New Opera House later the Tivoli Melbourne

 

The Opera House, which became the Tivoli Theatre in 1914, was a place with a great deal of history and a great history of trouble. Both began almost at the same time. The site began it's long history by hosting a timber yard and stables in the mid 19th Century. In the 1860s this building was replaced by the Australian and New York Letting and Livery stables which were topped by a hall or assembly room. M De La Chapelle was reportedly the manager. A little later in 1866, the hall was known as The Varieties and later as the Opera Comique. As The Varieties the hall hosted the first performance in Australia of the Can Can.

In 1870, a fire destroyed part of the building and in 1871 it was described as having a capacity of 2200 people with poor ventilation suspected of being polluted by the stables and kitchen yards.

In 1872 it was taken over as The Prince of Wales Opera House, with William Saurin Lyster as manager. Lyster had in the 1860s toured Australia with the Durand Opera Company and was credited with introducing opera to Australia. A syndicate, calling themselves the Opera House Company, which included W Dean, H Hoyt, A Crawford and Dr Motherwell paid rent of 1000 pounds a year for the building. Under the management of these gentlemen The Opera House presented a wide variety of popular entertainment. The Australian written pantomime, Australia Felix was performed in 1873. In 1874, an English singer and comedian named, Harry Rickards graced the stage. Whilst in 1883 "The Colonel" a play which satirised the aesthetic craze was produced. It also hosted such performances as the first Melbourne production of HMS Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance. This wide variety of performances was necessary to cater to the diverse audience which attended the theatre.

In 1886, the Board of Health noted that there was no closet or urinal accommodation for the stalls or pit. The building was still being used for theatrical purposes at that stage, hosting luminaries such as Nellie Stewart and The Brough- Boucicault Company.

In 1890, the Board of Health was complaining about the building and the city council said that it was operating without consent. The owners insisted that the Opera House Company had a lease until 1893 and that nothing could be done.

In 1894, the walls of the building were leaning and The Opera House was being described as more dangerous and risky than any other theatre in Melbourne. At his stage the building had a capacity of 2127 people. When they were all crammed into the space together , it was a fire and health hazard.

A year later Harry Rickards took a 3 year lease on this rattle trap building which was obviously in need of serious renovation. Later that year a fire broke out in a dressing room during a performance. Rickards who four years later would suffer a worse fate by fire, was uninsured.

By 1897, the city council was objecting to the place being used for entertainment purposes. Harry wrote to them asking for a delay in closure as he still had 3 years left to run on his lease. Finally in 1899, a month after his lease expired, the city council closed the theatre. It was essentially condemned as unhealthy and dangerous.

The owners advertised for new leasees, but conditions were attached to the lease.The old building was to be demolished and a new one built. Harry Rickards who never seemed to give up despite the odds against him, negotiated a new lease with the owners. The lease extended for fifty years and included the large sum of thirty five thousand pounds for rebuilding. That same year Rickards lost a large amount when the Tivoli in Sydney was destroyed by fire. The family empire must have been very close to tottering.

Nonetheless, Harry went ahead with his building plans the old theatre was demolished. The New Opera House, standing at 249 Bourke Street, was built and completed in 1900. It was designed by William Pitt who also designed the Princess Theatre in Melbourne. It was made of red brick with marble columns and terra cotta ornamentation. It had a three level auditorium, with red and gold colours dominating the decor. Columns which supported the three tiers hampered the view from many areas of the theatre. It was apparently well known for the intimacy it created between performer and audience. It had a capacity of approximately 1400 people.

The building was apparently surmounted with an illuminated beacon with the words "Opera House" upon it. It was known throughout the Rickards management era, as The New Opera House. In 1914 it was renamed the Tivoli.

The New Opera House had a strong tradition of importing international acts. Such famous performers as Cinquevalli, the juggler who could catch a cannon ball on his neck, Sandow the strongman, and W C Fields, amongst others appeared on it's stage. Together with the Tivoli in Sydney, it represented Harry Rickards' flagship operation

Nellie Melba- Sydney 1902

 

When Mrs Armstrong had sung for small audiences in 1886,very few people believed that she could make a career as a prima donna. Sixteen years later, these same people were encoring her every performance. She had changed her name and changed her repertoire. She was Nellie Melba and she was the pre-eminent diva of the day.

Melba’s first tour of Australia in 1902 was a celebration of a national hero. The country was a mere two years old, when Melba, at the height of her powers, toured. The tour was arranged by theatre impresario George Musgrove. Musgrove became a household name when he became associated with Melba

Melba received a rapturous reception when she arrived in her home town of Melbourne in September 1902. Sydney was determined to give a similar welcome. Unfortunately, Melba informed the Lord Mayor that she could not attend the planned civic ceremony.

She was engaged to perform four concerts in Sydney. By October 7^th, four days before the first, 4658 pounds had been taken at the box office. This was an enormous sum for the time. Although Melba’s civic reception may have been cancelled, it was clear that her popular reception was going to be tremendous.

She arrived in Sydney via the Melbourne Express train on October 10^th 1902. She was quickly ushered from the station to a lavish suite at the Hotel Australia. She was to make her first appearance in sixteen years at the Sydney Town Hall the next evening.

A series of major thunderstorms hit Sydney that Saturday evening. The streets flooded and gale force winds blew corrugated iron sheeting off roofs. Iron hoardings rolled down the city streets, bashing and crashing through the howling winds and rains.

The foul weather did not discourage those who were anxious to see Melba. The first night audience was an elite one. They each paid either one pound one shilling or ten shillings, six pence for a ticket. The crowd included the Governor Lord Rawson and his wife, who entered the auditorium to the sounds of the national anthem being played on piano. The Sydney Morning Herald became poetic when describing the scene.

Nearly four thousand people were present, and the innumerable tints of silk and satin that made the floor resemble a gigantic parterre of flowers surged in undulating lines throughout the balconies, overflowed into the choir spaces like a dazzling bouquet at the base of the majestic organ, and gave warmth to walls whose tones of chilly white are only corrected by such fortuitous decoration on great occasions.

At 8.15pm most of the vast crowd had settled. The performance opened with Mrs Llewela Davies and Mr Frederick Griffith playing an excerpt from Handel’s sonata in F for piano and flute. The audience waited patiently for the prima donna, and shortly before 9pm she appeared on stage.

Nellie was tall and dark and charismatic. She was wearing deep ivory tinted lace over pale pink chiffon. The dress was decorated with gold sequins and garlands of embroidered pink roses. She wore a long rope of pearls and a magnificent diamond necklace which contained a further three large pearls. Her hair was dressed low at the back and fastened with a diamond comb. She was a glittering, sparkling lady of light whose dress echoed the beauty of her voice.

That night Melba enthralled the audience with a performance that lingered long in memory. She began with Handel’s "sweet Bird". A song in which the singer imitates the sounds of a nightingale. Melba sang a series of leaping phrases, runs and trills with an ease and mastery that astonished the Sydney critics. One and all described in wonder the ‘lightness’ of her voice.

Nellie was called for five encores after this song and responded to each one. She sang Strauss, and then with an air of mischief followed with ‘Coming through the rye.’ For many the highlight of her performance was her rendition of the mad scene from ‘Hamlet.’ After this superb and emotional performance, she thrilled the people in the chair seats by sitting at the piano and accompanying herself to a Tosti air. The Herald described the audience’s faces growing ‘radiant’ as they experienced all the charm of a drawing room performance.

Nellie Melba had conquered the elite of Sydney. The critics were universally positive in their reviews. One described her singing as ‘a thing not to be criticised.’ He repeatedly described the ‘limpid charm’ and ‘silvery’ tones of her voice. Nellie Melba dazzled and charmed a whole city that Saturday night.

Her second concert on Tuesday October 14^th was equally successful. For this concert, the organisers sold five shilling tickets. This ensured a more mixed audience. The Herald described it as an educated audience which could ‘bestow homage worthy of acceptance by artists such as Melba.’ Such was the diva’s power that she reversed the roles of performer and audience. Perhaps recognising that power, Melba wore a large and magnificent diamond tiara that night. She sang the mad scene from ‘Lucia’, Mozart and Verdi. She was enthusiastically encored, but did not respond as generously as she had the night before. This did not discourage the spectators who greeted her performance with loud cheers and the waving of thousands of handkerchiefs. The Governor, his wife and the Lord Mayor and his wife, Mr and Mrs Thomas Hughes, were also present for this gala occasion.

It was unusual for Melba to refuse encores. The reason for her refusal was soon revealed. On October 16^th 1902 the Sydney Morning Herald published a letter from the prima donna that contained shocking news. Dated from ‘The Australia’ on October 15^th, Melba had written to the paper, postponing her concerts.

‘I have for the last two days been suffering from a slightly relaxed throat.  I am obliged to ask the public, who have been so kind to me, to forgive me for a short but absolutely unavoidable postponement of my two remaining concerts.’

Fortunately, the postponement was a short one. Melba committed to performing on Monday 20^th October and Thursday the 23^rd. George Musgrove advised all ticket holders that their tickets were transferable. Thus Sydney’s music loving public was satisfied.

Melba was a woman who knew the value of good press. The fact that she personally advised the newspaper of the postponement indicated this. Another indication was a small item in the newspaper two days later.

‘ Madame Melba wishes it stated that the paragraph from our Sutherland correspondent was the result of a misapprehension, as on Wednesday, so far from visiting the National Park, she did not leave the Hotel Australia.’

This also showed Melba’s power at the time. She was a woman determined to preserve her reputation and image. It is amazing that any woman of that time could wield such immense influence.

Another announcement on that day reinforced the point. It showed the benevolent side of Melba. She invited a small group of blind men to her next concert. This fact was reported in the newspaper with approbation.

On Monday, 20th October, Nellie Melba once again entranced a standing room only crowd. The delay had enhanced the quality of the perfect voice and over four thousand people had squeezed into the Town Hall to hear it. Melba was dressed like a queen. She was wearing a dress of shimmering silver gauze embroidered with pale pink sequins and roses. The front of the bodice was festooned with a vast array of shining diamonds which caused the diva to look like the embodiment of light as she moved across the stage.

The highlight of the evening was her rendition of ‘Home Sweet Home.’ The glittering prima donna accompanied herself on the piano as she sang this lovely tune. Many in the audience were moved to tears. The song quickly became one of Melba’s most popular requests in Australia.

Nellie Melba had one more concert to complete. Her rest had ensured that her voice was in perfect condition. It had also allowed her to indulge in other activities. The day of her final concert, she arranged to meet a young Australian contralto, Eva Mylott. Eva was journeying to Europe to further her career and was thrilled to meet Australia’s greatest soprano. Melba furnished her with an introduction to Madame Marchesi, Melba’s Parisian teacher. Miss Mylott gratefully accepted the introduction and Melba arranged to meet her in Europe the next year.

Melba’s fourth concert in Sydney took place on October 23^rd 1902. The Town Hall was once again host to a regal crowd. The Herald described the scene in another poetic piece,

‘As viewed from the balconies or choir seats, the coup d’oeil of the Town Hall , with it’s myriad waves of colour to which snowy silks and laces gave the glint of foam, was eminently striking and picturesque.’

The audience and performers had a moment of concern, when at 8.30pm a group of 800 people, paying five shillings, rushed the entrances. They made their way to every corner of the hall, standing in every doorway and corridor and in the aisles. A feeling of panic began to spread and a babble of voices broke out. Louis Arens who was on stage was perturbed and distracted. The evening was for a moment, threatened by the mob. Yet everybody settled quickly and there was no disorder.

Melba, took the stage towards the end of the first part of the programme. She was dressed beautifully in pink and silver. These colours had been a theme throughout the tour. She wore a diamond coronet and a flashing diamond necklace. Her arrival on stage was the cue for thunderous applause.

She began with the mad scene from Hamlet. The spectators rose to their feet at it’s conclusion, begging the diva for more. She responded with Tosti’s ‘ La Serenata’. She sang this piece from a manuscript copy in the composer's hand. Melba also sang Puccini and concluded the evening with Tosti’s ‘Goodbye."

"Madame Melba again held a vast audience in thrall last night to the charm of her voice and the potent spell of a style of indescribable delicacy and finish.’

Began the Herald’s review. The critics repeatedly commented on the lightness and human qualities of Melba’s instrument. Perhaps it was this that gave her voice such broad popular appeal.

In 1902 Melba was at the peak of her power and her fame. She was the world’s greatest prima donna and an Australian. Two factors which ensured the tremendous reception she received from people all over the country. She returned many times, but never would she be able to repeat the perfection of those concerts of 1902

Minnie Everett - Ballet Mistress

 

 Minnie Everett- JCW Ballet Mistress

In the early 20^th Century it was difficult for a woman to play a major role in theatre production. One woman who succeeded was Minnie Everett. Minnie began as a JC Williamson chorus dancer. She worked her way to ballet mistress and producer. By the time of her death in 1956 she had become a legend of the Australian stage.

Minnie Rebecca Everett was born on in Beaufort Victoria in 1874. Her father George was a builder. Her mother was the former Eliza Hardy or Harding. Minnie had several siblings including a younger sister called Lillian who later worked for Pollards Opera Company and JC Williamson. (JCW).

Minnie began her stage career as a chorus dancer at a very early age. She was one of twelve permanently engaged girls for JC Williamson’s theatrical company. One of her early dancing teachers was Emilia Pasta, who came to Australia with an Italian Opera Company in 1876. Minnie later remembered being thirteen years old and rushing from one production to another in two different theatres on the same night. It was a busy schedule for a young girl.

By the age of eighteen, Minnie was working with the Royal Comic Opera Company. She was one of eight dancers dubbed, ‘the Royal ballerinas’. In 1892 they were trained and choreographed by Marie Reddall. They performed in both Sydney and Melbourne. In January of that year they played in The Merry Monarch at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne. Spring found them in The Gondoliers at her Majesty’s in Sydney. At that time, Marie Reddall was returning to England. Her ballerinas presented her with a dressing case backstage to thank her for her hard work. In another change, one of the eight, Laura Healy, was leaving the stage to get married. The career of dancer was seen as a prelude to a longer career of marriage.

Minnie eventually became a solo dancer. She was working as such when she met William Rice, the son of Watty Rice, who was a conductor of the JCW orchestra. William was a viola player in the orchestra. Minnie and William married in 1895 and Minnie left the stage.

Her retirement lasted a year. During that year she gave birth to a daughter, Florence Gladys Beatrice Rice. Minnie returned to JC Williamson and became ballet mistress. She was in her early 20s and her responsibilities included choreography of large choruses for the annual pantomimes. The position of ballet mistress was one that she would hold for the rest of her life.

In a later interview she discussed her work;

How do I get my ballets? Of course all the steps, all the movements, in every new

ballet have to be thought out-have to be originated by me. And every new production

requires new ballets. I must confess that sometimes I feel stuck. I nibble at my pencil

until I think I am never going to get anything new. Suddenly, I get a flow of ideas

-enough in fact for all the steps and movements of a complete ballet!

Amongst Minnie’s work in the early years included the corn and poppy ballet for Aladdin. This involved thirty-six dancers. She also organised the ballet champetre for Little Red Riding Hood. This also involved thirty-six dancers. Minnie often incorporated different cultural aspects into her work. For example for Alfred Hill’s opera ‘Tapu’, Minnie consulted with a Maori dancer about the ‘Poi’ dance.

What I did in Tapu was to take the salient features of the Poi dance and

build up around there a dance of my own.

When it came to dance, Minnie was prepared to seek influences from various sources and adapt it to her own purposes.

Although Minnie was kept busy as ballet mistress, she still appeared on stage. In 1899 she appeared with sister Lilly in a production of The Geisha at Her Majesty’s in Sydney. Minnie played ‘O Hana San’ and Lilly played ‘o Kiku San’, geisha girls.

In 1906, Minnie became a producer for the first time. It was an unusual role for a woman and illustrated her standing in the company. Minnie was listed as co producer for the first season of Utopia Ltd in Australia. The Gilbert and Sullivan Opera was staged at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne and starred Howard Vernon, Charles Kenningham and Dolly Castles. It was to be the first of many Gilbert and Sullivan productions for Minnie.

Between 1910 and 1920, Minnie worked as ballet mistress for several productions, including the yearly pantomimes. Each year Williamson’s produced a pantomime in Melbourne for Christmas. The show would then be taken to Sydney for Easter. The JCW pantomimes were lavish productions, with large casts and elaborate sets and costumes. As ballet mistress, Minnie was responsible for inventing and arranging all the dances for the pantomimes. She organised hundreds of dancers, choreographed soloists and liaised with musical conductors. In addition Minnie trained several private students at the same time.

In 1914, she choreographed the dancers for ‘Cinderella’. Amongst these were, ‘The ‘Wildflower’, ‘Hunting’ ‘Boudoir’ ‘Kitchen’ and ‘Fairy Transformation’ ballets. The Argus said that they ‘all delight the eye for movement and lovely colouring’. In 1918, Minnie arranged the ballets for the annual pantomime Dick Whittington. In 1919, she was doing the same for Goody Two Shoes. The latter included hundreds of chorus dancers, and had Maggie Dickinson in several solos. The pantomime featured the extravagant ‘March of the Suits’ in toyland. Minnie was responsible for inventing and arranging the dances of the entire show.

Her work was not restricted to pantomime. She was also responsible for the ballets in JCW’s  musicals. In 1919, she invented and arranged the ballets in ‘Going Up" The musical included Cyril Ritchard and Madge Elliott in "Memories’. Minnie choreographed the dance. The two dancers were her protegees and later became household names in Australia and overseas.

In 1920, Minnie added more production credits to her resume. She produced a season of Gilbert and Sullivan at His Majesty’s in Melbourne. The season included productions of ‘Yeoman of the Guard’, ‘The Mikado’, and ‘Iolanthe’. All involved huge casts and lavish spectacle. It was highly unusual at that time for a woman to be a producer. Minnie’s loyalty to Williamson’s and her obvious talent for management were being recognised by the company.

She continued her non stop working schedule until 1923. That year the Referee newspaper reported that "Minnie Everett is suffering from severe nervous strain.’ Given her constant employment, this was not a surprise. Minnie slept only five hours a night and spent every waking moment in a theatre. In 1923 she had just launched another protege, Josie Melville in a production of ‘Sally’ in Sydney. Both Josie and ‘Sally’ were a hit and ran over nineteen weeks at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Nervous strain did not stop Minnie and she was soon back at work. In the 1920s she produced grand opera and in 1926 she was again producing Gilbert and Sullivan. That season included performances of The Mikado, Iolanthe, Princess Ida and The Pirates of Penzance. By the end of the decade, Minnie could claim to be the only woman to have produced both grand opera and Gilbert and Sullivan in Australia.

Although theatre production in Australia stalled during the 1930s, Minnie’s work schedule did not. She was heavily involved in producing musicals and operas for JCW during the decade. This included producing two seasons of Gilbert and Sullivan in 1931 and 1935.

By the end of the 1930s, the list of performers Minnie had worked with read like a who’s who of Australian Theatre. They included Maggie Dickinson, Howard Vernon, Carrie Moore, Gladys Moncrieff, Cyril Ritchard, Nellie Stewart, Madge Elliott, Ivan Menzies and Bernard Manning. She had produced Grand Opera and light opera, had invented hundreds of ballets for musicals and pantomimes and had become an institution at JCW.

In 1940, Minnie was sixty six and still producing. That year she was listed as producer for The Gondoliers. It starred Ivan Menzies, Max Oldaker, Evelyn Gardiner and Viola Wilson. Minnie Everett was coaching a whole new generation of Australian musical theatre performers. In a short article in the programme it was stated that Minnie had produced for JCW in South Africa, London and Australia. She listed her greatest achievement as producing Grand Opera in the mid 1920s

In June 1956 Minnie was admitted to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne suffering from burns. She died in hospital on June 7^th She was 81 years old. Even at that age she maintained the title she had attained in the 1890s. Her death certificate lists her occupation simply as ‘ballet mistress.

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