Faith Brown, Comedienne and Impressionist
Monocle magazine, January
1999 edition
Faith recalls her first impression
"my first impression, I did Sister Gertrude
at school," Faith recalls. "I hated her. She was tall,
skinny, hump-backed, buck-toothed, dreadfuly ugly and put the
children through hell. I ran to assembly one day and she shouted
"Irene Carroll!" - that was my name then - "Can't
you pull your brassiere any tighter? You're wobbling up and down
and the men can't take their eyes off you!" A venomous,
witch-like voice cracks the air - it's Sister Gertrude and she's
terrifying. You hate her too". But it's Faith's hearty laugh
which reassures you. "I got her the following day She was
standing on the rostrum, wearing her old-fashioned habit ringing
her bell like Quasimodo, and I stood behind her, emulating her.
The girls were killing themselves laughing. Then she swung round
and I got six of the best!"