THEIR “HOLIDAY”

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 22, 18 April 1927, Page 11

THEIR “HOLIDAY”

ELSIE PRINCE EXCITED JIMMY GODDEN AND THE THEATRE There are two people in Auckland who are not wasting any time. They are Miss Elsie Prince and Mr. Jimmy Godden, of the “No. No, Nanette" company. •Races!” they both exclaimed with raised eyebrows. “We can't go, much as we would like to.” So the*-e they both were, in His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday morning, preparing for this afternoon's performance, after travelling from Wellington all last night. from Miss Prince’s dressing-room. She looked up from under a cloud of dainty clothes, with a spotted gollywog in one hand and a. bundle of filmy things, which might or might not have been evering frocks, in tin* other. RELATIVES TO MEET “I’m all excited," she remarked. “I’m to meet a great-aunt and some second cousins I’ve never seen. Yes, they are here in Auckland. It’s such a thril. I’ve had the sweetest letters from them.” CThe spoted golly wog, a mascot by the way, was safely perched on the window-sill and Miss Prince emerged from among the clothes she was unpacking. “I’ve always wanted to travel, and now I’m travelling with a vengeance.” she remarked. “I don’t think I'll ever bo able to settle down again.” ‘Miss Prince is London-bred and is the youngest principal boy to have played in a pantomime. At the age of 17 she was Aladdin and Phyllis Dare was her princess. Before she left for her engagements in Australia and New Zealand Miss Prince was playing in “Brighter London” at the London Hippodrome. When she knew that she had been engaged for a tour in the Southern Hemisphere, she dashed round to watch several performances of "No, No, Nanette,” and so make herself acquainted with it before she played the lead herself. ENTER MR. GODDEN Air. Godden looks like a comedian. He has a nice cheery face, which rather belies the fact that he is •» serious student of the drama. He did not go on the legitimate stage until he was 32 years of age. Befor? that he was a civil servant, hating pens and officialdom with all his heart. “The stage to-day is killed by commerce,” he said this morning. “For the most part it is run by people who know nothing about it; they com*; along, put several thousands into a show and expect to get several f ’ sands out of it. “And another thing—there is a lack • of good authors. Wimperis and Arthur Lonsdale aro our two best men at present, I think. Noel Coward is the successor to Oscar Wilde —his work has the same smartness which seems to convey the spirit of the age.” Unlike most comedians Mr. Godden does not want to play drama. But he would like to play Jack Point in the “Yeomen of the Guard.” It is one of the finest parts any actor could wish to play, he says. KEEN ON CHICKENS Mr. Godden is also a Londoner. For the 14 years before he came out to this side he lived within easy range ot Piccadilly. Some of the musical comedies in which he has figured prominently are “The Alerry Widow.’ “The Cousin From Nowhere,” “The Shop Girl,” and “Who’s Hooper.” During the war he played in “Honi Soit” at the Pavilion with Alice Delysia. Apart from the stage Mr. Godden has many interests. At the moment he is wondering what dividend a Sydney chicken-farm in which he is interested will pay, and when he has a day m himself he makes for the nearest tennis court. Curiously enough, Aliss Prince is also fond of tennis. She has a young tennis library which she carries with her. On the journey from Wellington, which by the way she and her mothersaid was not at all comfortable, she whiled away the noisy watches of the by mentally practising the strokes outlined in a new book on the game.