Actresses Here From Original “Doll” Cast

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28938, 4 July 1959, Page 2

Actresses Here From Original “Doll” Cast

WJugK Ethel Gabriel ac-repsed •J&t part srf Efsjuta in 'S’ijsj&w if «fee Serertee®tfc Ec~" c&4--etjser is tsn tis*®rieal worfd told ser sot to eherji. ary fcigh for toe pre«ar.L-.<. -jr.iy a® Aisstrauaa jiajr.” *lt w.,2 Best hrt nacre toazs a week,” sad "Yea are net playr.g a eery nice ;art." were a-rr.e ot tie tfcjewagtog tzts-ssxaia tr.endx ecad*. That was three years tni a aa.l Jg'. wre- toe play in Meliam. It aaa been Trussing eves r.r.ce to ®ssase part of tin wwrto ar.d Etfcei Gabriel fta® ptoyed »tsre than Ufiti perianrjuxei is Aartralia, Arseriea and England She was a'sss eart is the same role fsr the fitos verrioo whkft wae rtr.-.t to Sydney with achsrt and aetresMa ftwu Engtood and America. But »'e .a not yet tired of toe roie. she raid yesterday when interviewed or. her arri’/ai 'am Chmtea’sreh.. “I have played many rqles but I do feel this is ®ty best.” toe .said. Her part sf Errata wa» that of “a nasty oLd woman”; tot toe humaisneu and tmderiyL-.g wtodora of toe etoracter appealed to her. Speaking of the difSeulty ot Etong yst pAT> tstr a long period and susWntog interest. Miss Gabriel said that the qa-estion had eefflie up for to a panel st toeatmal people during a tour to? was on. The answer given to “Car. a person sustain' a part for two years or more?” had bee® "Nu” "I smiled to myself! because at that time I had just finitoed playtog to ‘Arser.x and Old Lace' for two years and a half; and

now with three years and a half as Emma I believe even .more that an actor can sustain interest to < long run,” she said.

This is Miss Gabriel’s second tour of New Zealand to a play company. She took the part of; Aunt Abby in "Arsenic and Old) Lace” and Louisa in “Ladies to I Retirement” which played to. New Zealand 14 years ago The making of toe film version, of “The Doll.” as it is affection-1 ately called by its cast, was a great experience, Miss Gabriel; said She had previously acted ini Australian-made films but the efficiency and vitality which went into the production and shooting of this latest film was an eyeopener to her. Angela Lansbury, Anne Baxter. Ernest Borgntoe and John Mills went to Australia to appear in the film which took only six weeks to complete. Asked how actors from other

ewjEtrtes .dealt wtth the Austn»Isaa aereset wh_tfe is a feature of th? play's ct'tourful esaraetess. Gat .-.el saxi that, her *am A*y- Gabrtel '■ wh-t is also to toe ’east to Chrfjtoftttrrh's was appomted diator'j® dfceetor. “"They have fancy CatoboyaEt names ftw cv? * -,.•£ tort wfeat st am r ..»mt«! to w» toot Sen would correct toeto way of ntorpretrttg ©ertaoa lines.” she said.” For instanee, toe Asaertoan- aetor would ray 'Vep ■J.-ton MDl* would say to a -teFCed fc-lito torx. ar.d Bw wwuW eoarit ’hem to say 'Teat' ■us toe Aus&altor. drawl* She w» looking forward to beutg present at toe prerr.:ere of toe torn to oe fteM to Canberra sn A-jgust. Ftlrr work was very esactor.g tort verv rewarding too. Miss Ga oriel said ! and toe would wricomo further exper?ei!ce in this Reid. She ha» already received word .rent a Hollywood agent that fitor wrt i would probably fee offered her after the appearance ot th* 61®. One of th* ®crt oecasfam with toe play had been ■the opening night to the West End of London when she me! ■ for toe first time rsotable acton who had been legendary figures Ito her tor yean. Affiong these were Douglas Fafrfc-er.ks _ Jun. i David Xiven. Sir Jor-n Gielgud. ! Sir Laurence Olivier, and the olaywrieht Terer'e Rattigan The outstardtog qualities she had ob- ' served common to those who had rearfi-ed the top of their profession was complete r.aturaln**? of conduct and unassuming mar.- : . sen. “Qaeen Cried" Another thrilling oceasi'yn had been a performance attended by ’.he Queen. "We were net told ol , the Roval presence until the performance wa under wav* Miss Gabriel said, but the cart were i delighted to hear that toe Queen laughed and cried and claoped : In Australia one of the most i unusual performanea given had ■ been inside the rocket range area at Woomera. The players had [had to transfer themselves and ' all their goods and properties ; from their own transport into specialiy provided tracks, since ithi* was the only way they were permitted to pars into the restricted area Miss Gabriel's way of relaxing | while on v>ur is always to ha-.’e -a bit of knitting on hand Pok • mg from her carry-all was some oeach coloured wool which shis making into a bed jacket A /art knitter, she has knitted several garments yr.ee her New Zeai land season opened and one ' member of the company proudly showed a woollen scarf Miss Gabriel had woven for him. I Another member of the cart who is appearing as Pearl, the part in which she opened in tbs original production in Melbourne is Miss Roma Johnston from that I city. This was her first visit to jN’ew Zealand. Miss Johnston said jvesterday Her parts in Australia were chiefly dialect roles, shf said. She has done extensive , radio work and is now doing ; i great deal of television acting "This is a field wbich is comini on fart in Australia.” Miss John jston said. She believed that alxiui i3O per cent of homes in th< ■ larger cities now owned tele- : vision sets and the calibre of proj gramme was improving all th< 1 time.