Cinderella

he trouble developed
during: the last few min-
utes of the final Mel
bourne performance of
"Cinderella" when Trin-
der interpolated an ad
lib sequence.
Trinder recalled several
chorus girls who were
leaving the stage during
the final scene. He lined
them up and marched
them around the stage
in military drill fashion.
The show ended, the
curtain carne down, and
the audience applauded
wildly, expecting curtain
calls.
After two or three
minutes Jim Gerald,
comedian, came through
the curtains and made
a short speech. Gerald
then left the stage, and
several more minutes
elapsed while the audience
called for Trinder.
Trinder finally came
on stage, pale and agi-
tated, and apologised lo
the audience for having
kept them waiting. He
explained that he had
been having a discussion
with Mr. Martin back-
stage.
Trinder then called
through the curtains to
Mr. Martin, who carne
through to the front of
the stage. Mr. Martin
made a short speech,
praising Trinder and ex-
pressing hopes for the
success of the comedian's
New Zealand tour.
"Tell them!"
Trinder, almost in
tears, then turned to Mr.
Martin and shouted:
"Now tell them what
you said in front of
everyone backstage -
that I am a disgrace lo
show business and can
go back to England on
Monday."
Turning to the
audience, Trinder then
announced: "I've been
sacked."
A section of the
audience laughed, taking
the announcement as a
joke, but the whole of the
house soon afterward
i realised that the comedian
was serious.
Trinder briefly fare- »
welled the hushed
audience; then retreated
through the curtains,
leaving Martin, flushed
and embarrassed, alone.,
on the stage. . .*''
The orchestra then
began to play, and Mr.
Martin left the stage as
the shocked audience
began to'drift out of the
theatre.
A crowd waited until
about 12.30 a.m. at the
stage door for Trinder,
but he remained in the
theatre, still wearing
make-up and a dressing
gown, to talk with mem-
bers of the company.
"Sacked"
Interviewed in his
dressing-room about 1
a.m., Trinder said: "I
don't know where I stand.
All I know is that I was
sacked last night.
"My bit of tomfoolery
on the stage was harm-
less, and the customers
loved it. Everyone knows
that ad-libbing is my
stock-in-trade.
"My contract with the
Tivoli was only a verbal
' one, and if Mr. Martin
wants lo put me on a
new contract he can
come and sec me."
Mr. Martin, inter-
viewed a few minutes
later in his office at the
ft ont of the theatre,
said: "Some artists arc
very temperamental. I
believe Tommy was defi-
nitely wrong in what he
did last night. Perhaps
I was a little undiplo-
matic in my handling of
the situalion.
"Tommy has been
drawing £1,250 a week.
Settled
Trinder, told of this
proposal, said: "This is
ridiculous. He can see
me here or at my flat."
Trinder announced
shortly after midday yes-
terday that the dispute
was settled. He said:
"Mr. Martin and I had
a long discussion in my
drchsing-room until about
4 a.m. and cleared up the
whole unpleasant busi-
ness.