# Thom's Irish Who's Who/Rous, Helen

​ROUS, Helen, dau. of Dr. Alfred Shaw; b. Carlow, Ireland. Educ. at home and Alexandra College; sister of the sculptor Kathleen Tonsdell Shaw, A.R.H.A.; prepared for stage by Sarah ​Thorm, of T. R., Margate, when she first appeared as Pauline in "The Black. Doctor," in 1891; engaged by Messrs. B. F. Whelan for repertoire in S. Africa where she played a very large round of parts in Shakespeare, Drama, Comedy, Mime, during two years' re-engagement; late Barnie Barnato played the part of M.———— in "The Bath" at her benefit performance in Johannesburg; on return to England, 1894-5, toured with Otho Stuart in "The Masqueraders" with A. B. Tapping, playing Mrs. Cross in "The Idler," and Dolly in "Mother"; came to London in 1896 to play in "Queen's Proctor" with Arthur Bourchier and Violet Vanburgh at the Royalty; re-engaged by them to play Mrs. Jeffreys in "The Chilie Widow," "Dearest Mamma" and "Nom de Paris," and afterwards toured with them in England and America, returning for season in London; engaged by Messrs. Gath in 1897 to play Mrs. Proctor in "The Cape Mail," and Mde Caville in "Never Again" at the Vaudeville, after which she toured in Louis Parker's "The Happy Life," returning to London to play Mrs. Porter Magnus in "My Innocent Boy" at the Royalty; toured with Harry Nicholls playing Mrs. Chadwick in "Jane," and Mde. Ribot in "Night Out," with Chas. Terry; 1899, second tour with Harry Nicholls in "Jane," and in "The Lady of Ostend"; engaged by Harrison and Maude to tour, playing Mrs. Candour to Cyril Maude's "Sir Peter," and to Miss W. Emery's Lady Teasle in "School for Scandal," Sept. 1900; reengaged by Mr. Bourchier in 1901 for Mrs. Crossley Dick in "Peril" at the Garrick. Her next part was the Duchesse in "Lion Hunters" with the late H. B. Irving, at Terry's, and in Aug. of same year played in Becky Sharpe with Maria Tempest at P. of W. Theatre; re-engaged by H. Nicholls for "Jane" and went to the Avenue to play in D. Ganthony's "Prophecy"; engaged by John Hare to play the Mother in "Bugle Call" at Wyndham's. In Jan., 1904 engaged by Chas. Frohman and A. Chudleigh to play Countess in "Killicrankie" at the Criteron; re-engaged by John Hare for tour in The Countess in "Little Mary" during which she played at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, 1905; returned to London and played Countess de la Bearuc in "Du Barrie" at Savoy; Sept., 1905, re-engaged by John Hare and toured with him playing Marguise in "Caste," and Lady in "Quex," and played them both in Dublin; 1906, returned to London and played in "The Lion and the Mouse" at Duke of York's under Chas. Frohman; re-engaged by A. Bourchier to play Mrs. Ordeyen in "Morale of Marera" at the Garrick, and afterwards Mrs. Ogle in "Mrs. Sheridan"; re-engaged in 1907 by John Hare and toured with him, again visiting Dublin; 1908, engaged by Chas. Hawtrey to play Mrs. Fishbourne in "Dear Old Charlie" at the Vaudeville; re-engaged by Sir John Hare to play Lady Owbridge in last revival of "Quex" at the Garrick, and toured again later with him in England. Engaged by Mr. Vedrenne to tour with Granville Barker in "Man and Superman" and again visited Dublin; returned to London and played for a season in the Robertson Comedies at the Coronet; 1909, engaged by the late Sir G. Alexander to play Lady Brockwell in Oscar Wilde's "Importance of Being Ernest" at the St. James; re-engaged by Mrs. Chudleigh to play in "A Woman's Way" with Alexander Carlisle at the Comedy; 1910, engaged by the late H. B. Irving to play the Queen Mother in "Princess Clementina" at the Globe; 1911, re-engaged by H. B. Irving to tour and played The Queen to his "Hamlet," and Catherine to Mathias in "The Bells"; re-engaged by H. B. Irving in the Autumn of 1911 to tour with him and Miss Dorothea Baird in Australia and New Zealand in these parts; 1912, returned to London and went to the Playhouse to Cyril Maude to play in "The Dusty Path" and "The Head Master"; in Jan. of 1913, re-engaged by Sir George Alexander for Lady Brockwell at St. James'. In June of same year engaged by Mr. Martin Harvey to play in "The Fawn" at P. of W.; re-engaged by Sir G. Alexander in Sept. of 1914, and played Lady Ridley in Pinero's "His House in Order," and Lady Tukes in "Seats of the Mighty" at the St. James. In Nov., 1914, engaged by Messrs. Gatto to play Clarissa in "Our Boys" with the late Arthur Williams; re-engaged by Sir G. Alexander in April, 1915, and played in "Panorama of Youth" and Pinero's "Big Drum" at St. James'; re-engaged by Sir G. Alexander in Jan., 1916, to play Mrs. Cyprian de la Corpe in "The Barker," and in Sept. of same year went to Royalty to play Lady Phillimore in "The Hawk" with Denis Eadie; in Jan. of 1917 re-engaged by Sir G. Alexander and played Dame Ursula with him in Louis Parker's "Aristocrat," All through the Air Raids. On one occasion the audience were invited and decended to the cellars under the stage with the whole company. This was the last play in which Sir George appeared. In June of 1917, played Lady Carden in "Shiela," Sir George's last production at the St. James' Theatre, afterwards toured for Sir George with Miss Genevieve Ward in "The Aristocrat"; in June, 1918, engaged by F. Harrison and Vedrenne to play Lady Susan in "Marmaduke" at the Haymarket; 1919, engaged by Grossmith and Laurillard to play Aunt Penelope in "Oh, Joy"; 1920, went to Lyric to play Mrs. Benson in "East is West" for Sir A. Butt; in Sept., 1920, engaged by Miss Marie Lohr to play Aunt Alice in "Every Woman's Privilege" at the Globe; Sept., 1921, played Countess of Rewenham for special performances of "Casilles Engagement" at John Drinkwater Theatre, Birmingham; April, 1922, played Mrs. Smallwood in Sir A. Pinero's "Enchanted Cottage" at Duke of York's. Has played 184 parts up to present time.