AN AUSTRALIAN ACTRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 117, 18 May 1892, Page 8

AN AUSTRALIAN ACTRESS.

MYRA KEMBLE CHATS. \

A young ]ady with large eyes, a photographer's smile, and a particularly sumptuous fur-fixed opera cloak—such aro apt. to be one's preconceived notions of iUiss Myra Kemblo, gathered' no doubt from tho photographs'which are securely fastened outside tho various chop windows aboub town, for fear some one should rush away with them. ■ But," of course, she's different. Precouceivod notions always are wrqng.; ; ..■•■.■ Anyway, she didn't look like those photos when a Star man saw her booh after arrival this morning. For one reason, she didn't wear that opora cloak. She couldn't jWery woll ab about lunch time on a day | like" this, and in that place—the grubby, musty interior of a theatre in tho daytime. Bufc she looked particularly smart in what she did wear. It was only a comfortable, practical-looking cloak, with a. coquettish-hat, but oven in^ that unpromising-sounding get-up, Miss Kemble looked,, as we have.said, "smart." The -large eyes we're all there, however, eminently attractive they were, full of Ufa and lau.gli.ter, and with that quick- incisive snap,' indicative of the cheery bright woman of tho world. That photographer's smile wasn'b there. It's a sad sort of smile in the picture, if you notice—that sort of smile - one does produce when one's head is clamped up by:thoae fiendish' head-jacks (boot-jack, why ."not head-jack) with .which the photograph'fiend loves to torture his victim. In real life Mies Kemble's smile is as different as the proverbial chalk from the historical cheese ; a species of geniality it is which sets the interviewing fellow (tiend is played out) at his ease, and makes him feel ■ that after all there is balm in Gilead. And ifa doesn't stop ■at smiling; the pleasantness is not all on the surface. She is quite colonial in her ease of manner, her courtesy, and her ability to talk about herself— which is what the interviewer wants—and about other people, which is rare and strange in the theatrical world, and therefore interesting. ■ As has been said, it in was the theatre, and the theatre is miserable- " behind " in the daytime. ' , . „ •• I can't offer you a chair," said Miss Kemblo, " but I'm very glad to see you. We'll have to sib on the table." We sat~-on.different tables. She did nob look as if she had had a tumblyfication the briny, bufc of course one had to ask the question. • you had a rough passage up, I fear ? .. Calm as a mill-pond ; a beautiful passage. We might just as well have come by the other 6teamer, bub people told us it wafcn'b safe. It was awful weather in Gisborne. The rain'simply poured, and the wind was awful. Jb'interfered with our business,- there, of bourse, bub I can'D complain. , •■■... Why not? We. 11, we have had a splendid season all. up'fr'om Dunedin. The businese has beon good everywhere even in Christchurch in Passion week. . What do you say ?—then I like New Zealand audiences—why' of course 1 do. They aro so much quicker than Australians" and show, the quick appreciation, of humour and fun taat one misses entirely in the other side. " . ' Which piece goes best, do you you ask. Well its really a toss up—" Dr. Bill "or " Jane." The playa. are both very_ funny. "Dr. Bill" excels in comical situation and farcialities but'the dialogue of " Jane "is; just full of smart and witty things. And '« Sunlichtand Shadow ?" ■ Well, ''Sunlight arid Shadow is, as you will have read, a complete change. I purposely put it on between the farcical comedies. Artistic contrast, eh? Exactly. " Sunshine and Shadow is a poem, an idyll full ;of homely pathos, and beautiful lights and shades. The greab critics ab Home—Clement, Scott, and Archer—gave the play unlimited praise. Miss Kemble then chatted volubly about Home actors and actresses. She has a meat admiration for the divine Sara, and tells how the Bernhardt has a fab. Bernhardt —St. Bernard —we mean dog, christened Auckland in honour of th? first place .she saw in the colonies. • Ellen Terry is another of her heroines. Miss Kemble, unlike the curate, does like London. But as a school for .young actors and actresses. Miss Kemble, surely the colonies' is better than Home? Yes- far and away. Ido not believe there is such a comedy company in England No, not even in .London to equal Brough and Boucicault'a Bijou Company in Melbourne. That's tall praise. .. Tfcia indeed, but it is deserved. Look ab Litherige now. Where can you . lad • tbati - »anfl equal ig London, j

As an all round actor — men who can play particular parbs bhere may bo, but as an all round player I think Lithorige is equal if nob superior, to any actor,.afc home. Tho long run 3 are against the' 'Home people, I suppose. That's it—bhe long runs. And then they never get a chance at Shakspere, and. I don't see how a man or woman can pretend to acb till they have 2one through a course of Shakespeare, to make them talk properly. We are breeding and bringing up good actors, then ? ' ' \es, 1 am' sure of it. I don't include myself, you know—-(this modestly)—but I do think that plays are produced here in a manner which, would do credit go the'stage of any English theatre. , •. But ib;was lunch time, and Miss Kemble looked hungry, so: the interviewer had mercy and said good morning. Else bhe talk had been still going on. ,