"NICE GOINGS ON"

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22318, 4 February 1938, Page 18

"NICE GOINGS ON"

"Nice Goings On," the second of the musical comedies being presented by the J. C. Williamson Company at the Theatre Royal, begins a short season this evening. If will be presented tonight and ; at the matinee and the evening performances to-morrow. "When I was siifc years old I danced to gramophone music, and when I saw my first pantomime, I decided I would be an actress." This is how Valerie Hay, the charming young leading English lady of the company, summed up the Circumstances that commenced her stage ambitions. Xt,was not until she was 15 years old, however,- that these early ambitions wejr After, leaving school she Btudied stage art, French, elocution, and made a start in the chorus, *ad as understudy, under the watch- ** «ra ol Albert S. Locke, sbe

J. C. Williamson Company at Theatre Royal

producer of "Over She Goes." Later she was associated with George Ge'e in the London production of "The Girl Friend," after his return from Australia, and .played Nanette in the revivals of "No, No, Nanette," and "Hold Everything." Her big chance came when the leading lady in "Five CClock Girl" dropped out owing to illness, and Valerie Hay had to master the role in two days before the opening night. Then came the title role in "Jill, Darling," and the principal feminine part in "Yes. Madam." One of Valerie Hay's outstanding opportunities came when she was engajjed to appear in the Drury Lane production of "Wild Violets," which ran for more than 12 months, and in the London revival of "The Beggar's Opera." .- - In the London production of "Victoria and Her Hussar," Valerie Hay nlayed Mousie opposite Oskar Denes, the effervescent Hungarian comedy istar,