MISS JANET ACHURCH IN LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 25, 18 June 1892, Page 619

MISS JANET ACHURCH IN LONDON.

INTERVIEWED ABOUT TILE COLONIES.

In the course of an interview entitled * Round the World With the' Doll’s House,’ Miss Achurch said numerous pleasant things of this colony. *We have been absent from England for nearly three years,’said Miss Achurch, in reply to a question. *We left in June, 1889, and we are about to open here in 1892. We went tirst of all to Melbourne, in fulfilment of an engagement we had with an Australian firm of entrepreneurs. As soon as this engagement came to an end, in consequence of a dissolution of partnership, Mr Charring' ton started in management on his own account. Then we went on to Sydney, where we had a very successful season. “ A Doll’s House ” gave rise to a most animated discussion in the newspapers. Lord Carrington, the Governor at the time, was much interested in the piece, and entertained us royally.’ ‘ And where did you go after leaving Sydney ?’ •From Sydney we went on to New Zealand ; arriving there at the time of the strike. We were kept out of the country for at least a fortnight, on account of there being no boats to take us there. Once arrived, we started on tour, following Mr Toole, and we did extremely well. I should explain that Mr Charrington was careful to mount our pieces as handsomely as possible. Often, as you know, the stage appointments in the colonies are most primitive.’ • In which of the Colonial towns were you most successful’’

‘ In Auckland, I fancy. Here we stayed for a month, a very long season indeed for Auckland—and on the last night of our visit the people organized a big floral demonstration in our honour. Auckland, I should tell you, is famous for the number, the variety, and the beauty of its flowers. At the close of our last performance the audience showered bouquets upon the stage, until in the end almost every board was covered. We counted the bouquets afterwards, and found that there were more than three hundred of them. Everybody (or almost everybody) brought a floral offering upon this occasion.’ • That was a pleasant experience ; what succeeded it?’ ‘ We went on to Brisbane,’ put in Mr Charrington, parenthetically, * where we had a little trouble with the acting Governor over “ Camille.” He declined to be present with ladies at a performance of the piece. I replied to him in a speech, pointing out that I could not undertake to supply entertainments for gentlemen only, and that if the performance was one to which he could not bring ladies he had no business to come himself, either alone or with his gentlemen friends.’ * And what was your next move ?’ ‘ Wenext wenton what may be called a provincial tour. We visited a dozen of the smaller towns of the Australian continent, playing for a night at a time to the bush population —to men who regarded “ A Doll’s House ” as a play simply

—to men who had never heard of Ibsen or of modern social questions and tendencies. I am glad to say that the piece held them wonderfully from beginning to end. Our chief difficulty was in getting them out of the theatre after the final fall of the curtain. They did not, or could not, appreciate the “ note of interrogation.” They continued to sit in their seats, saying that it was impossible that the play could be over, and adding that they intended to wait patiently until it came to an end. There have been times when we have almost had to remove them by force.’ • Where were you most kindly received ?’ •In Western Australia, I think. No English company had ever visited the region before, and we consequently met with a most enthusiastic welcome. The Governor, the Premier, and the whole Government —they had just been given representative government, you know—came to meet us at the railway-station, drove us in carriages to the public hall, and gave us a grand dinner. They regarded our visit as an event of public importance, and they treated us accordingly.’