Vivat Regina! Melbourne Celebrates the Maj’S 125Th Birthday
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ON STAGE The Spring 2011 newsletter of Vol.12 No.4 Vivat Regina! Melbourne celebrates The Maj’s 125th birthday. he merriment of the audience was entrepreneur Jules François de Sales — now, of course, Her Majesty’s — almost continuous throughout.’ Joubert on the corner of Exhibition and celebrated its birthday by hosting the third TThat was the observation of the Little Bourke Streets. The theatre’s début Rob Guest Endowment Concert. The Rob reporter from M elbourne’s The Argus who was on Friday, 1 October 1886. Almost Guest Endowment, administered by ANZ ‘covered the very first performance in what exactly 125 years later — on Monday, Trustees, was established to commemorate was then the Alexandra Theatre, the 10 October 2011 the merriment was one of Australia’s finest music theatre handsome new playhouse built for similarly almost continuous as the theatre performers, who died in October 2008. * The Award aims to build and maintain a This year’s winner was Blake Bowden. Mascetti, Barry Kitcher, Moffatt Oxenbould, appropriate time and with due fuss and ‘“Vivat Regina!” may be a bit “over the Clockwise from left: Shooting the community for upcoming music theatre He received a $10 000 talent development the theatre’s archivist Mary Murphy, and publicity, as well as the final casting, but I top” — but then, why not?’ commemorative film in The Maj's foyer. Mike Walsh is at stairs (centre). artists and to provide one night every year grant, a media training session, a new theatre historian Frank Van Straten. am thrilled that they are spearheaded by a Why not, indeed! when all facets of the industry join to headshot package and a guest performance Premier Ted Baillieu added a special brand new production of A Chorus Line — as Rob Guest Endowment winner Blake Bowden welcome a new generation of performers. at a nominated industry event in 2012. message. Mike Walsh described the film as: it says everything there is to say about “this ● Theatre Heritage Australia Inc. is congratulated by compère Bert Newton and The evening included two performances To mark the 125th anniversary, the ‘A touching and often very humorous business we call show”. congratulates Mike Walsh and his team, Kellie Dickerson, head of the judging panel and from each of the six finalists, plus program opened with a 10-minute film review of all those exciting and sometimes ‘We continue to adjust the programming and warmly wishes The Maj well for the musical director for the evening. contributions from established performers outlining the theatre’s colourful history. scary years in the history of the theatre. and the various uses of “The Maj”. next 125 years. Mike Walsh OBE in the stalls at The Maj. such as Lucy Durack, Lucy Maunder, This was commissioned by theatre owner ‘Ups and downs are the only things ‘Rest assured, also, that opera, plays Rhonda Burchmore, Melissa Langton, Alex Mike Walsh OBE, and directed by Peter J. predictable in this business, but I am very and ballet will be there along with the The company on stage for the finale of the Rob Rathgeber, Rob Mills, David Harris, Adams. It featured a feast of historic footage, excited with the shows we have so far blockbuster musicals — all very exciting for See ‘Voices from Her Majesty’s Past’ special Guest Endowment Concert. Belinda Wollaston and the casts of Love plus interviews with Mike and veterans such confirmed for the next three years and beyond. us, and for the theatre’s many fans and CD offer on page 52. Never Dies and Rock of Ages. The evening as Jill Perryman, Nancye Hayes, Toni ‘For reasons of business confidentiality, supporters,’ Mike concluded. Summing up was hosted by Bert Newton. Lamond, Stuart Wagstaff, Peggy Shea, John they will be announced individually at the the The Maj’s ‘Big 125’, Mike added: Images: Shelton Muller and THA Page 2 ON STAGE Spring 2011 Page 3 Curtains for Sydney’s Royal? Bran Nue Dae The cancellation of Rock of Ages leaves the theatre with no firm bookings for 18 months. Part 1 of the twelfth in a series of articles about important Australian musicals by Peter Pinne. he fate of Royal’s 1200-seat capacity ran Nue Dae holds the distinction of Theatre Company, Tasmania’s Salamanca Along the way he meets up with his Uncle Sydney’s makes it ideal ‘for smaller being not only Australia’s first Theatre, and the Aboriginal National Theatre Tadpole and two hippies, Marijuana Annie TTheatre Royal and mid-scale musicals, BAboriginal musical, but also the Trust, which included the script in their National and Slippery. He also encounters police hangs in the balance, though it can work with first hit Australian musical to be made into a Playwrights’ Conference and Workshop in brutality, and has his first experience of sex. 6 following the some compromise for larger major feature film. Sydney in 1989. Father Benedictus pursues Willie and ‘postponement’ of a musicals. It can also be used Yes, there had been two previous stage Chi’s plot, set in the early ’70s and eventually they all meet up on the beach at planned four-month for larger scale drama, works committed to celluloid, Kenneth loosely based on his life story, opens in Broome for a happy reunion and season of the ‘power although the acoustics are Cook’s Stockade (1971), which simply took Broome, where Willie, an Aboriginal reconciliation when they discover they are 7 ballad’ musical Rock such that intelligibility can Sydney’s Independent Theatre’s stage teenager, has his world turned on its head all related to one another. of Ages. be a significant issue and its production and filmed it at the Colonial when his Auntie Theresa sends him to Perth The story opened with Willie and Rosie The show enjoyed a scale is a little too large for Australiana Village, Wilberforce, north of for a Christian upbringing. going to the movies at the Sun Picture 1 successful run at the most theatre other than large Sydney, and Frank Howson’s What the Moon At the Catholic mission Willie steals some Gardens Cinema in Broome, an open-air Comedy in Melbourne, ensemble work. The Saw (1990), which was based in part on his food and is subject to harsh discipline meted movie house with seating on canvas-backed before a transfer to the incursion of noise from stage musical Sinbad the Sailor—The Last out by Father Benedictus. Missing his girlfriend chairs. The 80-year-old cinema still operates 2 Queensland Performing trains passing nearby is a Adventure (1982) , but Bran Nue Dae was very Rosie, he decides to run away back to Broome. and is the last remaining open-air cinema Arts Centre. On 28 perennial problem but one different. Whereas Stockade had left in Australia. October the show’s to which audiences have been seen only in Sydney, and The first commercial producer, Rodney become accustomed.’ Sinbad the Sailor in Melbourne, production of the musical took Rigby’s newtheatricals, ‘Lacks ambience and street presence’ says The report continues: Bran Nue Dae had toured place at the Octagon Theatre, pulled the plug on the Sydney season, which ‘Planning Sydney’s Cultural Facilities’ report: ‘The configuration of the theatre is not nationally and was a very well- Perth, during the 1990 Festival of was to start previews on 11 January 2012. Outside and inside the Theatre Royal’s main ideal, with the steepness of the Dress Circle known musical long before the Perth, in a co-production between Rigby explained that his decision was entrance on King Street. Images: THA. being a concern for older audiences. cameras started rolling. Bran Nue Dae Productions and due to ‘the current economic downturn ‘Technically the theatre presents To date the movie has grossed the Western Australian Theatre impacting on ticket sales problems with its limited $7.6 million, becoming one of the Company. The work was credited in Sydney’. All tickets wing space and equipment. top 50 Australian films of all time to Chi and Kuckles, with the band 3 sold will be refunded. The location of the main at the local box office. providing the musical The show would have foyer underground means Bran Nue Dae had its origins in accompaniment and Stephen had to compete with that the theatre lacks the 1980s when Jimmy Chi (b. Pigram, one of its members, as Annie at the Lyric, Love ambience and street presence. 1948), a self-taught Aboriginal musical director. Andrew Ross, a Never Dies at the Capitol, The décor is badly in need musician and composer based in big supporter of the project, Broome-based band Kuckles (from left): Patrick Bin the Sydney Festival and of refurbishment.’ the pearling port of Broome, handled the direction, and Amat, Stephen Pigram, Jimmy Chi, Mike Manolis, Mick Opera Australia’s La Some years ago the Western Australia, wrote some Michael Leslie choreographed. Connoly (engineer), Gary Gower. Traviata on a floating stage Theatre Royal housed songs which were performed by Prior to opening, the company had in Sydney Harbour. large-scale shows like Cats, Kuckles, a local band. rehearsed for eight weeks, six in 8 This leaves the Royal Les Misérables, The Phantom The first public viewing of the Broome and two in Perth. with no firm bookings of the Opera and Nicholas work as a piece of musical theatre took place The cast included Ernie Dingo (Uncle for the next 18 months, Nickleby but, since the in 1986 at a workshop produced by the Tadpole), Michelle Torres-Hill (Rosie), John though its owners say opening of the Lyric, the Aboriginal Writers’ Oral Literature and Moore (Willie), Bob Faggetter (Father 4 they are ‘in very early Royal’s less-than-desirable Dramatists’ Association in Perth.