JUVENILE LEAD

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 136, 5 March 1938, Page 13

JUVENILE LEAD

Now Director Of “Victoria Regina” ENGLISH JACKIE COOGAN Mr. Peter Dearing, the stage director of "Victoria Regina,” which will begin its Wellington season at . the Grand Opera House this evening, is a very remarkable young man. He was a success in English pictures when he was six years of age. He played in many pictures at the Elstree studios under the name of Peter Dear, actually his own name, and became known as tlie “English Jackie Coogan.” Among the pictures he appeared in were “The Wandering Jew” with Matheson Lang, ’•The Royal Oak” with Henry Ainley, and “The Woman Who Obeyed.” When he was eight years of age and still in pictures, lie first met Miss Fay Compton iii a revue presented in aid charitable object, in which Miss Comp ton figured as Venus, Mr. Ivor Novella was Paris, and Peter Dearing as Cupid. “I don't remember much about the affair now,” he said yesterday, “but Miss Compton assures me that I "‘is most condescending to her and the other assisting artists. That was at the Hammersmith Palais de Dance, at a time when every suburb and town had its ‘Palais.’ “As I was then getting on in years I decided that I could not very well go through the world with such a name as Peter Dear, so I took the liberty of adding i-n-g, so I am now Petei Dearing to everyone. I must have been precocious, for at 12 I joined Ben Greet’s Shakespearean company, and remained in that fine school for young actors for 10 years, working up through the Prince Arthurs and Donalbains to parts of more importance. That was a very fine training ground in Shakespeare, none finer imaginable. It served me well, for, when I was 16 I went to America with Ben Greet as juvenile lead, and played 10 plays in about 800 towns. On my return to London in 1932, I had the temerity to manage a season on my own at the Kingsway Theatre, when I played Romeo in ‘Romeo and Juliet,,’ Orlando in As You Like It,’ and Horatio in 'Hamlet. It was somewhat of a record, as I did eight plays within the week. True, I did not make much money, but I certainly gained a lot in experience. After that I put in a summer season at Seaford, between Brighton and Eastbourne, where I managed to lose all the money I had saved on the American tour —more experience. “After that I was connected with a company playing Shakespeare at Regents Park; I was there for two seasons. Then, in 1935, I was eoncei lied with a French revue in Chicago. We rehearsed in Paris, then went over and played our dates, and finished up playing five shows a day in picturehouses. , . “On my return to England in 1936, I became stage director, under Basil Daen of that wonderfully successful play, ’‘Call it a Day,’ which ran for 510 performances in London, with Miss Compton in the lead. During that run I produced 22 other outside shows, for repertory and provincial companies, and enjoyed myself immensely.’’ . Mr. Dearing said he was sure everyone would like “Victoria Regina” and Miss Compton as Victoria. It was a play which had achieved extraordinary success, both in England and in Aine rica. Under his direction the play was presented in two acts and, 10 scenes, thus eliminating some tedious waits between some of the episodes. “Originally, you know, there were 40 of these, and the play has been constructed from some of the best of them,” said Mr. Dearing.