MISS MARIE NEY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 48, 20 November 1928, Page 15

MISS MARIE NEY

SUCCESS OF WELLINGTON ACTRESS Whenever a New Zealander happens to make some sort of success in artistic circles abroad, someone or other invariably dubs him or her “Australian.” It was so in the cases of Miss Roslna Buckman, Madame Frances Alda, Mr. Shayle Gardner, and now Miss Marie Ney. The latest delinquent is the wellknown critic of the London “Referee” (“Carados”), who said of Miss Ney’s Kate Handcastle in “She Stoops to Conquer” at the Hammersmith Lyric: “I have seen all our stars play this difficult part from early youth, but this beautiful young Australian Is the best and brightest Kate of them all.” Miss Ney in private life is Miss Fix, who was bom and grew up In Wellington. As a little girl she competed at the earliest Competitions as an elocutionist, and in due course played a character In “Paul Jones” who sings "He Looked at my Sabots” in the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society. After her amateur days Miss Ney joined the Allan Wilkie Company, and with that actor made a conspicuous success of the laughing wench Maria in “Twelfth Night.” After an apprenticeship in Shakespeare—a fine school for young players—Miss Ney had the good fortune to be engaged by Marie Tempest, and came to New Zealand on the second tour of that delightfully subtle actress. Then London called and Miss Ney undertook the great adventure. She became one of the commonwealth of earnest players at the “Old Vic." some four years ago, doing good work In a wide variety of parts. Last year she played (almost unnoticed) through the ten months’ run of “The Constant Nymph,” and then went to Cairo to play Shakespearian roles during the season. Miss Ney Is one of the very few who have never lost their enthusiasm for the stage, and who by dint of study and native intelligence have gone on improving themselves —without ever being satisfied.