Charwoman's Early Morning Remark Goes Over The Air

Radio Record, Volume IX, Issue 15, 18 October 1935, Page 9

Charwoman's Early Morning Remark Goes Over The Air

‘Diana Du Cane, With "Roberta" Company, Relates an Amusing BB. C. Incident

err DIANA DU CANE, in New Zealand with "Roberta," " is not the sort of girl to let the grass:grow under her feet: It’s about six weeks since she landed in Perth from London and, in that time she has played in four ‘ shows-"Roberta, "High Jinks," "Our Miss. Gibbs" and. "Yes Madam" (she has Binnie Hale’s. part ‘in this show), travelled over a great deal of Australia and ‘fer Zealand, and got engaged. It was this last little matter that seemed uppermost in her. mind when the "Radio Record" called on Miss du Cane at’ her: Auckland hotel.. The engagement had only "happended". the day before, the man in question being Ian Maxwell Gibson, "well‘known in the social life of Sydney and a keen. golfer," to quote the "Auckland Star." That’s, about all we know about Mr. Gibson: but we can tell you-a lot more about .Miss. du: Cane.: Firstly, she hails from London, hasn’t been on the stage: very long, has dark hair and a lovely speaking voice and might. be the.twin sister of Jean. Sutherland, a lass well-known in Wellington social circles. She was engaged by J. C. Williamsons to play Binnie Hale’s part in the Australian production of the London Hippodrome:success, "Yes. Madam," but when Elaine Hamill Gis taken out of the cast of "Roberta" to play the lead in "The Shining Hour" in Melbourne, Miss du Cane stepped into her role. , "My stage career’s been musical comedy mostly," she said, "though just before I left England I had been playing i in pantomime-a pantomime with a really notable cast, including Sir Henry Lytton, Dave Burnaby and Stanley Holloway. It was the grandest show and wé-couldn’t pack the people in quickly enough. _ "Oh, my broadcasting work would probably inyour paper. I’ve done a lot of work for the B.B.C.:and frequently broadcast in the Empire transission to Australia and New Zealand. It’s rather a weird sensation, coming down to the studio about four the morning and sending your voice out-over thouof miles of ocean to countries where the people are: just fininshing their day’s work. One morning -] was ‘singing, into the. microphone when a.charwoman camejinto the studio:and: shouted ‘out, ‘Or: right,: :dearie.

I won't be ’arf a mo,’ to ariother charwoman, , This was duly. broadcast to the colonies, and I- believe several letters were. received: remarking‘ on it.?." «70s: ae "What does the average Englishman think‘of.:the B.B.C, programmes ?" es ye tly "Not very-much. After all..radio. is, definitely :en-tertainmient-just like the stage and the'talkies-arid' if broadcasting: isn’t givitig:the public what ‘it, wants, then the public is perfectly right in complaining. My first broadcast was in one ‘of John. ‘Watt’s- programmes, ‘Songs fromthe Shows.’ : This series‘was very:popular | at Home and was eventually ‘recorded. Have you: ever heard any of them out here? — OO "And. talking of England: 1'love.the way everybody here calls it Home. I-think’ Néw' Zealand’s: grand-at least, I’ve'only. seen Avickland ‘yet, but the green trees andthe streets and the people all:make,me think of Eng-. Vande? ee ee Dr pee! _. "Christchurch people-wouldi’t'like to hear yout de- . scribing Auckland as English-looking: ‘ Down there they think Auckland is very: much like Sydney (which, boiled down,.means. ‘too American’) and that. their own city is the-most English place outside-‘of England?" |" __ "Yes, I’m looking ‘forward to seeing. Christchurch: It’s rather like:Cambridge, isn’t it?-and I adore Cam-. bridge. Your people here are much more’English’ than | the Australians": 9! °°: