STAR IN A NIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 857, 28 December 1929, Page 22

STAR IN A NIGHT

London Girl’s Success in “The Student Prince" FATHER IN TEARS To as a star has been the ; extraordinary fortune of Stella ! Browne, whose performance in a revival of “The Student Prince” at the Piccadilly Theatre has captivated London. Miss Browne told an interviewer that her parents had not seen her on the stage until the opening night, because she had never been on the stage before. “All my work has been on concert platforms,” she said. “I have appeared at the Queen’s Hall, with Sir Henry Wood, and at a good many Sunday League concerts at the Palladium; ' but I have always longed for stage | work. Father in Tears “When I saw that ‘The Student Prince* was to be revived I wrote asking for an audition. Mr. Laurillard gave me one, and realised that I could sing, but he did not know if I could act. So I was given the part to study for some time, and then, to my great joy, I was told I could play it. “I am told that my father was so excited by my performance that he burst into tears and rushed to the back of the stage to thank Mr. Laurillard for all he has done for me. “It was a marvellous experience, and today has been almost as marvellous. At 5.15 I tried to have my bath; but every time I went to the bathroom the telephone rang, and I had to listen to congratulations instead.

“My great ambition has been realised at last, and I shall remain on the stage.”