EXPRESSIVE WISH WYNNE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1381, 12 October 1916, Page 32

EXPRESSIVE WISH WYNNE.

Wish Wynne! There’s something irresistible about that alliteration. It has a soulful sound that impels one to see the being that inspired it. And having seen, one feels that it is softly expressive of that delightful personage whose art of characterising stands supreme, marking a redletter event in New Zealand vaudeville offerings. Idol of English music-halls, it was in the legitimate that Miss Wish Wynne reached the topmost height of fame. Having noted her specialty for character studies, Arnold Bennett specially chose her for the part of Janet Cannot in “The Great Adventure.” Her success was electrical. The honours of the evening were given her, and next day all London rang with her name. Aucklanders can count themselves lucky in seeing an artist of such distinction. It was while holidaying in Australia after a tour of South Africa that Mr. Ben. J. Fuller, ever on the alert, secured her for an engagement at his principal centres. With contracts taking her right up to 1920, it was not thought possible to include a trip to New Zealand, but at the last moment, when she had engaged a berth on the Mooltan ready to sail for England, she received a cable consenting to a brief postponement. “I wanted to come to New Zealand so badly,” said Miss Wynne “Review” representative. “It wotiid have been such a pity to have left without touching here. London is a sad place just now with the war turning everything upside down. One can’t get away from it over there. But ? my managers are beginning to get restive over my long absence. So I mustn’t stay away any longer.” Miss Wynne in private life is Mrs. Ewart Watts. But to her admirers across the footlights she is always Wish Wynne. “Wish,” by the way, was the name given to her as a child owing to her habit of always wishing for things. “She is just one big wish,” her mother used to say.

Mr. Dave M. Williams, who has acted as advance agent for various theatrical companies in New Zealand, and is now serving his country at the front, writes in cheerful strain reminiscent of his former calling. “I am playing small parts in France in ‘The Big Argument,’ ”he says. “I am not certain when we will book our dates for a return season in New Zealand, as our present tour, if successful, may be extended to Germany, and afterwards a ‘command’ performance in London. Our company opened to big business at a place called Anzac in Turkey, and played the city and ‘smalls’ there for eight months. I was with the show for three months at the latter end of the season. Our ‘Advance’ failed us at a most critical part of the tour, and we were compelled to bring our season to an abrupt conclusion by the initial performance of the sensational war drama ‘The Evacuation.’ Our press notices were good, and we left a good impression behind us, and incidentally got a big boost for our European tour, which I think will last for another twelve months at least. The prospects are good. I am still stretcher-bearing with No. 2 (N.Z.) Field Ambulance, and, although I am a non-combatant, I’ve had my share of excitement and hard work.”