ACTRESES' PLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 24 October 1933, Page 8

ACTRESES' PLIGHT

FORCED TO SLEEP ON BEACHES

NO LODGING AVAILABLE

LONDON, October 14

Girl members of touring theatrical companies on the -South coa-st of -England, were lately being forced to sleep on beaches because they could not Pi...d hotel accommodation owing to record nn-mberg of visitors. When they were able to find lodg ng 3 it sometimes mead sharing a room with two -car three strangers.

A. girl who had been touring with a popular play .stated that her story was typical of hundreds of o,hers. She said: “The trouble .is that even when there i s a coom to spare the landlady will not let it for two or -three days, and t'ke the risk of losing a two weeks’ let. Also they know -that- even if we could afford it we know too much about digs’ .to pry farcy prices,-and they find it more profitable to lake holidaymakers.

“At one resort 'three of -us ispent more than six hours walking f-.r/.n ..-do -r to door. There were whole .streets .with ‘Booms to fet’ signs in the 'windows. Tinevery case it.. was. the came story. ..4,3 scon ?.s They heard we were from the theatre we were told to try M-rs So-and so lowe? down. “In the end wc gave it up and slept on the beach. ‘‘At another place ,I was told I could -share a room with three other girls. In another town I had to share a room with a woman and her young baby, and although I w-as dead tired , after a .matinee and evening performances, I had.to act as nu-vge most of the night. Another actress stated that quite often they were 'forced to -pay 10s for a n’ght’s lodging. A chorus girl or small- part actress usually 'gets a week, air.d when an agent’s commission and the cost of grease-paint, otc., is deducted she ig left with little, more than £2 lOg to 1 pst the week.