BUSY TOURING CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 152, 24 March 1944, Page 3

BUSY TOURING CAMPS

Joan And Betty Rayner In Britain

Well known as the "Travelling troubadours” jn Australia, New Zealand and the ■ United States. Joan and Betty Rayner, formerly of Sydney, are at present, and have been for some tune, working with E.N.S.A. (Entertainments Rational Service Association), in Britain, playing to men and women of the Services. After a number of successful seasons in America, the Hayuer sisters returned to Sydney in 19-10 for four months, and then -went back to fulfil contracts for the winter season in the United States, lhey planned to return to Australia within two years. , . , However, the war upset their plaus. and instead they volunteered to go to England for the duration of the war. to entertain the services. The British Government brought them to England, where, after some weeks of mixed experiences with variety companies, they were given a car of their own and a special routeing. so that they could go to places where their particular type of entertainment, folk legends, songs and dances would be most appreciated. , Audiences who enjoyed the Rayners quiet but gay troubadour programmes would be amused to hear of their first appearance, at an enormous garrison theatre, where they were billed’ as "First performance of Joan and Betty Rayner, straight from America, in a high-speed variety act.”’Onc bright hid scrawled at the bottom of the. poster, “These dames ought to be good." • • • Nowadays, however, they write ot themselves as "motoring merrily from show to show,,playing one day to the Dutch R.A.F.. rfnothcr to a lonely coastal battery, again to a W.A.A.Fecamp or a convalescent home, mid so on.' Joan and Betty’s sister, Molly Rayner, who has been on the London stage for a number of years. is also with E.N.S.A.. at present with a company in Cairo. Her actor husband, Jobu Warwick. is in the ILA.F. in Burma, and in his spare lime produces plays for the troops.