Marie Tempest and Her Understudies

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 218, 3 December 1927, Page 22 (Supplement)

Marie Tempest and Her Understudies

Marie Tempest—nearly every playgoer in New Zealand knows of hei made a unique forivard movement in theatrical enter--1 prise in London a few weeks ago, , when she gave all the understudies of her play , “The

Spot on the Sun ” a mat inee all to themselves. She adver Used and fea tured it, and gathered fot them all the limelight pos sible. And though thi actors wen

naturally nervous, there icert several new “discoveries” mad< among the younger member .* and when the play got into it stride even that fastidious critic J. T. Grein. agreed that it was c performance worthy of the even ing “bill.” Some of the “finds” were Joa' Henley, Harley Mercia, Aubre Dexter and Lilian Cavanagl The latter played Marie Tern pest 1 s part , while Joan Henlc was described by one of the aucl ence as “all the charm of English girlhood in one volume” In London allotting under • studies is an art. They arc called “walking understudies which means that they never have any other part in the piece