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The Candadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Ontario. (1953)
Delightful Experience Interviewing An Actress of International Fame
Elsa Carruthers Lunney
It is not often that a professional actress of international fame pays a social visit in Bowmanville, but that is just what Miss Mechthild Johannsen has been doing for the past two weeks. Miss Johannsen, who has won enthusiastic acclaim in the United States, England, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, for her interpretations of classical drama has been a visitor wiht Mr. and Mrs. Schon, Beech Ave., whom she knew in Switzerland while receiving her high school education there.
A young woman of frankness and charm, Miss Johannsen, who was born in Switzerland, talks with great enthusiasm of her work. Educated in dancing, dramatics, speech and voice, Miss Johannsen happily found a medium which integrated all of these talents in the theatrical productions of her husband, the late Alan Harkness, whose tragic death occurred last year in a moter accident.
Together Miss Johannsen and her husband played in the U.S. and Europe in Great Moments from Shakespeare, which included scenes from Macbeth, King Lear and other Shakespearean plays in which they each portrayed several characters. Displaying another of her many talents, Miss Johannsen composed the music for these productions. Their interpretations were greeted on both sides of the Atalantic as a 'contribution of great esthetic and educational value, and at the same time compelling entertainment,' to quote just one of the many highly complementary reviews of the critics.
Solo Performance
Now, alone, Miss Johannsen has had to re-direct her life and find vehicles which give scope for her rich talent in solo interpretations. This year her 'one-man' performance of the classical Greek trangedy of Sophocles, Antigone, has won high praise in the California press where she has appeared in Santa Barbara, San Diego, Los Angeles and other centres. The great range of characteristation, change of voice, and depth of portrayal demanded by this play found Miss Johannsen not only equal to such an ambitious undertaking but drawing such comments as 'superb' from the critics. For several years prior to her husband's death, Miss Johannsen and her husband made their home in California.
Mechthild Johannsen: Ibsen performance
Outstanding critic of Paris, Gabriel Marcel, greeted her performance of Antigone which is given accompanied by music of her own composing played on the harp, as providing a rival for Ruth Draper, internationally famous 'one-man' performer. Equally high tributes were paid to her in the press of Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
Born into the theatrical world, both her parents being connected with the stage, Miss Johannsen made her first appearance at the age of two in Switzerland. The family came to New York when she was three, and since the age of nine she has been giving public performances. Her own son was born in Switzerland when Miss Johannsen was busily composing music for one of her husband's productions. She and her husband returned to California to provide a more stable environment for their small son.
On Way To New York
Miss Johannsen is on her way now to New York where she hopes to appear under management of the American National Theatre and Academy. Besides appearing in performances in various schools and colleges, her plans include a tour of the main cities of the United States in her production of Antigone. She is also working at present on her own interpretation of Tennyson's Idylls of the King. 'Next I want to do Joan of Arc,' Miss Johannsen said, and added with her sincere and infectious laugh, 'I guess I must be a strong character. I like best to portray strong characters in my work. They appeal to me. Good perhaps for my work, but hard to live with.' Experiencing Miss Johannsen's unpretentious and charming company for an hour or more, one finds it hard to believe the latter part of her statement.
Sings Folk Songs
In telling of her dramatic work, only half of the story is revealed, for this young woman of exceptional talents also has been acclaimed by American, English and European audiences and critics for her full length program of traditional folk songs of many countries.
Miss Johannsen had almost completed her vocal studies in preparation for opera when her ambitions were turned in other directions through the meeting with her husband, Alan Harkness. But she has appeared in opera and operettas, and has now been greeted with enthusiasm for her interpretations of folk-songs, ancient and modern. For this she accompanies heself on a large zither, a most fascinating instrument of harp like quality. She has appeared in the United States and Europe in this appealing and delightful program.
(Ojai production - ?)
From her stay in Europe while touring there from 1948 to 1951, Miss Johannsen brought back some interesting observations on the state of things in general, and the theatre in particular. 'Paris is not the same,' she said, wrapping her red wool stole about her shoulders. 'The spirit of Paris, of the people, is gone. Always a country famous for its forward movement, its experiments in the arts, France is static. There are no experimental movements at the moment.'
'But England,' she went on, 'England is different. There, in spite of rationing and all the things which might have dulled their spirit, there is a tremendous upsurge of interest and development, in music, in theatre, in writing. It was the same in Germany for a time, but it has lapsed now for lack of money.'
And Canada? Yes, Canada is making great strides. 'Of course everyone has heard of the wonderful success of the Stratford Festival this year,' Miss Johannsen said enthusiastically. To date Miss Johannsen has not appeared in Canada. (Elsa Carruthers Lunney, The Canadian Statesman, 1954)
