Harry Lauder in Australia 1914

 

Harry Lauder in Australia 1914

It was August 1914.Harry Lauder his wife and son, John, were sitting at lunch in a Melbourne Hotel. A hall porter came in from the outside.

"Lieutenant Lauder" he called over and over again.

John Lauder, a Lieutenant in the Territorial Battalion of Highlanders beckoned the porter to him. The man passed him a telegram. It had two words

‘Mobilise. Return."

John looked up at his parents and his eyes were shining. His father looked upon his only child sadly. His heart was sore but he was proud of his son. John turned towards his father and asked

‘What do you think dad?"

Harry Lauder replied gruffly,

‘ This is no time for thinking son. You know your duty.’

John eagerly replied,

‘I’m off."

Thus John Lauder with thousands of others joined the British army in the war to end all wars.

His father, world famous comedian, Harry Lauder, had just turned 44. He was a sober, non-drinking, Scotch Presbyterian . His bulbous nose and rubbery features had entertained people from around the world. Harry Lauder had arrived in Australia in March 1914. Little did he know that the tour, his first to this country, would begin in laughter and end in a sorrowful parting.

Lauder left his home in Dunoon Scotland in November 1913. His long tour started in America. He made his way to San Francisco and left there on March 10^th 1914. On March 29^th, his boat, the Sonoma, slowly steamed through Sydney heads.

The harbour was full of craft, both great and sma’

and each had all her bunting flying. Oh they

were braw in the sunlight, with the gay colours

and the bits of flags, all fluttering and waving in

the breeze.

Harry, his wife and his brother in law, Tom Vallance, watched this display in puzzlement. Suddenly they realised that this parade was in honour of Harry Lauder’s arrival in Australia. Thousands of people, mostly of Scottish origin, had turned out to greet him.

As Lauder and his wife alighted from the boat they were surrounded by people playing bagpipes and dressed in kilts. Huge numbers of men dressed in suits and straw boater hats, escorted them to an open topped car. Harry and Mrs Lauder sat in the back seat and were escorted by masses of people up the street. The crowds were so dense that the car could only move at a crawl as hundreds of bodies pressed against it.

Lauder travelled to Melbourne and performed there for several weeks before returning to Sydney. He made his first stage appearance in the city on Wednesday 27^th May at the Theatre Royal. Ticket prices for this premier event were high, ranging from 10 shillings to 2 shillings.

Harry’s arrival on stage was preceded by a long series of vaudeville acts. This long delay made the audience impatient. Finally, late in the evening, Harry Lauder sauntered on stage. He performed sketches and songs. Amongst the songs were ‘Tobermory’ and ‘I love a lassie’. The latter was a song that Harry had written and composed. It was to become one of his signature tunes.

I love a lassie, a bonnie hie lan’ lassie

If you saw her you would fancy her as well

I met her in September

Popped the question in November

So I’ll soon be havin’ her a’ to maself

 

Lauder sang and spoke with a strong Scottish brogue. His enunciation however, ensured that he was clearly heard throughout the theatre.

Amongst the sketches he performed that first night were, ‘The saftest o’ the family" where he played a village schoolboy. Another sketch he presented was ‘She is ma’ daisy’, where he played a general. Lauder later described the character

He’s the kind of soldier who brags about himself;

He’s the kind of soldier who spends most of his time

in the guardhouse and when he’s not there he spends

most of his time in the canteen.

According to the Sydney Mail, Lauder sang with a pleasing baritone. Yet it was not his voice that made him a comic success. It was his presentation and the antics that accompanied his songs that created the comedy. The Mail commented on his ‘unusual power of facial expression’ and ‘queer little distinctive tricks in his bristling movement.’ Harry Lauder’s smile was infectious and he bubbled with humour and happiness .He projected a warmth and emotion which crossed the footlights and enchanted an audience. He was a highly charismatic performer.

His charisma crossed all class boundaries and the Theatre Royal was packed with over 2000 people. They received his performance cordially, yet not overly enthusiastically. In fact the newspapers seemed disappointed in the audience reaction. Yet it seemed that they warmed to him as his performances continued. Soon all Sydney began asking the question, ‘Have you seen Harry Lauder yet?"

Lauder added several songs to his repertoire during his second week. By June 10^th, he was singing ‘When I get back to bonnie Scotland’ and ‘We parted on the shore.’ The Sydney Mail described him as ‘a Scottish Dickens’ and praised him for his ‘kindly Scotch humour.’ He continued to draw large crowds to the Theatre Royal.

The next week he changed his programme again. He added two new songs, ‘She’s the lass for me’ and ‘Same as his father was before him.’ The newspapers began talking of ‘the reign’ of Harry Lauder and labelled him ‘the king of vaudeville.’ His name was on the lips of everybody in Sydney.

Harry’s very successful run came to an end on July 1^st 1914. He travelled back to Melbourne where he and his devoted wife had a warm reunion with his son John. They were in the midst of this reunion when war was declared and John received the fateful telegram from England.

Lauder described the confusion in Melbourne generated by the war announcement.

In Melbourne, and I believe it must have been much the same

elsewhere in Australia, folks didn’t know what they were to do, how they

were to take this war that had come so suddenly upon them.

and rumours and questions flew in all directions

 

Yet there was a peculiar eagerness too. Before Lauder and his wife could sail from Melbourne the next day he was describing the lines forming outside the recruiting offices.

But these Australians took no chances;

They would offer themselves first

and let it be decided later whether they

were needed.

Harry Lauder, his wife and brother in law travelled to New Zealand. His son John made his way to England to join his battalion. Whilst in Wellington, Lauder saw New Zealanders imbued with the excitement of war.

New Zealand was all ablaze with the war spirit.

The New Zealand troops were mobilising when

we arrived, and every recruiting office was

besieged with men

Lauder performed in New Zealand and then returned to Scotland.

He became heavily involved in recruiting. He created a band that became famous throughout the British Isles. He made speeches in England and Canada persuading young men to join up and fight for the Empire. He sang for the wounded and performed for the troops on leave. Everywhere he went he urged young men to enlist.

John Lauder was wounded in France and came home to his parents in Scotland. He was pale and sombre and his eyes were shadowed with the knowledge of the carnage he had seen. After his wounds had healed he went back to the front as Captain John Lauder.

His father continued his performances and his recruiting drive. Christmas 1916 came and Harry was expecting John home on leave. The family were planning a wedding, John was to marry his Scottish sweetheart and his parents were eagerly anticipating the ceremony.

Harry was performing in London at the Shaftesbury theatre. He spent part of New Years Eve 1916 at Tom Vallance’s place. Harry was tired and retired early to his hotel room in London.

January 1 1917 dawned and a loud banging wakened Lauder. He sleepily arose and saw a porter standing at the door with a telegram in his hand.

Capt John Lauder killed in action, December 28.

Official. War Office.

Harry was devastated.

‘I felt that for me everything had come to an end with the reading

of that dire message. It seemed to me that for me the board of life

was black and blank. For me there was no past and there could be

no future. Everything had been swept away, erased, by one sweep

of the hand of a cruel fate.’

Harry Lauder returned to the stage in London, three nights later. His act included a scene set at the Horse Guards. A company of men marched past in khaki as Harry Lauder sang a song about the boys coming home

Houdini's milk can escape in Melbourne

 On February 26^th 1910, the Argus newspaper carried an advertisement for Houdini’s new act at the Opera House. The advertisement promised a ‘death defying mystery’. It was the first indication that Houdini planned to perform the celebrated milk can escape in Australia.

Houdini had been doing the milk can escape, since January 1908. By the time it was presented in Australia, it had been perfected by two years of patient practice. Houdini and his assistants knew exactly how to present the trick in the most effective and dramatic manner. The presentation was carefully planned to create an aura of risk.

At the Opera House that night, Houdini’s two uniformed attendants rolled the milk can onto the stage. An audience committee was invited to examine the can. It was then filled to the brim with twenty two pails of water.

Whilst it was being filled, Houdini exited the stage. He changed from his usual evening clothes and reentered the auditorium wearing his famous blue swimming costume. After the can was filled under the sharp eyes of the committee, Houdini addressed the audience. Looking down upon the seated crowd, he gave a short but pertinent speech. He informed them, in his slightly accented tones, that he was about to risk his life by attempting a very dangerous feat.

Houdini then gave a short demonstration of the perils involved. He asked the audience to hold their breaths as long as he did under water. He approached the milk can and stepped into it. He then curled himself into the can and sank under the water. The lid was not fastened. Houdini remained under water for a minute and a half in full view of the audience. Few of the witnesses could match this feat. This short demonstration of his powers heightened the sense of risk.

Then it was time for the main event. There was a dramatic drum roll. The audience watched, hushed, as Houdini dramatically reentered the milk can. The committee gathered around it and the lid was put in place. It was secured tightly with six spring loaded padlocks. Then the can, containing Houdini was wheeled behind a curtained cabinet.

An uniformed attendant, probably Franz Kukol, stood outside the curtain, holding a large axe in his hand. Houdini had explained that Franz was stationed in that position so that he could smash the can and rescue Houdini if anything went wrong. Franz’s grim presence highlighted the dangerous nature of the escape.

The band played and the audience waited. The man with the axe fingered it nervously. One minute passed, then two minutes, the audience began to fidget and panic. Franz moved towards the curtain, a worried frown on his face, he raised the axe and then suddenly, Houdini appeared. A huge sigh of relief escaped from the crowd. Houdini’ bowing with a broad grin on his face, looked ‘none the worse for his immersion.’

Melbourne magician Charles Waller, described the escape as ‘the best thing I saw him do here.’ Waller said that it was briefly done, but Houdini’s showmanship was such that it seemed ‘marvellous and sensational.’

The Age called the milk can escape, ‘sensational’ and the audience ‘loudly cheered’ the feat. It was a very mysterious and unusual act. Some people however were convinced that they knew how it was done.

On Wednesday March 9^th 1910, a challenge to Houdini appeared in the Melbourne papers. It was titled ‘Houdini defied’. It read

Having witnessed your performance of the can mystery, we believe that

the main secret is your ability to see through water.

It was signed by the Willsmere Certified Milk Company of Bourke Street, Melbourne. The company challenged Houdini to escape the can when it was filled with milk.

The challengers were careful to take precautions. They insisted that employees of Willismere fill the can. In addition they asserted that Houdini attempted the escape at his own risk. . The milk vendors were confident that Houdini would ‘either have to drink the whole can full or be drowned.’

That night, Houdini prepared to take the challenge. He gave a speech to the audience. He told them that the feat he was attempting was very dangerous. He stationed Franz with a stop watch and axe near the can to emphasise that fact.

Willsmere provided the milk and their employees filled the can with it. Houdini stepped into he can and stayed under for a minute and a half without the lid. Then it was time for the challenge. The employees refilled the can. Houdini stepped in and under the liquid. The lid of the can was placed on top and it was locked with six padlocks. The whole apparatus was rolled behind a curtain and the audience waited.

In less than three minutes, Houdini was free. The can looked undisturbed and was still full of milk. The employees of Willsmere, who were positive that they had discovered the secret, were stunned. The audience applauded loudly. Houdini, just for fun, jumped into the can again. He came out smiling and dripping with milk. Later he admitted that it was a trick, and added with a grin, ‘but you don’t know how it’s done.’

The milk was poured away to reassure the public that it would not be reused

If the transparency of the liquid did not effect the escape, what was the secret? It was undoubtedly a dangerous escape. The person within the can was crouched low in almost a foetal position for the time that they were submerged. Not only was this uncomfortable, it also made it difficult to breathe. It was an escape that relied upon Houdini’s athletic prowess and his mechanical ingenuity.

Houdini had trained himself for the trick by staying under water in his bathtub at home. He had run long distances to strengthen his lungs and had practised swimming underwater for long periods. Houdini’s preparation for all his feats was impeccable. He trained his body so that he could perform feats that seemed impossible for an ordinary person.

The secret of the milk can escape was a combination of Houdini’s superb physical conditioning and the construction of the can. It had been made specifically for him and he eventually patented the design. The top of the can was doubled, and attached to the rest by two fake rivets. Houdini could hop inside the can when it was full, remove the rivets from the inside and lift the top of the can without disturbing the padlocks or contents. The whole contraption was constructed in such a way that the can could be examined and not reveal it’s secret. To the outsider it looked like an ordinary, solid, galvanised, iron milk can.

The success of the trick was in the presentation. Aspects of this presentation echoed the manner in which the dive was presented. It indicated a pattern of performance that had been perfected over several years.

Firstly, the advertising emphasised the death defying nature of the feat. It prepared the audience for a dramatic escape. The preview demonstration built on this dangerous perception. By the time Houdini entered the can for the second time, the audience was convinced of the danger involved. If they were not, the presence of the uniformed attendant, complete with axe, would reinforce the point. The presence of the man with the axe and his various antics with the instrument diverted attention away from the business behind the curtain. Finally the fact that Houdini could escape the can quickly and remain safely behind the curtain as the tension in the auditorium grew, added greatly to the drama. The performance showed a great knowledge of the psychology of crowds and an extraordinary ability to manipulate an audience.

Houdini’s milk can escape played to great success in Melbourne and was later repeated in Sydney. The feat was one of his most popular and ingenuous. It fully displayed the skills of Houdini, the master showman and mystifier

Josie Melville

 

 Josephine Mary Melville, the future J C Williamson star, was born in Sydney on 28^th August 1903. She was one of two daughters of George Hugh Melville and Gwendoline Estelle (Ellen) Thomas. George, a journalist, was born in Scotland whilst his wife was born in Sydney. The pair married in Newcastle, New South Wales in 1892.

Like other Williamson stars, Josie began training for the stage as a child. Her stage debut was at four years old when she played a pantomime imp. Josie appeared in several such roles as she grew up and always attracted the audience’s attention.

Josie was later described as a protégée of dance mistress Minnie Everett. It’s probable that she trained with this demanding teacher as a youngster. Minnie had a dance studio in Sydney from where she would pick the most promising dancers for stage performances. Josie’s personal charm and talent ensured that she was one of these.

In 1919, sixteen year old Josie Melville appeared in the annual Williamson pantomime, ‘Goody Two Shoes’ She was a featured dancer in the ballet. The pantomime starred Maggie Dickenson as Harlequin and Sydney Yates as Pierrot. Thus Josie had the opportunity to see two of Australia’s premier dancers perform.

The pantomime took place in the midst of the flu epidemic. Josie who lived in Bondi most of her life, would have been surrounded by masked and grim adults walking the streets of Sydney, It would have been a traumatic experience for a young girl.

Josie continued as part of Williamson ballets until 1923. She toured Australia and New Zealand as a teenager, and often performed as a featured dancer. In 1923 she gained her biggest role, that of Sally in the eponymous musical.

Josie was 19 years old, a petite young girl with reddish brown curls. She had charm and youth, big brown eyes and delicate features that added to her appeal. As Sally, Josie had found the perfect vehicle for her talent. She was a dancer and the role had originally been designed for a ballerina, Marilyn Miller.

Josie was a huge critical and popular success in the role. The Sydney Mail criticised her singing ability but added ‘ (She) possesses qualities of attraction far superior to those of imported stars."

Josie’s youth and the fact that she was Australian coincided with a new social wave that embraced youthful enthusiasm and nationalism. It was the era of trim figures, long straight dresses, which showed a hint of calf and the sculptured hair dos of the shingle, bingle and bob. Society was infused with optimism after the horror of World War One. Josie represented the best aspects of an age that longed for brightness and cheer after years of war and gloom.

She was in every way a young woman of her time. During the run of Sally she begged management to cut her curls into a bob. They refused. Audiences loved her curls, so the curls had to stay. Josie may have been mollified by the elaborate costumes she wore during the show. Many of these reflected contemporary fashions, and photos show Josie in a long straight pinafore that clearly revealed the lower portion of her legs. In another scene she was elaborately dressed in ‘ a wide skirt of silver, bordered and flounced with white fur, over high boots and trousers of white, cross gartered in colours."

Like many of her contemporaries, Josie loved movies. The fact that they directly competed with her own profession did not seem to worry her. She confessed to one interviewer that she liked ‘ Doug Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford’ and that ‘ I like dramas best, good strong, thrilling dramas, with pistols, and railway trains and rushing motor cars and the hero in tremendous difficulties. I could sit and watch them all day.’

Indeed Josie was a girl who liked to hurry. She ran from appointment to appointment and was often late despite her rush. Throughout the fame of Sally she remained a critical and public favourite, an indication that she did not allow fame to change her personality. The fact that her sister, Jean was in the cast may have contributed to her level headed attitude.

She also stayed true to her mentor. During the run in Sydney it was noted that Josie visited her teacher Minnie Everett whilst the latter was sick in hospital. Josie’s kindness and enthusiasm caused reviewers to repeatedly mention that ‘Josie, though a very successful actress, is still a little girl.’

Sally ran for over a year and toured the country. After this success Williamson cast her in a succession of musicals. These included Good Morning Dearie in 1924 and Kid Boots in 1925. She also appeared in the pantomime ‘Babes in the Wood in that year. Josie also found time to perform in benefits. For example in 1924 she appeared in a benefit for legendary actress Maggie Moore. Although Josie remained popular with audiences, she did not repeat the success of Sally. Her singing voice remained slight, although her dancing was first class.

After these experiences, Josie travelled to London to try her luck on the English stage. She appeared in a Williamson supported revue and also appeared in the pantomime, Cinderella. Josie remained in England for four years.

By 1930 she had returned to Australia. Her reappearance on a Sydney stage was in a Williamson production of ‘Follow Through". The show was a comedy that concerned the game of golf. It was a game at which Josie did not excel. A later article described her golf specialty as ‘making the sand fly.’ Elsie Prince and Gus Bluett, one of Australia’s greatest comedians, co starred with Josie in the show. The Sydney Mail described ‘Follow Through’. as ‘a little overdone in places, and a little risqué in others’. Sydney audiences welcomed Josie’s return. According to the paper it ‘was greeted most flatteringly by a host of enthusiastic admirers and she deserved the reception, for she has lost none of her charm or personality.’ The comedy was not a hit, but Josie was fortunate to be working. The depression and the popularity of the ‘talkies’ and radio had made the theatrical profession a precarious one.

In 1933, Josie appeared in pantomime. She played Cinderella for Frank Neill in New Zealand. Whilst in Auckland she was described as ‘an appealing little figure for the part, tiny, with big brown eyes and quaintly perked brows. She looks seventeen and is not twenty-five.’

She was close to thirty at the time, but her charm and slight figure gave her a youthful air. An article written for the Auckland Observer at the time mentioned her passion for gossamer stockings and her shy demeanour. It suggested that she was an ideal choice for Cinderella.

When she was not touring, Josie lived in Bondi near Sydney. She enjoyed swimming in the ocean and said that the exercise maintained her slim figure.

The next year, Josie fulfilled the dreams of Cinderella and married her Prince Charming. John C Glover an Adelaide architect was the lucky man. Glover, born in 1902 was the son of Adelaide’s first Lord Mayor. He had an interest in theatre and whilst a student had participated in many concerts. In later years he became a prominent supporter of the Adelaide Festival of the Arts. It was probably this interest which brought he and Josie together.

The wedding took place on April 24th 1934 at St Johns Church Adelaide. The church was decorated in pink and white and strewn with dahlias and carnations. Two Union Jack flags, in honour of ANZAC Day were prominent amongst the ribbons and flowers. Few of the bride’s friends or family were present. Her father had passed away and her mother was ill in Sydney. Perhaps this was the reason for the understated nature of the ceremony.

Josie, dressed in a ‘ beautifully cut frock of malmaison pink tree bark crepe, the bodice arranged in fichu fashion crossing at the back’, was given away by a childhood friend, Mr C W Lauhman. The groom was attended by his brother in law and his parents were present to witness the ceremony. After the short service, the bride and groom returned to the Glover family home, St Andrews, in North Adelaide. During the small reception, the groom arranged for the bride to receive a phone call from her mother, a generous and gracious gesture. The couple then departed for a ‘motoring holiday.’

In 1936 Josie gave birth to her only child. It was a son named Charles Melville Glover. Josie had settled as a wife and mother and seemed satisfied in the role.

In 1940 John Glover enlisted in the AIF and named his wife, Josephine, as his next of kin in his enlistment papers. Like other women in Australia, Josie had to live through the fear of losing a loved one on the other side of the world. Glover served as a Captain in the Middle East and returned safely to Australia after the war was over.

Sometime afterwards, the couple separated. In 1953, John Glover filed for divorce, charging his wife with desertion. Josie defended the charge but later dropped her defence. On March 24 1954 the marriage between John Glover and Josie Melville was dissolved.

Josie moved back to Sydney’s eastern suburbs where she could swim at her beloved Bondi. She lived there for the remainder of her life. On September 17^th 1963 she died at the war memorial hospital in Vaucluse Sydney.

Her death was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald the next day. The article included a brief comment from a Williamson representative who said that ’everyone who had been connected with Miss Melville in the theatre was extremely sorry to hear of her death.’ Josie was buried in the Church of England section of Waverley cemetery. It was a private ceremony.

Josie Melville lived through the influenza epidemic of 1919, the days of the flappers, and the gloom of depression and war. She reached great heights as a musical comedy actress but could not shake off the aura of Sally. However, in that role, she spoke to a whole generation of hope and joy. It is as Sally in the alley that Josie Melville will be most fondly remembered

Her Majesty's theatre Sydney

 

In December 1884, Sydney Mayor Playfair, laid the foundation stone for a new theatre. It took almost three years for the theatre to be completed. On September 10^th 1887 it was opened as Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sydney.

Located on the north eastern corner of Pitt and Market Streets Sydney, the theatre was a grand edifice that welcomed Sydneysiders for a period of eighty years. It was located where Centrepoint stands today.

The original building was designed by Morell and Kemp and included a large seven storey hotel complex. The theatre had three tiers, dress circle, family circle and gallery or gods. It had a capacity of 2000 people. The interior was decorated in ivory, gold and primrose tints. A large electric chandelier and grand marble staircase dominated the inside of the building.

The opening night was a stellar occasion. The Governor, Lord Carrington, and his wife arrived in a large well-equipped carriage with a military escort. Sydney’s most respectable citizens joined others, of less respectability to view the show.

The opening play was Henry V. George Rignold, the lessee and lead player was anxious that night. His mood was not improved when a loud muttering emanated from the gallery.

"In God’s name, what’s the matter?" Rignold snapped at the muttering mob.

The ‘gods’ explained that the arches constructed around the gallery blocked the view of the stage. There was nothing Rignold could do, so he continued the performance.

This was not the end to his first night woes. As the play continued, a loud whistling could be heard. It once again came from the gallery. The indignant Rignold approached the audience.

‘Has not anyone the courage to turn that man out?’ He asked.

As the whistling continued, Rignold renewed his appeal.

‘Oh I throw myself on your mercy; for heavens sake, give me a fair hearing.’

The theatre erupted in thunderous applause at these words and the whistling stopped.

Henry V was not the most successful play and it closed after three weeks. Rignold followed it with a performance as a blind cardinal in ‘Alone’ and as William the sailor in another play called, ‘Black eyed Susan.’

George Rignold was a colorful character and he held the lease of Her Majesty’s Theatre for almost ten years. He had been a well-known actor in England and America and his performance as Henry V had been praised in those countries.

Apparently the lease of Her Majesty’s was not always profitable and one day a collector came calling at the theatre. Seeing Rignold, lounging in a chair, the collector presumed that he was a servant of some sort, and asked for the manager. ‘Handsome’ George pointed to himself. ‘But who is higher than you?’ asked the collector. Rignold in his magnificent Shakespearean voice pointed upwards ‘God’.

During his tenure, Her Majesty’s hosted a series of national and international stars in dramatic and operatic performances. Her Majesty’s and The Royal became the two primary venues for legitimate theatre in Sydney.

The plays produced during this time included ‘Faust’ in 1887-88, ‘Hamlet’ starring American actor, George Miln in 1888, and ‘Julius Caesar’ starring George Rignold and James Cathcart.

Rignold also introduced his brother William to Sydney audiences, when he starred in a play called ‘Nowadays’. In 1890, George produced Macbeth with Janet Achurch as Lady Macbeth and Charles Carrington, her husband, as Macduff. Rignold was a dramatic producer and his version of Macbeth included the three witches flying from treetops.

In 1891 Rignold moved temporarily to the Royal, so that a major event could take place at Her Majesty’s. JC Williamson and George Musgrove had arranged for the greatest actress of the age to appear in Australia.

.

The ‘divine’ Sarah Bernhardt was at the height of her powers in 1891. Her tour to Australia spawned various anecdotes regarding her demanding nature and eccentric habits. One such story revolved around property master Rock Phillips. During a dinner scene in ‘Camille’ Miss Bernhardt always ate two or three grapes. Grapes were therefore on the property master’s list. Phillips provided stage grapes. One night the stage manager, Monsieur Merle, tried to eat one, he exploded in Gallic hysteria upon discovering that they were inedible.

"Ze Grap! Look! Mon Dieu! Mr Philleeps, ze grap!’

Phillips explained to Merle that it was not grape season and that it was impossible to provide real grapes. Merle insisted that there must be a place where grapes were available. Phillips mentioned Adelaide. Merle replied.

‘Ah, quick, quick , my friend! A cab and bring them from Adelaide.’

It was eventually explained that this was not possible. Phillips used raisins expanded in wine to substitute for the grapes. This proved both satisfactory and tasty.

During the Sydney part of the tour, Sarah performed in ‘Camille’, ‘La Tosca’, ‘Fedora’, ‘Jeanne D’Arc’ and ‘Cleopatra.’ Her performances were in French and Sydney audiences were provided with English translations in the form of booklets. They followed the play using these booklets. This meant that the house lights were not lowered during the performances. Despite the language difference, Sydney theatregoers rapturously received Sarah Bernhardt.

The late nineteenth Century was a period of growth and development of Australian Theatre. Her Majesty’s Theatre was an integral part of this process. Amongst many performances hosted at the theatre were ‘La Cigale’ starring the Royal Comic Opera Company, ‘Marjorie’, which introduced George Lauri to Sydney, and ‘Faust up to date’, by the third London Gaiety Company. Amongst the performers who graced the stage during this time were, Howard Vernon, Teddy Lonnen, Hosea Easton, and Robert Courtneidge

In 1895 Rignold ended his long lease. His final production as lessee was ‘Cloncarty’ on September 21^st. After a brief period where Alfred Woods leased the theatre, JC Williamson and George Musgrove took over in 1896. Under the care of these two impressarios, Her Majesty’s hosted grand opera, pantomime, melodrama and a number of international and Australian stars. Amongst these stars were Harry Conor, an American comedian, and American actors, Louise Hepner and Oscar Girard Ichabod Bronson. Girard became ill during his performance of The Belle of New York in 1899. Arthur Whelan replaced him in the role. Whelan, an Australian, was to become a major player in the local theatre scene. Another major player who debuted under the auspices of Williamson was Hugh J Ward.

In February 1902, the theatre presented a revival of ‘Ben Hur’. It starred Conway Tearle. The production was dogged by bad luck. It had been open a few days when it had to be closed because of plague. It reopened three weeks later but disaster struck. The theatre was consumed by fire. The blaze broke out on Palm Sunday March 23^rd, at the rear of the stage. A wall collapsed and killed a young woman. Three firemen were injured as they attempted to fight the flames. The loss of life and property was devastating.

Yet the theatre was rebuilt. It’s original three tiers was reduced to two, dress circle and gallery. The original staircases were removed to make access easier and the whole was centred on a marble staircase. The new theatre was designed by William Pitt and built by Baxter and Boyne.

The new structure was as magnificent as the old. It opened on August 1^st 1903. The theatre continued it’s fine tradition of presenting the best local and overseas acts.

In 1904, Julius Knight and Maud Jeffries presented ‘Monsieur Beaucaire’, and the ‘Eternal City’. Later that year, American, Cuyler Hastings appeared in ‘the Admirable Crichton.’ Howard Vernon appeared in a production of ‘Patience’ and the Royal comics continued their excellent productions with performances of ‘The Cingalee’ and ‘Little Michus.’ In 1904, film star, John Barrymore appeared at Her Majesty’s Theatre as part of an American company headed by William Collier.

Australian sensation, Nellie Stewart appeared as Rosalind in ‘As you like it’ in 1909. Two years later, HB Irving, son of legendary actor, Sir Henry Irving, took to the stage as Hamlet. In 1913 another Australian star, Gladys Moncrieff, made her principal debut at Her Majestys. Gladys appeared as Josephine in HMS Pinafore. She was soon to become a major Australian stage star. She was offered further fame and fortune overseas but turned it down in favour of remaining in Australia. At Her Majesty’s in 1921 she appeared for the first time in her signature role, as Teresa, in ‘The Maid of the mountains.’

Stars such as Gladys, the ever-popular Royal comics, Marie Burke, and Beppie De Vries dominated the 1920s. Ballet star, Anna Pavlova danced across the stage in 1926.In 1928 Nellie Melba joined the Williamson company to present a grand Opera Season. The season included , ‘Turandot’, ‘The love of the three kings’ and ‘Tabarro’.

Australian stars, such as Dorothy Brunton, Maud Elliot and Cyril Ritchard appeared at Her Majestys in the early 1930s. By this time almost every major star of the legitimate stage had appeared at the theatre at some time. The theatre had a tradition and reputation for presenting the best the world had to offer. It had been operating at the Pitt and Market Street site for almost 80 years.

In 1933 John Tait managing director of JC Williamson announced that the tradition was about to end. Tait cited the new amusement tax as a primary reason for the closure of the theatre. In his announcement Tait said that

‘A recent season in one of the capital cities showed that amusement tax amounting to almost 1000 pounds was paid during a short season, but for this same season JC Williamson Ltd will be lucky if it comes out without a loss.’

The amusement tax was not the only reason. Competition from the new talkies had eroded the popularity of legitimate theatre and the economic climate had eroded the cost effectiveness of productions. Tait announced that the final night of the theatre would be June 10^th 1933.

That night the cream of Australian society arrived to farewell Her Majesty’s theatre. Theatrical personalities such as John and Frank Tait, Andrew Mc Cunn, Minnie Love, Vinia De Liotte, Hugh Ward and Carrie Moore gathered to reminisce . Sydney Lord Mayor Hogon and his wife joined them.

Fittingly, the last performance was Maid of the Mountains, starring Gladys Moncrieff.

It was an emotional night. During interval, the Lord Mayor expressed regret that a theatre held in such sentimental regard was closing. He stood on stage and showed the large audience the original mallet and trowel used by Lord Mayor Playfair when he laid the foundation stone in 1884.

At the conclusion of the performance, the cast appeared on stage with a variety of floral tributes. One of them was a tall ladder with each rung labelled with a piece in which Gladys Moncrieff was the star. Then Arthur Stignant introduced a pageant which featured representations of past performers. Included were George Rignold, Sarah Bernhardt, Nellie Stewart, HB Irving, Howard Vernon, Nellie Melba and Pavlova. Carrie Moore appeared as herself.

Gladys Moncrieff sang a lovely ‘Farewell’, the orchestra played ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and the audience joined in. Then everybody stood and sang the national anthem for the last time.

After the audience left, a late supper and dance was held. Stagehands, stars, chorus and ballet performers all danced on the hallowed boards. They sang and laughed and cried until 3am. Then the last person left the theatre, the brown velvet curtain hung motionless and the empty auditorium echoed to the sound of a door closing for the final time.

The next day the bulldozers moved in and the graceful old building was demolished. A Woolworth’s store was opened on the site on 22^nd March 1934

Harry Clay

 Harry Clay was born Henry Clay at Patrick's Plain, Singleton in 1865. His parents were John and Mary A Clay and he had at least two brothers, George and Ralph. At that time Patrick's Plain was a young and small settlement to the north of Sydney in the Newcastle area.

 

Harry apparently began his theatrical career as a performer in the local area. He later became involved in minstrel companies and by the 1890s was working for Harry Rickards as a Tivoli regular. Harry Clay was a tenor singer of some repute according to later accounts

.

By 1905, Clay was beginning to promote his own vaudeville company. Clay's operation was to become a training ground for many artists, such as George Wallace and George Sorlie who later played the Tivoli. In that way his association with his former employer continued.

 

Clays operation was smaller, cheaper and relied more on local talent than did the larger vaudeville empires of Rickards and James Brennan. By 1910, Harry Clay had set up head quarters in Newtown, to the west of Sydney, and was promoting shows in the Sydney suburbs.

 

In that year his primary venues were the Hippodrome, later the Bridge Theatre, in Newtown and The Royal Standard Theatre in the city. The Hippodrome, for those who know the Newtown area, was located where the old Hub Theatre still stands. It was centrally located on a major Sydney tram route and opposite Newtown railway station. As such it was in an attractive position for Clay's targeted clientele, the working class residents of Sydney. The Standard theatre was also centrally located. It stood near the 'new Mark Foy's building' , built to two stories in 1908, in Castlereagh Street. It was thus close to Central station and to the heart of Chinatown.

 

Clay was unique in that he took the theatre to the burgeoning suburban areas of Sydney. In 1910 a typical Clay's programme had a performance at Petersham Town Hall on Monday, Parramatta on Tuesday, Newtown on Wednesday, Ashfield on Thursday, North Sydney on Friday and The Royal Standard on Saturday.

 

The cheap prices and the suburban audiences made for a rowdy, exciting, and interactive experience. Whilst the Tivoli attempted to gentrify it's shows and make them more family and middle class friendly, Clays appealed to a more earthy, less sophisticated crowd.

 

At this stage Clay seemed to be running two companies, who toured the circuit. Number One company probably played the two major theatres, The Standard on Saturday and Newtown bridge on Wednesday. Number Two company toured the suburbs. One feature of the shows were the picture songs. A singer would perform in front of a projector screen to the cheers of the audience. An attempt to mix the new movie technology with the old vaudeville traditions. One exponent of this art was Miss Thelma Woods. Thelma was a balladist, whose picture songs were well received by a Newtown Bridge audience in 1910. Clays attracted large audiences throughout this period to all its shows. Its success was only limited by the small size of the venues.

 

Clays continued to grow. During World War One, Clay continued to present performances. Perhaps his circuit was less effected by the war because it had always relied on a strong local element to attract patrons. The other theatres such as the Tiv had a strong tradition of importing major international acts. A tradition that was threatened by the outbreak of hostilities.

 

In 1917 Clay had expanded to include country areas and more players. The Newtown Bridge Theatre was still, however, the centre of the Clay mini empire. Clays advertised a complete change of programme every eight days at Newtown bridge. A rapid change in the programme was central to the success of a circuit with limited seats and small prices. The routine of the regular performers was hectic as a result. A company would come in one Saturday and leave for the country the next Friday. It would be replaced by the incoming country company who would play one night at Newtown, before touring the suburbs. Then the next company would come in to perform that Saturday night. At this stage Clay had added the Coliseum Theatre in North Sydney to the circuit. This theatre is now called the Independent and is still operating in the area.

 

Clay seemed to have at least three different companies operating at one time . They went by a variety of colourful names. For example, The Bullfighters Company, the Where's My Wife Company, the Tomboy company. Each company regularly toured the country areas. Towns included on the itinerary included, Goulburn, Albury, Wagga, Junee, Cootamundra, Young, Harden, Cowra, Bathurst and Lithgow. All of these towns were on major train lines, with many being on the Melbourne to Sydney route. The life of a performer on the Clays circuit would have been one of small town hotels, the sound of trains rattling, and the constant threat of luggage loss. The country tours were also an opportunity to hone their skills with a less sophisticated and smaller audience.

 

 

The performances at this stage mimicked the structure of the larger vaudeville theatres. A first part revue based on a theme, followed by a second part of more traditional vaudeville fare. One winter 1917 performance at Newtown Bridge boasted a 'breezy and bright' musical burlesque called Miss Chilli from Chill as the first part. It was followed by a second part which included Wong Toy Sun and Company in 'oriental magical creations' and the Harmonious Trio.

 

Many of the performances included moving pictures, which was a popular trend. This was an attempt to forestall the incursions of the new medium upon the old.

 

By 1922, Harry Clay was considered a respectable Newtown and Sydney businessman. Ten years earlier he had been excluded from the official jubilee souvenir of Newtown. In 1922 he was warmly welcomed. The Bridge Theatre was featured in a large advertisement in the official programme. It boasted ' The Greatest and Cheapest show in the southern Hemisphere', urged, Save Hours Of Worry -Smile (SHOWS) and Come Laugh Away Your Sorrows (CLAYS). Prices however had risen to two shillings, perhaps reflecting this new respectability.

 

Harry Clay was a self made businessman and in keeping with his new status lived in Vaucluse in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney with his wife Kate and daughter Essie. The eastern suburbs had been the home of Rickards and Williamson and seemed to be a popular area for theatre impresarios.

 

In 1925, Clay was principal of a company which controlled The Princess Theatre in the city, the Gaiety in Oxford Street, and the Bridge Theatre in Newtown. He was 60 years old and suffering from a long illness. He died in February of that year, at Vaucluse in Sydney.

 

His funeral was attended by a large theatrical contingent. The hearse was preceded by about 200 members of the theatrical employees union. Representatives from the Tivoli theatre, Fullers Theatres, the Sydney Stadium, Wirth's Circus, Vaucluse Council and Newtown Council attended. A host of actors, actresses, vaudevillians, and show people, also attended. The service at the grave side concluded with the attendees singing 'Nearer my God to thee.'

Henry Clay was buried at South Head cemetery. One obituary in a Sydney paper said, that he was ' a staunch friend of Australian artists' and that he had 'won a high name in the profession for generosity.' An apt epitaph for a man who was a much beloved figure in the Australian vaudeville sceneHarry Clay was born Henry Clay at Patrick's Plain, Singleton in 1865. His parents were John and Mary A Clay and he had at least two brothers, George and Ralph. At that time Patrick's Plain was a young and small settlement to the north of Sydney in the Newcastle area.

 

Harry apparently began his theatrical career as a performer in the local area. He later became involved in minstrel companies and by the 1890s was working for Harry Rickards as a Tivoli regular. Harry Clay was a tenor singer of some repute according to later accounts

.

By 1905, Clay was beginning to promote his own vaudeville company. Clay's operation was to become a training ground for many artists, such as George Wallace and George Sorlie who later played the Tivoli. In that way his association with his former employer continued.

 

Clays operation was smaller, cheaper and relied more on local talent than did the larger vaudeville empires of Rickards and James Brennan. By 1910, Harry Clay had set up head quarters in Newtown, to the west of Sydney, and was promoting shows in the Sydney suburbs.

 

In that year his primary venues were the Hippodrome, later the Bridge Theatre, in Newtown and The Royal Standard Theatre in the city. The Hippodrome, for those who know the Newtown area, was located where the old Hub Theatre still stands. It was centrally located on a major Sydney tram route and opposite Newtown railway station. As such it was in an attractive position for Clay's targeted clientele, the working class residents of Sydney. The Standard theatre was also centrally located. It stood near the 'new Mark Foy's building' , built to two stories in 1908, in Castlereagh Street. It was thus close to Central station and to the heart of Chinatown.

 

Clay was unique in that he took the theatre to the burgeoning suburban areas of Sydney. In 1910 a typical Clay's programme had a performance at Petersham Town Hall on Monday, Parramatta on Tuesday, Newtown on Wednesday, Ashfield on Thursday, North Sydney on Friday and The Royal Standard on Saturday.

 

The cheap prices and the suburban audiences made for a rowdy, exciting, and interactive experience. Whilst the Tivoli attempted to gentrify it's shows and make them more family and middle class friendly, Clays appealed to a more earthy, less sophisticated crowd.

 

At this stage Clay seemed to be running two companies, who toured the circuit. Number One company probably played the two major theatres, The Standard on Saturday and Newtown bridge on Wednesday. Number Two company toured the suburbs. One feature of the shows were the picture songs. A singer would perform in front of a projector screen to the cheers of the audience. An attempt to mix the new movie technology with the old vaudeville traditions. One exponent of this art was Miss Thelma Woods. Thelma was a balladist, whose picture songs were well received by a Newtown Bridge audience in 1910. Clays attracted large audiences throughout this period to all its shows. Its success was only limited by the small size of the venues.

 

Clays continued to grow. During World War One, Clay continued to present performances. Perhaps his circuit was less effected by the war because it had always relied on a strong local element to attract patrons. The other theatres such as the Tiv had a strong tradition of importing major international acts. A tradition that was threatened by the outbreak of hostilities.

 

In 1917 Clay had expanded to include country areas and more players. The Newtown Bridge Theatre was still, however, the centre of the Clay mini empire. Clays advertised a complete change of programme every eight days at Newtown bridge. A rapid change in the programme was central to the success of a circuit with limited seats and small prices. The routine of the regular performers was hectic as a result. A company would come in one Saturday and leave for the country the next Friday. It would be replaced by the incoming country company who would play one night at Newtown, before touring the suburbs. Then the next company would come in to perform that Saturday night. At this stage Clay had added the Coliseum Theatre in North Sydney to the circuit. This theatre is now called the Independent and is still operating in the area.

 

Clay seemed to have at least three different companies operating at one time . They went by a variety of colourful names. For example, The Bullfighters Company, the Where's My Wife Company, the Tomboy company. Each company regularly toured the country areas. Towns included on the itinerary included, Goulburn, Albury, Wagga, Junee, Cootamundra, Young, Harden, Cowra, Bathurst and Lithgow. All of these towns were on major train lines, with many being on the Melbourne to Sydney route. The life of a performer on the Clays circuit would have been one of small town hotels, the sound of trains rattling, and the constant threat of luggage loss. The country tours were also an opportunity to hone their skills with a less sophisticated and smaller audience.

 

 

The performances at this stage mimicked the structure of the larger vaudeville theatres. A first part revue based on a theme, followed by a second part of more traditional vaudeville fare. One winter 1917 performance at Newtown Bridge boasted a 'breezy and bright' musical burlesque called Miss Chilli from Chill as the first part. It was followed by a second part which included Wong Toy Sun and Company in 'oriental magical creations' and the Harmonious Trio.

 

Many of the performances included moving pictures, which was a popular trend. This was an attempt to forestall the incursions of the new medium upon the old.

 

By 1922, Harry Clay was considered a respectable Newtown and Sydney businessman. Ten years earlier he had been excluded from the official jubilee souvenir of Newtown. In 1922 he was warmly welcomed. The Bridge Theatre was featured in a large advertisement in the official programme. It boasted ' The Greatest and Cheapest show in the southern Hemisphere', urged, Save Hours Of Worry -Smile (SHOWS) and Come Laugh Away Your Sorrows (CLAYS). Prices however had risen to two shillings, perhaps reflecting this new respectability.

 

Harry Clay was a self made businessman and in keeping with his new status lived in Vaucluse in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney with his wife Kate and daughter Essie. The eastern suburbs had been the home of Rickards and Williamson and seemed to be a popular area for theatre impresarios.

 

In 1925, Clay was principal of a company which controlled The Princess Theatre in the city, the Gaiety in Oxford Street, and the Bridge Theatre in Newtown. He was 60 years old and suffering from a long illness. He died in February of that year, at Vaucluse in Sydney.

 

His funeral was attended by a large theatrical contingent. The hearse was preceded by about 200 members of the theatrical employees union. Representatives from the Tivoli theatre, Fullers Theatres, the Sydney Stadium, Wirth's Circus, Vaucluse Council and Newtown Council attended. A host of actors, actresses, vaudevillians, and show people, also attended. The service at the grave side concluded with the attendees singing 'Nearer my God to thee.'

Henry Clay was buried at South Head cemetery. One obituary in a Sydney paper said, that he was ' a staunch friend of Australian artists' and that he had 'won a high name in the profession for generosity.' An apt epitaph for a man who was a much beloved figure in the Australian vaudeville scene

Harry Tighe Australian Playwright

 Harry Tighe, Australian Playwright

Australian playwright, Harry Tighe, was born Henry Tighe at Lambton, New South Wales in 1877. He was the youngest of ten children. His father was Atkinson Tighe and his mother, Arabella.

Harry spent most of his youth in Petersham, in Sydney’s inner western suburbs. He was a sickly child. When he was seventeen he was sent to England for health and educational reasons. Harry enrolled at Cambridge University and his health improved in England

Harry was happy there. He felt an affinity for the countryside and climate. An affinity which was missing in Australia. He was however, aware of being an alien in England. Occasionally the English would shun him, presuming that he came from convict stock. This was a common problem for those identifying themselves as Australian in the early 20^th century.

Regardless he remained contented in England. He continued to identify himself as Australian. To Harry, the fact that he was an Australian more contented in a foreign land than at home was a cause for sorrow. Questions of identity were to concern him for most of his life and played a significant part in his writing.

At age 21 Harry decided to turn to literature as a full time occupation. It was a decision that did not please his father, who was a well respected businessman and former state politician. However, Harry stood by his decision and had a moderately successful career as a writer.

His first published work was Jean, a play in three acts, written in 1901. This was followed by Remorse and other essays in 1902. By the early 1930s he had written sixteen novels and had four plays produced in London. Amongst his novels were Women of the Hills (1922) and With the Tide (1925). Women of the Hills was described as ‘passionate and atmospheric’ by critics. With the Tide concerned the fight of a middle aged woman to retain her youth. It was a modern novel, which sold well. Many of Harry’s writings concerned the feminine mind . It was this fact which led a reporter to describe Harry as a clever writer on feminine psychology.

Harry was better known as a playwright. He had one play , Insult, produced in New York. It was presented at the 49^th Street Theatre in September 1930, but only lasted for twenty four performances.

Another play, Atonement written with Cecil Rhodes, gave some idea of Harry’s major themes. The play was set in Spain and concerned a condemned man and a priest. The priest took the condemned mans place in his cell when he discovered that the man was the father of his sisters child.  The plot was the traditional melodramatic one of the time. Although it had no female characters, it did address issues which seemed to preoccupy the author. In particular issues relating to identity.

Harry lived in England for close to forty years with few visits to Australia. He lived in Kensington and had a wide social circle. One article of the 1930s stated that ‘His parties are much enjoyed by many people with famous names.’

One of Harry’s favorite stories concerned an encounter with Nellie Melba. The diva once sang a song, at an informal gathering at Harry’s request. It seemed that Harry, despite his alienation from Australia, associated with many Australians whilst in London. Another story told of a meeting with Charles Ryan, a prominent Melbourne doctor.. The two were on a cruise around Turkey. As they passed Gallipoli, Ryan pointed to a spot where he had sat with a friend. He had shared a cigar with the man, urging him to sit on a sandhill for comfort. The man had followed the doctor’s advice, and lit the cigar. After one puff a sniper had felled him. Ryan told Harry that he blamed himself for the man’s death.

In 1932 Harry returned to Australia. He said that this was due to financial reasons beyond his control. It was probably due to the depression. Harry settled in Sydney, in a house on Cremorne Point.

The depression had taken its toll on Sydney’s theatre scene. As a playwright, Harry did not have many options. Theatre at that time was confined to amateur theatre companies such as The Independent Theatre and the Sydney Repertory Theatre. The larger Theatres such as The Royal had few live theatre productions and showed motion pictures.

Harry decided to join forces with Doris Fitton and the Independent Theatre. Fitton was Phillipines born and Australian raised. She had entered the acting profession at a young age and moved from Melbourne to Sydney, where she performed with the Turret Theatre group. From this group arose the Independent Theatre. The Independent was founded by a group of theatre lovers who each subscribed ten pounds. They had club rooms on the corner of King and York Streets in Sydney where they rehearsed. They were known for their polished productions of high quality plays. The group used venues such as St James Hall and the Savoy Theatre. Some productions such as "the Constant Nymph" were so well received that they were transferred to the commercial theatres. By 1932 Doris Fitton was being compared to legends such as Lillian Bayliss for her contribution to Sydney Theatre.

Harry Tighe had been interested in The Peoples Theatre movement run by Nancy Price in London. Fitton’s Independent Theatre was based upon similar ideas. Both Tighe and Fitton lived on Sydney’s North Shore, and were probably introduced by mutual friends.

Harry gave a lecture at the Independent Theatre clubrooms in 1932. The lecture was titled, ‘The Art of Acting’. It reportedly had a ‘splendid reception.’

He then produced a Noel Coward play, The Young Idea for the Independent Theatre.The play concerned the activity of two children who tried to reconcile their divorced parents. It was a comedy. Mr Bruce Bennett Smith starred as the father and Winifred Heath Green as the mother. Miss Grace Hart and Mr James Pratt played the two children.

The play had its first performance at the Savoy Theatre in Bligh Street Sydney on Saturday 2^nd July 1932. It was well received by a ‘large and appreciative’ audience.

The Sydney Mail newspaper particularly praised the efforts of Mr Bennett who played his part, ‘excellently’. The newspaper also stated that the play carried on the ‘high tradition’ of the Independent theatre. Mr Harry Tighe, producer, must have been well pleased with the review. The play continued for five performances.

Whether Harry continued his association with Doris Fitton is unknown. He announced that he was going to consider the foundation of a school for Australian playwrights. He may have spent the remainder of his time in Australia promoting and working on this project. Certainly, Harry had an interest in promoting Australian theatre. Yet the depression and subsequent decline in Australian theatre activity probably interfered with his plans

Harry Tighe returned to England. The place where he felt most comfortable. By the late 1930s he had been awarded a silver medal by the Instituit Litteraire et Artisique de France At that time he published two thinly disguised autobiographical accounts of his life. They were called, By the Wayside (1939) and As I Saw It’ (1937). In both books the author is hidden by the name ‘Chard’. By the Wayside is a traditional narrative of the author’s life. It includes anecdotes about his early life and his meetings with famous theatre personalities of the time.

As I saw it, is less traditional. It has long stream of consciousness passages and discursive paragraphs. It is set in the 1930s and contains some interesting descriptions of Sydney at the time. It also gives some insight into the insecurity of the day, and questions the nature of Australian identity. It addresses issues of race in a manner which would be deemed racist by a modern reader. Harry’s inability to find peace in his homeland is a disturbing element of the book

During the 1940s Harry continued to write. In 1945 He published The Art of acting, possibly an extended version of the speech he gave to the Independent Theatre,

Harry Tighe died in 1946. He was not a major Australian playwright, but his plays are interesting examples of the type of work being produced in the early 20^th century. His two semi autobiographical novels are also interesting historical documents. In particular his descriptions of Sydney and accounts of meeting famous theatre personalities are useful. His fiction may not have aged well, but his autobiographical work gives an insight into questions which plague the Australian population to this day.

Dorothy Brunton

 

 Dorothy Brunton,

John Brunton, English scenery designer, came to Australia with his wife Cissy, and new son John  in 1886. Cissy had given birth on the long sea voyage. Soon afterwards, John and Christina, (Cissy's real name) settled in Carlton in the suburbs of Melbourne. John had been well known in the English theatrical world and easily gained employment in Australia . His work was highly regarded and he was employed regularly by the major theatre chains.

Another child was born to the couple in 1888, a son, James. In 1890 Cissy gave birth yet again. This time the child was a daughter. She was named Christina Dorothy, but became known as Dorothy.

For almost three decades Dorothy Brunton was the queen of the Australian musical comedy stage. Her career spanned the First World War, the roaring twenties and continued into the depression years.

Dorothy made her debut on stage as a five year old with JC Williamson. She was to perform for the company throughout her career and maintained a strong loyalty towards them.

In 1913 Dorothy appeared in her first major stage production, ‘Autumn Manoeuvres’. By 1914 she had moved to bigger fields. That year she performed in an operetta called ‘Gypsy Love’. It was a piece based on a flimsy plot line but contained enough bright music and stage effects to captivate an audience. Dorothy appeared in a supporting role as Jolan, ‘a bright, happy girl, filled with the joy of life.’

She wore a long white gown. The dress had puffed sleeves that covered her upper arms and a skirt tied at the waist. She had to lift the skirt to perform the dance routines required for the role. Pictures of her in the part show her at 24, with a round face, big smile and large eyes. Her dark hair, parted in the middle, fell in ringletted waves below her shoulders.

Dorothy’s starring moment came when she and Phil Smith sang "The Best Game" and danced with a pair of dolls. This vignette was well received by a sell out audience at Her Majesty's Theatre in Sydney. Critics described Dorothy as ‘delightful’.

By 1917 Dorothy was considered a major actress. In fact she became so famous that her off stage movements were being reported in the trade magazines. That year she appeared in several major productions. In Melbourne, her performance as Kate Armytage in ‘Three Twins '  brought loud applause, much laughter and immense audiences. It also brought critical praise. Her singing was described as ‘effective’ whilst her version of ‘Cuddle up a little bit closer’ was ‘splendidly rendered.’

During the run of ‘Three Twins’, Dorothy saw Ada Reeve at the Old Opera House. The theatrical magazines noted her presence and the warm reaction to it.

Almost immediately following ‘Three Twins’, Dorothy appeared in ‘Canary Cottage’ at Her Majestys in Sydney.

The Referee described ‘Canary Cottage’ as ‘a riot of colour, blaring music, flashing limbs, whirling skirts, and extravagant humour.’ The main character was a dipsomaniac who had hallucinations involving purple tarantulas, green and yellow lizards, and alligators. Alfred Frith played this poor soul. The plot revolved around his attempts to shield another character, a gay and gallant adventurer, from the consequences of being engaged to two women and having an affair with another .

Dorothy played one of the fiancées. Her entrance to the stage caused the ‘flappers’ in the gallery to become ‘almost hysterical’. She received a tremendous reception.

Star power, musical mastery, and the combined talents of Dorothy, Madge Elliott and Andrew McCunn, made this farce a popular show in Sydney.

After ‘Canary Cottage’ finished, Dorothy decided to travel to London . She had a brother fighting in France and hoped to see him whilst there. Whether this was John or James was not noted. Dorothy was close to her brothers and a brother was mentioned at least twice in newspaper accounts of her career. The death of their father in 1909 probably brought the siblings together.

She made her London debut in "Shanghai" in 1918. It was produced at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. She must have made a success of her London career because she stayed overseas for two years.

In 1920 Dorothy returned to Australia and appeared in several musicals for JC Williamson. One of these musicals was ‘Oh Lady! Lady!" staged in 1921 where she took the starring role of Fainting Fanny.

As Fanny, the pickpocket who plied her trade by pretending to faint in men’s arms, Dorothy had a major hit. She captivated the audience in a dead leaf green sports coat, short check skirt and a German students black velvet cap. The skirt daringly showed her calves covered by black stockings. In contrast to her long flowing hair of 1914, Dorothy sported a short bob. Covered by the cap, her perky face was topped by a fringe of circular curls.

The critics acclaimed the performance as the best of her career. The audience agreed with this assessment. Her arrival on stage was greeted with loud and long applause.

The production was notable for having a nefarious character as the heroine. A departure of form for the legitimate theatre, but a theme that had long been embraced by Australians.

During the run of the play Dorothy announced her intention of travelling to the United States to visit her brother, who was a movie producer. This announcement caused the theatre goers of Sydney to rush to the box office. On the eve of the final night, their eagerness caused scenes of disruption outside Her Majesty’s Theatre. At 6.30am queues began to form outside the theatre. Police were called to break them up and management suspended all ticket selling.

At the close of the final night’s performance Dorothy was almost overwhelmed by floral tributes. She made a farewell speech thanking the audience and expressing her hope that her friends in Sydney would not forget her.

Dorothy travelled to the United States. She did not appear on the American stage . In 1925 she returned to Australia and acted in several plays. Amongst these were ‘Rose O Reilly’ and ‘The Climax’. In the latter, she starred with Guy Bates Post. After the conclusion of the Sydney season they took the play to South Africa. In 1927 it was produced in London at the Little Theatre. Dorothy reportedly scored a personal success with her performance there. However, this did not ensure success for the production. It closed after 30 performances. Dorothy later stated that the Little Theatre had housed a series of failures before ‘The Climax’. She added that this run of bad luck had almost certainly doomed the production. This indicated that Dorothy had her fair share of theatrical superstition.

1931 was a significant year for Dorothy. She returned to Australia and performed for the first time in six years. She also got married

Dorothy had been suffering from ill health in London. She had been stricken by a series of colds and coughs, which had severely limited her.

‘I had continually to be dropping out of the cast for a few nights on account of my cough. At last I realised that only a visit to my native land where I could bask in glorious sunshine would pull me through. So here I am’

Dorothy was quickly recruited by JC Williamsons to perform on the Australian stage. She made her return at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Sydney on March 7^th 1931 in ‘Dearest Enemy’.

‘Dearest Enemy’ was set during the American War of Independence, Dorothy played Betsy Burke, the Irish heroine. She sang and danced her way through a production populated by British soldiers, ladies in elegant evening gowns and George Washington. Dorothy was dressed in period costume and sang several songs. The most notable of these were, ‘Here in my Arms’ a duet with Sydney Burchell, and ‘The Fairy Tales of Ireland’.

Dorothy made one of her trademark unconventional entrances by first appearing on stage wrapped in a barrel. She was praised for her ‘excellent interpretation’ of the willful heroine and for her ability to maintain a brogue throughout the play. ‘Dearest Enemy’ was a popular and critical hit. Dorothy had indeed been remembered by her friends in Sydney.

Later that year Dorothy got married. She married Ben Dawson, a businessman, and the marriage took place in Melbourne. She appeared on stage sporadically after her marriage. Her most notable role being in ‘Roadhouse’ in 1933. Her last appearance was around 1935. After that, Dorothy Brunton, the darling of the Australian stage retired.

The reason for her retirement is unknown. It seems reasonable to assume that marriage and family became her career. The marriage lasted until Ben died in 1945.

Dorothy returned to England and stayed there until 1949. Then she returned to her native land. She was suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Her return to Australia was virtually unnoticed by the press, which had once documented her every move. She lived the rest of her life in relative obscurity and died in Sydney on June 5 1977.

The Sydney Morning Herald noted her passing six days later, but the paper did not bother to include a photograph. The column was titled, ‘Former comedy actress dies’. It was a short, blunt statement, which did not convey the stardom and charisma of Dorothy Brunton