“Let Me Act”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 200, 12 November 1927, Page 22 (Supplement)

“Let Me Act”

Kiore King Tells of Her Stage Life NEW ZEALAND GIRL WHO IS WINNING SUCCESS Some folk think that, given a little talent, a girl has only to go on the stage to be a success. So few realise the enormous amount of technique to be learnt before success shines like a light at the end of the tunnel. Well, hear Kiore King’s views on the subject, says a writer in a Sydney exchange. She believes, as most of those with inside knowledge do, that training—intensive training—is just as essential for the stage as for any other art. “When my schooldays were over in New Zealand—l’m from ITawkv’s Bay, near Hastings—l went straight to London to the Academy of Dramatic Art, and put in five terms there. “In the old days you had stock companies to learn your work in. Today this school takes their place. Tne fees are 15 guineas a quarter—one pa vs that for learning algebra and Euclid and languages as a schoolgirl, so it doesn't seem exorbitant to me. “Every girl is given a chance to act in the 15 or so plays produced during the year. She may only have the lead—if she is clever—for one act, and be a maid in the next, hut she has the chance to be seen ov the big London managers, and many of them come to the rehearsals, and people like Pinero and Barrie come to help direct their own plays and give points to the students. And you have to pass an examination before you are accepted as an entrant. Fifteen were weeded out the time I went up for mine. “We got the chance of walking on in London theatres to get our poise and I first set foot on the real stage at the New Theatre with a French company. “From the Academy 1 went on tour through England with three Greek plays under Gilbert Murray’s management, and then joined Sir Frank Benson for small parts. 1 had the joy ol playing with him at the Stratford-on-Avjon festivals.” And then home called Kiore King. She joined and stayed with Allar Wilkie for two and a-half years. “I played 25 parts in 22 Shakespearean plays with him. Some ol them at three days’ notice. We rehearsed in the morning—every morning—studied in the afternoon anc played at night.” ! She played Juliet’s nurse. Marin j Jessica, Dame Quickly. Ariel, Prince ! Arthur. Goneril. Phoebe and Puck i She was later with Muriel Starr ir ‘ "Secrets,” and joined Moscovitclib j company a year ago to understudy anc I play character parts in his repertory 1 Her “Mrs. Hackett” in “The Ringer’ | is a fine character study, but Kiore ; King has always shown she can pla\ ' anvthing with a spice of ginger in it j jbli she asks of life is; “Let me act.’

"The Broke-n Wing.” played in New j ! Zealand some time ago by Thurston i Hall, is being played in Sydney. Peter I Hawthorne. Zillah Bateman, Ronald] Ward, B. X. Lewin and Raymond Ellis j are in the cast. Robert Purdie, here with Alan Wil- 1 kio’s iirst Shakespearean Company, is Frank Neil’ 1 ' i ii “The Gorilla” at the Opera House, Svdney. He is only just well after a sevt-re* illness. His part of the doctor is small, but a very well-played one. The big part of Katliie in "The St dent Prince” is to be played in Melbourne by Beppie de Vries, the fascinating Dutch actress, who made a memorable hit in “Madame Pompadour.” James Liddy will remain on as Prinz Karl Franz. ! James Hay, the producer of “Ruddi- | gore.” who also plays the leading tenor j part of Richard Dauntless, explains the reasons for its withdrawal after such a successful opening. At the time the opera had its premiere in London the relations between England and France were not as they are today. Therefore, the good-natured and humorous burlesque of the British conceit contained in the sailor hero’s song aroused such a storm of indignation among the more warlike French spirits of the time that not

only were the French newspapers filled with denunciation of what was termed 'British bombast,” but a number of French officers actually sent challenges to Gilbert, inviting him to fight duels with them. On the other hand, a number of British hot-heads interpreted and resented the song as a gross reflection on the British Navy. Fortunately a better sense of humour exists to-day in both countries.

“Rain,” that remarkable play of the tropics and the sex complex, seems to 1)0 doing well in Sydney. Margaret Lawrence played the part of Sadie Thompson in a wonderful way, says an Australian paper. She made of the part a living symbolism. Something that we all know of, and can appreciate. Louis Bennison worthily upheld his part in the play as the missionary. Wallace Clark was the trader and Barry Livesy the sailor. Diana Wilson, here with Lawrence Grossmitli, is playing in “Up With The Lark” at the Adelphi Theatre, London.