Betty Aiken

Scottish actress resident in Singapore

THEATRE FOLK SAY GOODBYE TO THE COLONY’S BEST-KNOWN ACTRESS – People prominent in the theatre world of Singapore last night raised their glasses and toasted the Colony’s best-known actress, Betty Aiken. With her husband, Mr. T. Aiken, she is leaving Singapore in a few weeks. It was, apart from the few moments when everyone took their farewells, anything but a sad occasion. There were speeches recalling past successes and memories of many humorous moments. Mr. Donald Davies, the Island Players’ producer, presented Mrs. Aiken with a pendulum clock and everyone sang “She’s A Jolly Good Fellow” and gave three cheers for the most versatile and adaptable amateur actress ever to tread the ageing boards of the Victoria Memorial Theatre. Mr. Davies, who directed all the plays in which Betty has been such a success in the past couple of years, said: “Everybody who works with Betty Aiken must learn do without her. Mr. Harry Bowrey, veteran of the Malayan stage, said: “As one old trouper to another I should like to say that, since 1935, Betty has been the player who has given me the most confidence on the stage. I can still remember the first words I ever heard her say in a play. She was the Scottish landlady in The Wind And The Rain and she said ‘It’s only hot pot but its awfu’ guid.’ The fact that, after all these years, I can remember those words shows you how she impresses herself on her audiences.” Mr. Peter Clague, who co-starred with Betty Aiken in the hit plays of the last few years, said: “One gives one’s best performance in the company of someone like Betty. We are losing a great talent.” There were a good many similar sentiments expressed and then the party broke up. Or perhaps we should say the curtain came down. But there were no tears — for the people knew that, in her new home in Scotland, Betty Aiken is certain to appear once more before a grateful audience. [Straits Times, 4 December 1954, p.7]