RENEE KELLY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 179, 14 July 1927, Page 8

RENEE KELLY.

IN “THE LAST OF MRS CHENEY"

“POLLY WITH A PAST” TO,NIGHT. At the Hastings Municipal Theatre last evening Messrs J. C. Williamson, Ltd., presented Miss Renee Kelly, supported by a. particularly strong cast, in Frederick Lansdale’s thrilling comedy, “The Last of Mrs Cheney." The story tells of a spirited and exceedingly pretty girl who, tired of being a shop assistant, joins up with a super theif, operating in the higher walks of his adventurous profession, and —ler his guidance she enters on a career of aristocratic felony more for the love of adventure than of gain. It is in the course of a daring venture to secure a £50,000 pearl neck lac© whilst she was one of the invited guests at the house of a fashionable lady, that she meets her Waterloo and the consummation of her heart's desire. The play is admirably constructed and in a series of suprises, thrills s intensely dramatic situations culminating in a powerful bed-room scene, when Mrs Cheney gets into the wrong room, at midnight, in search of the pearls. The dialogue, frank and Tee, is vivid and sparkling with epigrams, the acting is perfect, the setting on a grand and luxurious scale, the dressing superb, and throughout it all laughter reigns except when the audience is gasping in suspense. Miss Renee Kelly, vivacious, compelling and an artist to her fingertips, handled the difficult character of

‘‘Mrs Cheney’’ with exquisite delicacy and discernment, especially in the dynamic bed-room scone with “Lord Arthur Dilling’’ (Mr Ellis Irving), whilst her charming personality at' once established her with bei audience.

Mr Litis Irving, as the cynical man-aboat-town, who fell in love with Mrs Cheney,“ submitted a very rtisy, restrained and conscientious reading of the role, his acting effectively balancing with M Kelly’s presentation. Mr Lestie Victor, as the unimaginative, woodcw-minded Lord Elton, gave an ideal interpretation of a type with whom most people have come into contact at one time or another. His acting sent the character right home to his audience who gave unmistakable testimony of their enjoyment.

“Mrs Ebley, ’’ the owner of the petals, was capably pourtrayed by Miss Emma Temple, whilst trie pan of “Charles,” the pseudo butler, who was really the crook directing the operations of “Mrs Cheney,” was ably sustained by Mr Hylton Allen. The remainder of a lengtny cast wire artistic and capable, whose acting completed the undoubted success of a very fine performances. The company conclude their season to-night with “Polly With a Past.”

FASCINATING ADVENTURESS.

FOOLS LONDON SOCIETY. POSSESSOR OF RICH IMAGINATION. ANOTHER MRS. CHEYNEY. London, June 11. The handsome daughter of an English labourer who, under the name of Josephine O’Dare, burst into London society by audacity and managed by her wit and attractive personality to maintain herself in that enviable milieu for six* years, has been sentenced at the Old Bailey to four and a half years’ penal servitude lor fraud. With her m the dock stood a company director and his wife, two clerks and' a third man described by the police as the,cleverest forger in England. They were variously accused of forging/ stealing and receiving cheques and with forging and uttering a will. Of Josephine O’Dare it was stated by one of her former friends that she had reached that stage in the art of lying when she herself believed the falsehoods she told.

It was largely this quality of imagination that enabled her to exchange a humble cottage for a Mayfair mansion, to ride to hounds and mix in exclusive surroundings with the highest in the land. Her real name is Beatrice Skynne and she is the daughter of John Skyrme, a labourer, but she persistently maintained she was the daughter of highly-placed British parents, that she was born in Shanghai and l had been adopted by the Skyrmes. After that she declared

she became the adopted daughter of an Italian countess and received 10,000dol. a year income from an uncle. The police have been unable to trace this uncle, but it is true that large sums of money were paid into the woman’s bank account on many occasions. When, as Josephine O’Dare, she came to London six years ago the fascinating adventuress had secured mental mastery over a rich old man. She called him her guardian, a capacity which seems to have cost him dear. She set up an expensive flat in Mayfair with two maids, a cook and a butler, and gave receptions and dances which were attended not only by guests whose names figure in Debrett, but others whose descriptions and fingerprints are current history at Scotland Yard. In the latter category was “Bludger Bill Warren,” who is now serving a sentence in the United States. The representatives of the underworld did not frequent Josephine's functions only for the pleasure of it, as many of her fashionable friends learned to their cost. Despite these sources of income she eventually ran short of money and her bankruptcy was the beginning of the end. She managed to postpone it by boldly denying at a parly she gave some rumours which had" begun to circulate abbut her real character. Wealthy men present offered to play the part of champions and their chivalry cost each of them substantial sums which she obtained in secret after unfolding an affecting story of her troubles. But this money, like that which preceded it, was thrown away in high living and eventually she adopted desperate courses which will necessitate her retirement from society for the next four and a half years.