is almost impossible to buy seats
for openings. II they like you and your
play they come time after time, but II
they don't they ignore you. They DO not
boo like the London audiences; they are
too kind for that. In fact they sven 90
TO the other extreme. and II . play Is
bad, often out Of sympathy for the play
ers. the audience will applau1k warmly
But Monday night the theater will Be al
most deserted. So there 10 no such thing
a. q moderate success IN Australia.
There . play IL either big success or h
10 taken of.
Australian audiences are delightful to
play to. Thsre 10 more sympathy b.
twesn than and the playess thaA = O.