NEW ZEALAND ACTRESS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21200, 24 August 1940, Page 13 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND ACTRESS

MARIE NEY IN SYDNEY “ TERRIFIED OF ” Marie Ney, character actress, who is known for the heavy emotional roles she plays, confesses that she is “ terrified of emotion.” Not on the stage of course, but in connection with her personal life, she says. In Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States, where she has been living for the past six months, and where her husband, Mr Thomas Menzies, has a rubber plantation, Miss Ney had an amah who became deeply attached to her. Limah, the amah, couldn’t understand why her mistress’ heavy luggage was being packed to go over the sea while she herself was going to travel by air. “ There was a bit of emotion over that.” said Miss Ney, “ before we had it all sorted out. Then I realised that Limah wanted to come to the station to see me off. “ I was quite worried about the poor, tearful little thing, until a kind neighbour, also farewelling me at the train, took her home before it finally steamed out of the station and saved the situation.” Miss Ney has arrived in Sydney to play at the Theatre Royal in “ Ladies In Retirement.” Different Play Each Night Before leaving England to live in Malaya, Miss Ney was booked to play a season at the Old Vic, when a different play was to be put on every night. Robert Donat, Constance Cummings and Michael Redgrave were to have been in the casts with Miss Ney, but war conditions in London made it impossible to continue. Although Miss Ney has been several times as far as Malaya for holidays with her husband, she has not been in Sydney since she commenced her career in Australia about 17 years ago. Then she played with Emily Polini, Marie Tempest, and in Alan Wilkie companies. New Zealand film audiences saw her recently in “ Jamaica Inn.” Charles Laughton’s last film, when she played the innkeeper’s wife.