Off to play Shakespeare in Australia and New Zealand . London : Farewell wave from 22 year old Miss Barbara Jefford , leading lady of the Stratford - upon - Avon ' s Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company , who is leaving London ' s Liverpool Street Station with 30 other members of the Company on their first leg of the journey to Australia and New Zealand . The Company is sailing on the RMS Rangitiki . Led by Anthony Quayle they are to perform three plays all over those countries during a nine - month tour . The party set out with 250 cases of costumes and 瞿5 , 000 worth of theatrical equipment . 23 December 1952