Fay Compton, England’s Greatest Actress

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 48, 26 February 1938, Page 2

Fay Compton, England’s Greatest Actress

VICTORIA REGINA On Monday sight, beginning at 8 o’clock and on Tuesday evening at the Opora House J. C. Williamson Ltd will present England.’s distinguished actress, Miss Fay Compton and her complete London company in Laurence Housman’s great dramatic sensation “Victoria Regina,” which is still the reignattraction in London, and which achieved an electrifying success in Auckland. The task of portraying Victoria from girlhood to old age in an onerous one, but Fay Compton, with clever-make-up gives a magnificent performance, especially in the middle and final scenes. For artistry and beauty her scene with Albert “The Rose and the Thorn,” could rarely be equalled by any actress. While Albert si.ts at the piano and sings, Victoria, regretting bitterly her outburst of unwarranted jealousy because of his attention to Lady Jane, sits in her ballgown, sobbing quietly, then, without a word, crosses to Albert and stands at his side. The poignancy of this scene is remarkable and both players, wrote a Melbourne crtic, richly deserved the storm of applause that greeted them by the large audience at its close. “The scene in the garden,” wrote another critic,” at Balmoral is another great triumph for Miss Compton. Into the charming setting comes the little old figure of the Queen that is familiar to every British subject, in her black gown and widow’s cap. The picture is unforgettable.” “Victoria Regina” is romantie history, close enough to the memory to be wonderfully entertaining, with the added quality of renewing patriotic admiration for one of the greatest women in British Royalty. Bruno Barnabem who portrays the role of Prince Albert, is one of London’s best actors and this he proves by his brilliant artistry in “Victoria Regina.” The ten settings in Laurence Ho usman’s great play are presented on the same scale of magnificence as when the play was staged in London. They include Kensington Palace in 1873 ('The Six o’clock Call to the Throne), Windsor Castle 1839 (Woman Proposes): Prince Albert’s dressing room (Morning Glory); Buckingham Palace 1842 (Under Fire); Windsor Castle 1846 (The Rose and the Thorn) Buckingham Palace 1861 (Intervention); Buckingham Palace 1861 (Bereavement); A Garden Tent at Balmoral Castle 1877 (The Queen, God Bless Her); Buckingham Palace 1897 (Happy and Glorious). The latter scene presents Queen Victoria in the midst of her family—a well cast family, familiar in appearance to every Britisher who has been seen pictures of the seventh and eighth Edwards, George V. Alexandra and Princess Mary when they were kiddies. She is registering gratification at the loyalty of Britain and the Dominions on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee. The magnificent dresses ahd uniforms are features of the production, which is staged under the direction of Mr Peter Dearig. The box plans are at Collinson and Cunninghame’s.