"GLAD TO BE ALIVE"

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 10, 1 September 1939, Page 9

"GLAD TO BE ALIVE"

Gladys Moncrieff Is Interviewed

And Sketched By.

Alison

Robinson

HE charm of the voice that slips an octave higher with magical ease is by no means the only one of Gladys Moncriefi’s possessions. She has her quick, wide smile, her warm brown eyes, and the friendliest manner you could wish for. I asked her if she’d always wanted to be -well, what she is. She thought for a moment, and then laughed. "Oh, no," she said, "once I possessed a toy tub and pegs for my doll’s clothes-and one ambition-to be a ‘ Washer-lady.’"

"You were very young indeed!" "Yes, As soon as I was any age at all I knew exactly and for certain what I wanted to do-there was just nothing but the stage-and to sing. No! I don't like washing now, or sewing (though I help to design all my dresses), or needle-work-but," a note of real pride crept into her voice, "I can cook. I love to cook for my own parties-I always do." "What do you make?" I said, rather sceptical. "Salads?" "Yes, I do. I'm awfully fond of mixing salads-with plenty of garlic! But real cooking too-oyster pie, large-and with a pastry crust-oh, so high, puff pastry, vol-au-vent!" I laughed. She was so charmingly anxious to be believed. She went on: "I like braized squabs, too." " Are they a kind of pigeon?" I asked. "Yes," she hesitated, "I suppose so..." and we both laughed together. "I'm One For Sun-Tan" "Do you mind if I ask you silly questions?" I asked her. "No-why-what sort of silly questions?" "Well, for instance, what are your ideas of make-up?" "Me? Oh, do you mean what do I

hate? I hate puce lipstick and gold naiis and silver ones. I went to a party recently where two girls had black and one white! I hated them!" "And for yourself?" "Oh-I like red ones, or pink, but they must match my lipstick exactly. And I cut them longer, of course, than my finger ends, but keeping the natural shape of the finger. I hate talons. I think the cyclamen make-ups are ever so pretty for blondes, but I’m one for "sun-tan" myself. I like it, and it suits my type. I love the old fashion of white wigs and patches. It must have been lovely. It makes the plainest face look interesting."

"Do you. perm. your hair?" "No, it’s natural, thank goodness. And I don’t wear any of the special ways-I don’t think I could be bothered. It’s-just hair." "A Lovely Thing..." "Do you like pets?" "Oh, yes-I’ve two dogs. Chang is a Pekinese, a lovely burnished red colour-and Chips is a wolf-sable Pom. They were both with me in the accident, you know, but they. had dog’s luck-not a scratch!"

"Have you any ideas about children-sort of theories?" "Children? Well, ’'m awfully fond of them -I’m putting over a children’s programme soon. But theories? Well, yes, I suppose I have. I believe in an ‘un-modern’ education. Children need rules to live by and a solid background of training: ‘They're not really happy without it." "I see what you mean. It’s certainly a point of view." The singer’s face lit up. "Oh, a lovely thing happened to me in Christchurch," she

said. " There’s a Crippled Children’s Club, you know, and two years ago when I came through with the ‘Maid of the Mountains’ and ‘Merry Widow, the children came. There was a*boy in a cot. He wasn’t allowed to be in the aisle in case of fire, so I had him brought on to the stage in the wings and he saw the Show from there. And nowafter all this time-these children remembered all about it. They gave a party for me. Wasn’t it marvellous!’

"It. was splendid-but not really surprising. Do you like being here?" "In New Zealand? Why, of courseOh, very much. And I am having such a lovely rest and am so very much better." Premonitions "Fhe accident. must have been ghastly." "Well, it. was. But, for me, of course, it just happened-I didn’t know anything for so long..." She turned to me, suddenly grave. "Do you believe in premonitions?" she asked. "Well, yes, I think I do," I answered. "TI do. I had a foreboding-for months I had it-that something, something very severe and dreadful, was going to happen. And then there was the accident -the car smash. It must have been that, because the foreboding feeling has quite gone-it has never come back." "Were you awfully run down in health? I mean, before it happened?"

"Yes, oh, terribly. My doctor told me that if it hadn’t happened I would have had a. very serious breakdown." "So Fate had to be brutal to be kind." "Do you mean the accident was meant?" I smiled. "Perhaps not. But it’s queer, isn’t it-you did rest." "Yes. That is queer. And getting better’s queer. I can’t get used to the idea that I’m still alive-but I’m very glad to be!" And she flashed the wide smile that is, as I said, not the least ‘of the possessions of Gladys Moncrieff.