Peter Fraser Aroused Her Theatre Interest

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30936, 17 December 1965, Page 2

Peter Fraser Aroused Her Theatre Interest

(From the London Corretpondent of "The Press.”)

“It was grandfather who made me interested in the theatre. He read plays to me. Every time he went to London he brought me back theatre programmes.”

The speaker was Miss Alice Fraser, an attractive 28-year-old auburn-haired actress who will tour New Zealand next year in Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors” produced by the New Zealand Theatre Centre. Her grandfather was Mr Peter Fraser, the New Zealand Prime Minister,

“He talked to me about Sybil Thorndike and her acting. Through him she is now very friendly with me,” she said. Miss Fraser is the daughter of Mrs Hairini Kemp, who was a prominent member of the Labour Party (Mrs Kemp's father was Mr H. T. Armstrong, a member of the Fraser Cabinet. His widow now lives in Christchurch).

When she went on the stage in London about 10 years ago. Miss Fraser adopted the surname professionally. Mr Peter Fraser was the stepfather of Mr Kemp. Miss Fraser remembers living for a time in “Northland,” then the Prime Minister’s residence. When Mr Fraser became Leader of the Opposition, the family shifted with him to a house in Khandallah.

“I was not very good at school. I went to 12 different schools and ended up at Cathedral School in Wellington near Parliament. And I often used to sit in the gallery and listen to debates until my grandfather drove me home.”

Miss Fraser appeared in several plays as a girl a performance of “Bluebird” (a play which Mr Fraser had seen in London and described to her) and a Wellington Repertory production of “National Velvet." She decided that she wanted more than anything else to go to London and learn to become a professional actress. “Grandfather said that unless I passed school certificate, I couldn't go to England to study. Fortunately, I have a photographic memory, and three months later, at 15, I passed the examination. Then

it was arranged that I could start with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.”

A photographic memory is a remarkable asset for any actor or actress, who has to learn a big part, but Miss Fraser tries not to use hex’s too often. “The line is more important than the page,” she said.

Miss Fraser's years at the academy were not happy. “It was terrible. They used to stand me up in front of the class and ridicule my New Zealand accent. ‘Go on, Alice. Say something anything,’ they would say. And then everybody would laugh at whatever I said. ’Say something. Make us laugh.’ “Of course. I went there much too young. My advice to anyone who wants to be an actor or actress is to have experience in the theatre before they go to drama school. It took me years in repertory over here just to get any confidence back.” Mr Fraser’s death was a blow to her. Her mother had accompanied her to London, and Mr Fraser was “thinking of retiring,” she said. “He would have come over here to live with mother and me.” Then her mother died In London. Her father went to sea as a merchant sailor. He had held a master’s ticket as lieutenant commander during the Second World War, but was a patrolman on the Rangitoto now. “He is like me; we have no ambition. It is very bad really,” she said. Miss Fraser’s experience in England includes 15 months as leading lady in repertory at Worthing, and two seasons at Bournemouth, one co-star-ring with Richard Murdoch. She has toured with “Akin to Death,” co-starring with Derek Bond, and “Twelfth Night,” playing Viola. In the West End she has understudied and played the mother in “The Miracle Worker” at the Royalty Theatre and at Wyndham’s. “I have spent a vast amount of time in theatre, but not enough time on television. That is the way to get ahead today,” she said. Nevertheless. Miss Fraser has had parts in shows like episodes of “Emergency Ward 10” and “The Avengers.” Before flying to New Zealand on January 25 she will play in “Venus Observed” at Bournemouth. “I think I would like to be a singer more than anything —or a ballet dancer,” she said. “In singing or dancing no-one can question you, you are just as good as you stand. But in theatre it is all different; you can become a star just by happening to look right or by having the right manager.”