South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Wednesday 24 May 1899, page 7


MESS ADA FERRAR.

AS' DfTEEVIEW.

[By oar Special Reporter.]

There u no necessity to introduce Mm Ada Ferrer to tbe Adelaide public Fourteen months ago sue woa all hearts by her beautiful DortravaLt of the lorinir and

saintly Menna, inc sweet ,-um injured Josephine, and the queenly aad beauteous Fkvia. She has now given playgoers a delightful presentment of the tender, noble, und devoted young Huguenot Kenoe de Cocheforet. It was on Monday morning that 1 met Miss r'errar entering the Theatre, and on asking her for an interview ebc conducted j&c to her dressingroom. 'Well, I suppose you arc full of experiences. You must have gathered enough material to write a book about Australia^' *'A bode would take a certain amount of consideration, but I don't know that I may not some day undertake the task. Daring the past fourteen months 1 have had plenty --t hard work, but othenvue the life has been decidedly pleasant. - We have been a mo*: systematic and methodical company, ilr. Williamson has such an excellent way of managing his companies that 1 don't think there u much chance of any organization, under his regime going wrongs or of untoward circumstances affecting it materially. With the exception of stormy journeys by sea and kt« journeys by rail everything has gone on smoothly.' '\ou have not had much rest?' 'We Live had no holiday whatever. His month tompletestworeanand three months' work, and with the exception of the journeys we have not hod a week's vacation. We have had a day's lest, but that has been very teldom.' 'You won't have any drilling experience* to tell them at homer' 'Xo; I shall have no De Kougcinont tales to tell. I hope I tjjall not get wrecked as a finisher, as it Mere. Adventures by land and sea are all very well when you read of them in books, but practical experience of them I don't de»irv. ''Yon 'Yon are poin? bark to England*' Tea, all being well, 1 .shall be there in September. [ am coins: to stay a little while with foraefriendp in Sydney before I return. Then I am going in for real work and will study hard.' ~llave you not been doing that here?' 'No: not in the way I mean. The work has been continuous, and the travelling has been incessant; but that doet not give one rj\ opportunity for real pood sound study, for prnsreasive work, a* it were.' 'Will you visit the colonies again?' ''Well, the Australian people have been so exceedingly good to me, I have found my work so enjoyable, the audiences have been .-o distinctly kind and sympathetic and so envy to play to, that I live in hopes that it may be my ji-vj fortune to come before the Australian public again. I may say that dtuinz the whole time I have been bete I have never experienced unsympathetic audience*. An I am very sensitive. I know I am correct in savins that. If the house was ci.ii!. I don't think I could play. If I come mil again, it won't be for a few years, and tlten I shall r.o longer He playing 'Merda' part*. My Abject* in going home are to see my sisters, both of whom are in good poritior-5 in Lnndnu, and to improve myself— to correct mannerism* which I have acquired a-..-l have, no doubt, gone on steadily contruotins. I originally i-ame for a year. That w.is the term at first. Mr. WiUiamfon wanted me to go on till the end of the .war: but, of cour*e, I could not arrange tlj.it.' 'What i* your impression «f Australianhora actor* and actresses**' 'I really think -ome Australian actors and aotresses give pie.it promise. I have found them one and nil most ca-y to work iritli, and mo*t arud?iih ro do all in an unselfish way to help you ami help the «.-CT»e. I have a great idea of Australian actors and actress.' 'What is your opinion of the Australian r.t;'jlic!' 'I have found the people delightt'i:l as an audience, ami thanuiiiii socially. They have travelled more than. Uic average English iwrsoh: wany «f them have been h.--me. mos-t of tliem have lieeti round New Z.-:i!and, and ajl ??! them mhmii to fcmw Austtalia well. You don't think un) thine ot travelling to Sydney; Imt the average English person regitnU a trip of a thousand niilf j with a certain amount of anxiety. The n.rinury Knslish person really knows nothin-j: ct Australia, i wa? reading over some letter* which I rcwived from ;-number ct* edncareil womeu before I kit home, and luany of the things thev told nic about Australia were lmiicrnu?. On the other hand, it is surptUin? how much Australians know about our different countries.' 'V hat piece* have you played in in the colonies*' 'The Sign' of the Cross,' ?J*r-i?r the Bed Robe.' 'The Rnyal Divorce,' ?Prisoner of Zenda,' 'Pygmalion and Gala:«:/ -The Lady of Lyons.' Two Little Y.ica!-onds.' and 'Harbour Lights.' ' 'Which pieces have proved the mort poiiulir*'' 'The Sign of the Cross' and The Royal Divorce.' It ww surprising how the' people rushed to roe 'The Royal l)ivnir ?».' On its ?ecortd production in Melrmcrne they mieht have been fimt-nigbt houses. I attribute this to the wonderful tableaux, becan.«c I regard the 'Royal Divorce as one of the most incorrect historical fhyt ever written. I went to history for .Tn4f.liine. and I nearly wept over the result of niv itu.ly. It was impossible to cfimbine the two' characters!, and one had to cive up all notion ot representing the historical perw.ago. 'Ye*, the 'Han of the Cro«* has proved a really wondeiful play. It appeal* to Kfiple who seldom co to the theatre. I have had hundreds of letters complimenting n:e on my portrayal of Meri-ia, and referring in term* of admiratiori to the stirring character of the p'ay. fyiiuj- of the epistles catua from people who have? not been inside a Theatre for many years,! und testify to l:n\r much the pliiy h:id moved them. Numfc*r* of the letters enme from girls who ?lid r.-t wish to emulate Mercia. and go in the Hoc*, but who have certainly been stirred by the play, and their religious ixnmilses riven a new iinoetiu.' ''You thiuk plays like * Under the Red l!«l«e' instructive as well as entertaining?' 'Yen. When then* are historical tharaiter.t in a play the generality of thinking people rend and study them up before tlW-' visit the- theatre. I have met with very f«-w out liere who have not read 'Zem'.i.' They hive either read it before set-in? the play, or after— usually before.' 'How do you regard adaptations?' '1 r.i.i not fond r»' p'uying in adaptations. It is so difficult {?-. pot tin* oliaractcrH t« tally. Take, for instance, that little comedy KMie in 'Under the Re«l Robe,' where Rence plays with f'aptnin Larollo's vanity. Tl.ore is nothing liko it in the Imok. and a'.thr.uch it is cftVtive. »'?! lishten« the I»iwe. I think it rather lowers Renec's dig rity.' 'The managemenf are tendering ynn t cnmnlimentarj' '*neSt oa Wi^newday?'1 'Yes. It ii» very gno«l of ^lr. Williamvw to u-ii'Ier nif a benefit. I n«v«»r thought ??-it myself. In Kncland bonctlu are onl? givr.n fcT fliaritahte in-fit'ition«, and. o I tnr.r*». to thnse who have done good worl r«..ir..l have falirn unoa evil t'mes. It n«« ffMitrrwl to toe to mako nuy Mipnlatior thoii? a benefit. T value Mr. Williamson'* r- srpHrnent ven- muo'ti. and (s-milingly) ; l-'ir-e the hfiuv 'nay l-e a ettoA «no. 'I wMi I oo«M tell you v»me anecdotes b'.i1 :i.s I have -ai«! before it has been no tliinz bat bard wi--rk. ''Yea. I am lorsins: for a rwt. for aftei beinz at work for two vt-an anil thrci months you find tli.-tt unless you are : tiimuin mnrliinP' your cnereiHs begin to fai you. And I so much want to get bacl \n my Shak«pe.ire. .Sha!c--pfare*A heroine iwe.il irct'n iKMUtir.* whenever I stud; tliriti, and that i- more than I can siy o h«-in» of th** rharacters I have been impel £-muling of late in Australia.'