LOTTIE VENNE, OF THE OLD SCHOOL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17729, 26 December 1925, Page 1

LOTTIE VENNE, OF THE OLD SCHOOL.

| ARTIST WHO WOULD NEVER GROW OLD. (Special to the “Star.”) I LONDON, November 14 J Lottie \ enne, an actress of the old | school, and the leading exponent of the ! tv Pe of character which lends savour to I drama, was given a testimonial matinee to-day. There were present to pay tribute her art men and women of all ranks from Royalty down—the Queen of Spain was present—and the i P r °ceeds, £2IOO, were a fine measure of | the affection in which she is held. Seats in the pit went for a guinea, j It is fifty-eight years last month since she first played in public at tljc “ Gallery of Illustration,” As she sat in a big chair on tile stage at the end of to-days long performance—it was nearly six o’clock—one was forced to agree with Mrs Kendall, who had just said that Miss Venne had simply deterj mined never to grow old. Fifty artists contributed to the programme. The cast of “ Shall We Join I the Ladies ” included Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson, Sir Gerald du MauJ r ’ er > Lady Tree and Miss Gladys Cooper. Mr Dion Boucicault was admirable as f the whimsical Sam Smith. Miss Venne appeared in the little sketch “Shopping” all by herself. Almost the whole the cast of “ Mercenary Mary ” was there, and sail" a little verse specially composed in honour of Miss \ enne, interpolated in “ I’m a Little Bit Fonder of You.” Miss Marie Tempest appeared in “ Saki’s ” playlet, “ The Baker’s Dozen.” The famous quartet from “No, No, Nanette ” sang and danced. T^ e final scenes were moving. Mrs Kendall, with a great bunch of scarlet carnations in her hand, began: “Miss Lottie Venne—Lottie Venne—dear Lottie. ' Then she threw the flowers at Miss \ enne’s feet and just bent down and kissed her. Miss Venne made a brief answer, saying she was too overcome to say much. She was trembling, she said, and her voice barely carried to the back of the theatre; but she added valiantly that she was not going to retire. As we all know, she was going to work that very night—she is in “ Lionel and Clarissa,” at the Lyric, Hammersmith. But there was quite a humorous interlude in Mrs Xendal’s speech when she said, “ I want to tell you a secret of the past. Lottie venne took away my sweetheart you can t deny it, Lottie— and married him. I have never forgiven her, but it really matter.” (Lottie Venne marries. V alter Fisher, an actor.)