MISS ETHEL DANE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2387, 17 February 1915, Page 2

MISS ETHEL DANE

JIN interview. Miss Ethel _ Dane, who has created | the part of Kiki in "Tho Glad Eye" is not altogether a stranger to the Southern Hemisphere since she happens to be an Australian who, like some other of her compatriots, has succecded in winning fame and probably fortune in tha Mecca to which so many artists mako their way ultimately. Miss Dane is also very proud of the fact that she belongs to Australia, although, possibly, after thirteen years' absence, it would seem like making a new friend when visiting it again. "Tho Glad Eye'' had a vory narrow escape of never being played before tho footlights, mid had it not been for the lato Louis Meyer, the famous producer, such would have been its fate, so Miss Dane tells one. It was taken to manager after manager, and refused, but Louis Meyer had such faith in its future that he determined to produce it himself,' and did so finally with phenomenal suocess.

. Associated with the late Mr. Meyer in many productions waß Mr. Arthur Bourchier, _ whose' wife, Miss Violet \ anbrugh, is one of Miss Dane's greatest fnends.

Miss Dane has played with Mre. Kendal, and was greatly grieved when Mrs. Jlendal left the stage for good. As it happened her retirement brought Miss Dan« her opportunity, although in her B' ea », regret at the loss of one who had added such lustre to the stage she barely realised it at the time. Miss Dane also played in the Benson productions, and about six years ago was travelling m Germany, The name of Germany of course had only to be uttered to bring the question: Did you experience any antagonism then?"

It was distinctly noticeable towards the company generally," said Miss Vane. Wnatevor was played, and they were the old coaedies—"David liarrick, ''She Stoops to Conquer,'? and so on—they met with disagreeable criticism. Merely Mary Ann,' however, tfls bermans liked inmionssly, curiously enough, and they wept over it. . They are immensely sentimental, and weep very easily, but I think'it is only on the surface, this emotion. They were good enough to be greatly pleased with my performance as Mary Ann, and all the notices were written without the jeering criticism that was common with them."

"You know," continued Miss Dane, ''I used to play the pathetic parts till I played m 'The Glad Eye,' and I liko comedy incomparably better. If you are feeling depressed, to pla.- a pathetic part where there is sadness and tears and broken hearts is to send one down to the very depths of melancholy in a short time, but if you have to play comedy you insensibly find yourself throwing it off. It is ; certainly easier to play sad parts." The great part which the revue (hardly known as yet in New Zealand) is playing in the theatrical world at Home was touched upon. "It is in the musical productions that it is met with more frequently ._ You get the history of the week in miniature, and it affords endless opportunity for caricaturing prominent politicians, or 1 personages such as Mr. Asqiith, Sir Edward Carson, Mr. Bedmond, and so on, as well as bringing out very clever skits upon current events. I 'think they are most entertaining, and certainly give a bird'seye view or what is going on." "The Glad Eye" Company left England in July, and war, needless to say, had not yot broken out then. The news, when it reached them three days away from Fremantle, fell upon them liko a thunderbolt. Many with whom they had acted in the past were now away playing another role in the great war theatre. Miss Dane lias muny friends among the airmen, and one of them is Mr. Robert Lorraine, a flior.who is exceedingly well-known in Australia. Naturally Miss Dane has met with many interesting people and her life has brought her into contact with many well-known writers and dramatists.