TRAVELLERS RETURN

Evening Star, Issue 22817, 27 November 1937, Page 28

TRAVELLERS RETURN

' Miss Joy Barnett, who arrived hack on Wednesday from a trip to England with, her parents, has returned full of the thrills that a first visit overseas always firings, especially when the traveller is full of the joy of youth and takes to everything a fresh viewpoint. London with its teeming population and overwhelming size did not appeal to Miss Barnett, as did the lovely English countryside, and through the lanes and byways she motored close on 10,000 miles, revelling in the quaint old English inns and lesser-known villages. It was spring when the party arrived, and they tasted the joys of Erigland in fioth that and the summer seasons, and as they left autumn was just poking her nose round the corner and the first lovely autumn tints were appearing. In London the theatres were a great joy, and judging from the folder full of programmes and critiques which she showed me Miss Barnett has used every minute well. Visits to ‘ The Crest of the Wave ’ and ‘ Careless Rapture,’ Ivo Novello’s plays, with the playwright as fioth producer and actor, were among her treasured experiences. ‘ Whiteoaks,’ * French Without Tears,’ and ‘ Balalaika,’' the Russian play with Muriel Angulus in the lead, were among the most striking of the modern plays. Just a word on frocks, I asked for, as I saw the trunks being unpacked. It was of the autumn modes, of course, that Miss Barnett spoke. In London, she said, suits and frocks were tailored and plain, and depended for their chic on strong colour contrasts. Black was the most popular—in fact, the onlycolour for the former, and combined with London tan, amethyst, or some of the lovely petunia and plum, shades was very attractive. Skirts for the coming season wore definitely longer, and frocks just' not so tight fitrang. A few weeks in Switzerland in the height of the summer, with swimming, tennis, and country sports, was a highlight of the tour* and Miss Barnett was full of the beauty of this country. The voyage home on the Strathmore seemed to be just a fitting ending to a lovely holiday. MISS KATHLEEN FALCONER. Another young! traveller to return this week is Muss Kathleen Falconer, who has combined study with pleasure during her two years abroad, and for the last 12 months was entered as a student at the Central School of Dramatic Art and Speech Training in London under Elsie-Fogarty. This is one of London’s famous schools, and is held in the Albert Hall buildings, where Miss Fogarty has her own private theatre. To give some idea of the scope of the school, the subjects studied are dramatic history, phonetics, recitation, _ acting, stage lighting and design, period costuming, movement (mime, Greek dancing, and deportment). There is a permanent staff of 12, and each term plays are given entirely by the students, who are examined by leading London critics. Miss Falconer attended the 1937 summer school, with two weeks in London, one week in Malvern, one week in Oxford, where special classes were conducted in verse speaking, and two weeks in Stratford-on-Avon to attend the special Shakespeare theatre. While in London Miss Falconer visited as many theatres as possible for practical study, and this was one of the greatest joys of the whole tour. She returned by the Orcades, one of the largest Orient liners, which was on a special cruise to Australia.