Sugar Babies - the Quintessential Burlesque Show
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SEPTEMBER,1986 Vol 10 No 8 ISSN 0314 - 0598 A publication of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust Sugar Babies - The Quintessential Burlesque Show personality and his own jokes. Not all the companies, however, lived up to the audience's expectations; the comedians were not always brilliant and witty, the girls weren't always beautiful. This proved to be Ralph Allen's inspiration for SUGAR BABIES. "During the course of my research, one question kept recurring. Why not create a quintessen tial Burlesque Show out of authentic materials - a show of shows as I have played it so often in the theatre of my mind? After all, in a theatre of the mind, nothing ever disappoints. " After running for seven years in America - both in New York and on tour - the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust will mount SUGAR BABIES in Australia, opening in Sydney at Her Majesty's Theatre on October 30. In February it will move to Melbourne and other cities, including Adelaide, Perth and Auckland. The tour is expected to last about 39 weeks. Eddie Bracken, who is coming from the USA to star in the role of 1st comic in SUGAR BABIES, received rave reviews from critics in the USA. "Bracken, with his rolling eyes, rubber face and delightful slow burns, is the consummate performer, " said Jim Arpy in the Quad City Times. Since his debut in 1931 on Broadway, Bracken has appeared in Sugar Babies from the original New York production countless movies and stage shows. Garry McDonald will bring back to life one of Harry Rigby, happened to be at the con Australia's greatest comics by playing his SUGAR BABIES, conceived by role as "Mo" (Roy Rene). Fresh from Ralph G. Allen and Harry Rigby ference and suggested that the material be developed into a "quintessential bur success in CATS, David Atkins will play Directed and choreographed by Ernest the juvenile and Joan Brokenshire will be Flatt lesque show". Not too many people these days are the radiant female star. Music by Jimmy McHugh Trust members are invited to purchase Musical direction by Dale Ringland familiar with burlesque which had its heyday between 1905 and 1930. It had a tickets on Monday, November 3 and Scenery and costumes by Raoul Pene du Tuesday, November 4 at a $10.00 dis Bois language and stylised format all of its own. In the first three decades of this cen count and may purchase as many tickets Starring Eddie Bracken, Garry as they wish. See Member Activities (page McDonald, David Atkins and Joan tury, there were more than 80 burlesque shows touring the two American circuits, 10) for details of pre-theatre dinner on Brokenshire Tuesday, November 4. Her Majesty's Theatre as well as many stock troupes. There was no stripping, but lots of innuendo, high kicking and titillation. Spectacular dance BOOKING INFORMATION he final, definitive statement on the sequences were interspersed with comedy Thu Oct 30 to Sat Nov 22 Man to Sat at 8 p.m. T wonderful world of burlesque, sketches involving a variety of stock characters - 1st comic, 2nd comic, Wed and Sat mat at 2 p.m. SUGAR BABIES, had an unlikely begin AETT $26.90 ($23.90 Nov 3/ 4) straight man, juvenile, soubrette. The ning. It grew out of a scholarly paper G.P. $33.90 presented at a conference of theatre outlines of the comedy routine were also Pens/ Stud $20 .90 historians in New York by Professor standard - the restaurant scene, hotel Two AETT tickets per member (except Ralph G. Allen who had compiled it with scene, schoolroom scene and courtroom Nov 3/ 4) the help of a grant. Broadway producer, scene but each comic put into it his own 2 half of the performance and in English in At Belvoir Street the second part. Running time for the full Eden Memories performance IS two hours. Theatre TONIGHT WE ANCHOR IN SA VANNAH BAY by Marguerite Duras Nouveau director, Irene Spinadel, who TWOFOLD BAY by Katherine Translated by Julie Rose will direct the French half, believes that Thomson Directed by Kerry Dwyer audiences will find it interesting to com Directed by Des Davis Designed by Robert Kemp pare two interpretations of the play with Music by David Vance Cast: Fiona Stewart and Betty Lucas different actors, costumes, directors and Designed by Bruce Auld Belvoir Street Theatre Upstairs cultural bias. Rachel Cliffe will direct the English half. Cast: Katherine Thomson, Faye Mont he Australian premiere of a new gomery, Lynne McCimpsey, Peter T French play, currently playing in BOOKING INFORMATION Corbell and Tom Sonsadene Paris, will open at Belvoir Street Theatre Science Theatre, University NSW Wharf Theatre next month. SAVANNAH BAY is the Sep 16 to 19 at 8 p.m. subtle and moving story of the relation AETT discount $1.00 ship between two women - one in her Bookings on 358 5806/358 3177 youth and the other an ageing actress who is no longer able to distinguish Theatre of the Deaf between her real life and the roles she played on the stage. The two women are WAITING FOR GODOT played by Betty Lucas, who recently had by Samuel Beckett a successful season in ROOM TO MOVE Directed by Patrick Mitchell for the Griffin and Fiona Stewart, who Designed by James Bennet has just finished filming the adaptation Cast: Annie Mangan, Steven Ripley, of Ruth Park's book, THE HARP IN Carol-Lee Aquiline, Christopher THE SOUTH. Kerry Dwyer, who Saunders and Jean St. Clair directed Betty Lucas in ROOM TO Seymour Centre, Downstairs MOVE, will direct the play. he Theatre of the Deaf's principal A scene from the original production of T role is presenting theatre in education TWOFOLD BAY to infants, primary and secondary school children - it is one of the leading com heatre South will make its first panies in this field in Australia today. But T appearance in Sydney this month for once a year the company mounts a pro a three-week run at th(' Wharf Theatre. duction for adult audiences and this year TONIGHT WE ANCHOR IN they have chosen Beckett's WAITING TWOFOLD BAY deals with the lives of FOR GODOT. Those who have not seen people living in the small fishing village a performance by the company should of Eden. The playwright, who is also a realise that it is not a mime show nor is it member of the cast, spent five weeks theatre for the deaf. Vocal communica researching local events and talking with tion is provided by the hearing members many of the townspeople, especially the of the company while the deaf actors so-called "characters". The result is a communicate with the beautiful moving piece of theatre rich in the memories and pictures and symbols of sign language. happenings of community life. The play BOOKING INFORMATION The result is a unique blend of aural and had a successful season in Wollongong Thu Oct 2 to Sun Oct 19 visual communication which makes for and on a South Coa t tour. Tue to Sat at 8 p.m. very exciting theatre. Sat and Sun at 5 p.m. WAITING FOR GODOT will be BOOKING INFORMATION AETT $12.00 directed by the company's artistic direc Wed Sep 17 to Sat Oct 11 G.P. 15.00 tor, Patrick Mitchell. It is the story of Mon to Sat at 8.15 p.m. Pens/Stud $10.00 two people, Vladimir and Estragon, who Sat mat at 2.15 p.m. Two AETT tickets per member AETT $16.00 amuse themselves with conversation, G.P. $18.00 alternating between hope and despair, Pens/ StuQ $13.00 French Parable while waiting for someone called Godot. Two AETT tickets per member BOOKING INFORMATION A s part of Carnivale 1986, Sydney's Sat Oct 18 to Sat Nov 1 ~rofessional French theatre com Tue to Sat at 8 p.m. Welsh Choir pany, Theatre Nouveau, will present a Sat at 4 p.m. bilingual production of the Antoine de AETT $14.90 hink of male choirs and you Saint-Exupery classic LE PETIT G.P. $15.90 Timmediately think of Welsh voices, PRINCE (The Little Prince). The parable Pens/Stud $10.00 glorious, rich and melodic. The Treorchy will be presented in Frenc;l in the first Two AETT tickets per member Male Choir, from where-else but the 3 Rhondda Valley, Wales, was nominated and also has toured widely, showing their in the recent Great Choir series as one of Centrestage skills. The third section of the troupe the world's finest choral groups, ranking Beijing Opera, is China's oldest trad alongside the Vienna Boys and Mormon entrestage, a new magazine for itional art and has been called their Tabernacle Choirs. In Australia to Ctheatregoers, will be launched during National Opera. Among their presenta celebrate the South Australian Jubilee, the exciting new Spoleto Festival in tions will be ATTACK THE CAPITAL the 100-voice choir will give two perform Melbourne. As well as preparing you for CITY and THREE FORKS. ances only at the Sydney Opera House. the theatrical novelties on offer there, The programme will include songs from Centrestage will talk to Gian Carlo BOOKING INFORMATION Wales, classical works and popular Menotti and explain the Spoleto Festival Man Oct 13 to Wed Oct 22 Man to Sat at 8 p.m. music. movement. The magazine has appointed top Sat mat at 2 p.m. BOOKING INFORMA nON theatre critics in every State to present an AETT $19.90 Concert Hall, S.O.H. overview of where their local theatre is G.P.