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Never on a Sunday: a Study of Sunday Observance and Sunday Public Musical Entertainment in Theatres in Melbourne, 1890-1895

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Never on a Sunday: a Study of Sunday Observance and Sunday Public Musical Entertainment in Theatres in Melbourne, 1890-1895 NEVER ON A SUNDAY: A STUDY OF SUNDAY OBSERVANCE AND SUNDAY PUBLIC MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT IN THEATRES IN MELBOURNE, 1890-1895 Submitted by Laurence James Moore B.A. BMus.(Hons) MMus.(Research) (ACU) A thesis submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Philosophy School of Arts and Sciences Faculty of Arts and Sciences Australian Catholic University Research Services Locked Bag 4115 Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 Australia 31 May 2009 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP AND SOURCES This thesis contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma. No other person’s work has been used without the acknowledgement in the main text of the thesis. This thesis had not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other tertiary institution. Candidate’s Signature:____________________________ Date:_____/_____/_____ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor Dr Dianne Gome for her availability and patience, and her astute analysis and assessment. Special mention should be made to Mr Raymond Sharpe for his support and encouragement in times of difficult circumstances. Finally I would like to dedicate this study to my parents Albert and Coral who have always encouraged me unconditionally and in particular my mother who passed away during the preparation of this thesis. iii ABSTRACT Those who experienced Melbourne Sundays prior to the 1960s will recall a city remarkably devoid of commercial activity and public entertainment. The genesis of this situation lay in legislation in force during the 19th century. This was informed by the British protestant heritage reaching back to the 17th century and strongly supported by the puritanical stance of influential Melbournians. Yet for a brief time between 1892 and 1896 vast numbers of Melbourne’s citizens enjoyed entertainments on Sundays held in theatres (hitherto closed by law on Sundays) and concert halls that embraced sacred and secular music. Emerging when the colony was in the throes of severe economic depression, these affordable entertainments provided relief from every-day uncertainties. For theatre managements financially strapped by the depression and operating in a colony where commercial public entertainment was banned on Sundays, such entertainments both offered a new opportunity as well as something of a challenge. This study reveals the nature of Sunday entertainments and reasons for their strong appeal. In so doing it reveals in particular the part played by the Wesley Pleasant Sunday Afternoon in legitimising and perpetuating these entertainments. Legal and other challenges faced by theatre managements in staging the entertainments are explored, along with their creative efforts to circumvent the current restrictive legislation. The study also investigates legal disputes arising from Sunday entertainments and the action of government, fuelled by the dogged persistence of Sabbatarian protagonists, in bringing about their demise thus restoring the traditional Sabbath. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... iii ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................... v TABLE OF ILLUSTRATIONS .................................................................................. vii CHAPTER 1 .................................................................................................................. 1 REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY TO KEEP IT HOLY: AN OVERVIEW OF SUNDAY OBSERVANCE IN MELBOURNE, 1846-1890 ......................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 Foundations of the Melbourne Sunday ...................................................................... 5 The ‘Opening’ Debate: Denominational perspectives of Sunday (Sabbath) Observance ............................................................................................................... 14 The Opening Question Forum, 1883 ....................................................................... 17 Biblical and Dogmatic Foundations..................................................................... 18 Historical Traditions ............................................................................................ 21 Social Concerns ................................................................................................... 26 Further Challenges to the Melbourne Sunday ......................................................... 28 Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 33 CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................ 37 THE INFLUENCE OF PREVIOUS THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT IN MELBOURNE ON SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENT REPERTOIRE ........................ 37 Opera ........................................................................................................................ 50 Operetta .................................................................................................................... 57 1888 Centennial International Exhibition ................................................................ 63 Music of the 1888 Centennial International Exhibition ........................................... 64 Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 72 CHAPTER 3 ................................................................................................................ 75 THE ORIGINS OF SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENT .................................................. 75 Exhibition Promenade Concerts .............................................................................. 76 The Rotunda Hall Concerts ...................................................................................... 81 v Pleasant Sunday Afternoon ...................................................................................... 87 Prahran Congregational Church ........................................................................... 87 Wesley Methodist Church.................................................................................... 90 Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 98 Chapter 4 .................................................................................................................... 102 A RATIONAL SUNDAY.......................................................................................... 102 Music, Song, and Story .......................................................................................... 113 The Theatre Royal.................................................................................................. 127 The Gaiety Theatre ................................................................................................ 134 Conclusions ............................................................................................................ 151 CHAPTER 5 .............................................................................................................. 156 THE FINAL CURTAIN ............................................................................................ 156 The effect of the amendments on theatres and Sunday entertainment ................... 191 Conclusions ............................................................................................................ 193 CONCLUSIONS........................................................................................................ 197 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................... 203 APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................ 207 APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................ 211 APPENDIX C ............................................................................................................ 214 vi TABLE OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1 The Music Class concert held at the Mechanics’ Institute 21 November 1848. ...................................................................................................................................... 39 Figure 2 A typical concert programme of the Mechanics' Institute Music Class ........ 41 Figure 3 Mechanics Institute programme presented on 17 October ............................ 43 Figure 4 Horsley's programming for a miscellaneous concert October 6 1863 ........... 44 Figure 5 Programme for the farewell concert for Miss Haydee Heller ....................... 50 Figure 6 Cartoon from Punch magazine depicting objections to Tableaux Vivants.... 60 Figure 7 A parade indicative of the Opening of 1888 International Exhibition. ......... 63 Figure 8 The Exhibition by night (State Library of Victoria) ...................................... 64 Figure 9 Members of the International Exhibition Orchestra (State Library of Victoria) ......................................................................................................................
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