1916 CHASE ME, GIRLS: [revusical] Txt. George Sharratt; Mus. [n/e] George Sharratt's "musical burlesque," staged on the Harry Clay Sydney circuit, was to be initially called Hello Newtown. Notices in the 5 and 12 January 1915 issues of Australian Variety indicate that Sharratt (of the duo, Sharratt and Lang) was then rehearsing the production, and that it would open on the 15th. The 19 January issue, however, in reviewing the previous Saturday program at Clay's Bridge Theatre refers to the Sharratt production, Chase Me Girls. It is not clear at this stage why the name change was required, although it does bare similarity with Hello Coogee (and its various revivals, Hello Brisbane etc), a revusical produced by the Paul Stanhope Merry Musical Burlesque Company in 1915. Australian Variety, which had criticised three of Clay's 1915 revusicals notes that Chase Me Girls' Bridge Theatre premiere made quite an impression on the big audience. "Noticeable are the many quick changes the girls have, and about the best and most prominent one was 'Australia Will be There,'" wrote the magazine's critic, Harry Kitching (n. pag.). 1916: Bridge Theatre, Newtown (Sydney); 15 Jan. - Dir. George Sharratt; Prod. Clay's Bridge Theatre Ltd; S Mngr. Ted Gabriel. - Cast incl. Sharratt and Lang. Kitching, Harry. "Harry Clay's." Australian Variety 19 Jan. 1916, n. pag. LITTLE JACK HORNER: [pantomime] Lib/Mus. Harry Taylor An adaptation by Taylor of the popular pantomime story. 1916: New South Wales Hunter Valley tour; ca. Jan. - Feb. - Prod. Edward Jasper; Tour Mngr. J. R. Howard. - Troupe: Jasper's Pantomime Company. - Repertoire also included Humpty Dumpty. - The company performed in both established venues and in a moving tent. - Itinerary incl. Cessnock (20-21 Jan.) • Kurri (King's Hall; 22, 24 Jan.) • Maitland (Town Hall; 25-26 Jasn.) • Singleton (vacant block near Imperial Hotel; 27-29 Jan.) 1919: Alhambra Music Hall, Sydney; 21-27 June - Dir. Harry Taylor; Prod. Harry Taylor and Alf Coleman; M Dir. Wally Smith. Newcastle Morning Herald and - Cast incl. Bert Desmond, Joe Charles, Maud Shipp, Harry Taylor, Mattie Miners' Advocate 19 Jan. (1916), 10. Jansen, Emili Dani, Florence Walker, Dot Holroyd, Elsa Thornton. - The second production in Taylor and Coleman's school holiday pantomime season at the Alhambra. The other pantomimes were Bluebeard's Harem and Hello Cinderella. 1919: Queensland regional tour; ca. Aug. - Dec. [21 weeks] - Dir. Harry Taylor; Prod. Harry Taylor and Alf Coleman; M Dir. E. J. Golding; T Mngr. Jack Campbell. - Cast incl. Bert Desmond, Joe Charles, Harry Taylor, Emili Dani (Citronella), Mattie Jansen and Maudie Shipp (The Babes), Ilma Burns, Janet Waldren, Julia Reeves, Ivy Marshall, Florence Walker (principal boy), Cora Trevor, Vicky Gresham, Alice White, Francis Smith, Ida Berkley. - The tour, which played some 51 towns, also included the pantomimes: Robinson Crusoe and Babes in the Wood. THE BROOK: [revusical] Txt. Jack Kearns and Harry Sadler; Mus. [n/e] The Theatre describes the February 1916 Princess Theatre (Sydney) production thus: "In the background sat comedian Billy Maloney high up on a bank, with a rod and line in his hand; and as the other members of the company cavorted in the foreground Mr Maloney varied the proceedings by 'landing' such articles as boots and corsets and vegetables" ("On Your Nut," 46-47). Although Maloney and Kearns received a positive review from X-Ray, the Theatre's variety editor, the production was considered to be "dead" in most other areas. NB: It is possible that this Kearns/Sadler production may have been a reworked adaptation of a two act musical burlesque of the same name staged by Charles W. and Harry P. Cogill as early as October 1888 (St George's Hall, Melb). When the Cogills revived it in 1891 as part of their Christmas week entertainment at Melbourne's Garrick Theatre (the cast also included W. Horace Bent), Jack Kearns was playing a small role in a production of Jack the Giant Killer at the Alexandra Theatre. Kearns, therefore, would have not only known about the burlesque, but could quite possibly have seen the Cogills' version. 1916: Princess Theatre, Sydney; 5-11 Feb. - Dir/Prod/Lse. Harry Sadler and Jack Kearns; Prop. Fullers' Theatres Ltd. - Troupe: Jack Kearns Revue Co. - Cast incl. Jack Kearns, Harry Sadler, Billy Maloney, George Dean, Violet Elliott, Nellie Searle. Age 13 Oct. (1888), 20. Advert. (re: Cogills' burlesque) X-Ray. "On Your Nut." Theatre Magazine Mar. (1916), 46-7. Sun (Sydney) 5 Feb. (1916), 2. ON YOUR NUT: [revusical] Txt. Jack Kearns and Harry Sadler; Mus. [n/e] Set in a Sydney boarding house, the cast of characters includes a young army recruit, the boarding house keeper (Mrs O'Flanagan), and various lodgers and local residents. "The curtain rises on a festive boarding house scene," records the Theatre in its review of the 1916 Princess Theatre production. "The guest [is] a young fellow in khaki [who] is going to the front… Then the front-cloth descends. After it comes down Mr Kearns appears in the guise of an Irish M. P. from Goondiwindi (Queensland), looking for an 'ould friend of mine phwat keeps a Sydney boarding-house - Mrs O'Flanagan.'" In this search he meets a number of other characters representing different types of Sydney residents, "and in that way the audience are provided with a lot of humorously skittish stuff. In turn songs are given by Peter Brooks, Harry Sadler, Cliff O'Keefe, Billy Maloney, Beattie McDonald, Vera Kearns, Violet Elliot and Mr Kearns himself… Finally the front-cloth is raised once more disclosing the boarding house - this time with the lodgers at the table more or less busy on a meal, and the landlady flying about here and there. The Mr Kearns enters. The keeper of the place, Mrs Flanagan, is the 'ould friend' he is looking for! Then the fun - in which all the boarders participate - follows fast and furious" ("On Your Nut," 46-47). 1916: Princess Theatre, Sydney; 12-18 Feb. - Dir/Prod/Lse. Harry Sadler and Jack Kearns; Prop. Fullers' Theatres Ltd. - Troupe: Jack Kearns Revue Co. - Cast incl. Jack Kearns (The Irish M.P.), Harry Sadler, Billy Maloney, Vera Kearns (Mrs O'Flanagan), Peter Brooks, Arthur Elliott, Violet Elliott, Beattie McDonald, Cliff O'Keefe, George Dean. 1919: Gaiety Theatre, Sydney; ca. July - Prod. Andy Kerr. "On Your Nut." Theatre Magazine 1 Mar. (1916), 46-7. MONTE CARLO: [revusical] Txt. Jack Kearns and Harry Sadler; Mus. [n/e] 1916: Princess Theatre, Sydney; 26 Feb. - 3 Mar. - Dir/Prod/Lse. Harry Sadler and Jack Kearns; Prop. Fullers' Theatres Ltd. - Troupe: Jack Kearns Revue Co. Harry Sadler and Jack Kearns - Cast incl. Jack Kearns, Harry Sadler, Billy Maloney, Vera Kearns, Cliff O'Keefe, Billy Maloney, Peter Brooks, Ruby Wallace, Louie Duggan, George Dean. 1917: Harry Clay's Sydney suburban and south-west New South Wales circuit; ca. May/June - Prod. Clay's Bridge Theatre Ltd; S Art. Alec Stagpoole; S Mngr. Ted Gabriel (BTN). FULL STEAM AHEAD: [revusical] Txt. Victor Prince; Mus. [n/e] Described by X-Ray in the Theatre as arguably the best of the Prince/Zoli productions ("Month," 49), the plot of Full Steam Ahead revolved around the characters Jimmy Pannikin (an intoxicated bosu), John Stormalong (an Italian sea captain), and Giuseppe Prospecto (an Italian financier). Other characters identified in 1916 were Cora Cannon, a naval officer and a Cockney curio. Jimmy Pannikin was also later renamed Dicky Front. Later characters were reportedly a landlord and landlady of the Village Inn. 1916: National Amphitheatre, Sydney; 5-11 Feb. - Dir. Victor Prince; Prod. Fullers' Theatres Ltd. - Troupe: Victor Prince Revusical Comedy Company. - Cast incl. Victor Prince (Jimmy Pannikin), Charles Zoli (the sea captain), Ruby Esdaile (Cora Cannon), Leslie Carey (Naval Officer), Charles Davies, Reg. Moore, Kenneth Scott, Bert Morrison, Lilian Colenzo (The Cockney); with chorus - Maudie Perman, Irene Maguire, Dorrie Tointon, Nellie Maguire, Kathleen Dombrain, Flo Lyle. 1917: Bijou Theatre, Melbourne; 2-8 June - Dir. Victor Prince; Prod. Fullers' Theatres Ltd. - Troupe: Prince's Players. - Cast incl. Victor Prince (Dicky Front), Charles Zoli (the sea captain), Lillian Colenzo (Landlady), Dorothy Hastings, George Sharratt (Landlord), Yorke Gray, Annette Lang, Florence Lyle. 1917: Majestic Theatre, Sydney; ca. Oct. - Dir. Victor Prince; Prod. Fullers' Theatres Ltd. - Troupe: Victor Prince Revusical Comedy Company. - Cast incl. Victor Prince, Charles Zoli, Roy Herbert, Yorke Gray. 1917: National Amphitheatre, Sydney; 10 Nov. - - Cast and production mostly as for previous Majestic Theatre season "Bijou Theatre." A: 4 June (1917), 7. "At the National: New Victor Prince Burlesque." Sunday Times (Sydney) 6 Feb. (1916), 6. X-Ray. "Victor Prince Revusical Comedy Co, The." Theatre Magazine Mar. (1916), 44. --- "Month in Vaudeville, The." Theatre Magazine Dec. (1917), 49. Evening News (Sydney) 5 Feb. (1916), 3. SUNNY SPAIN: [revusical] Txt. Jack Kearns and Harry Sadler; Mus. [n/e] 1916: Princess Theatre, Sydney; 4-10 Mar. - Dir/Prod/Lse. Harry Sadler and Jack Kearns; Prop. Fullers' Theatres Ltd. - Troupe: Jack Kearns Revue Co. - Cast incl. Jack Kearns Vera Kearns, Louie Duggan, Harry Sadler, Billy Maloney, George Dean, Beattie MacDonald, Frank and Lank and Alice [Frank Uren, W. Thompson and Alice Johnston, aka Mrs Frank Uren]. MULDOON'S PICNIC: [revusical] Txt Adapt. James Craydon; Mus. [n/e] James Craydon (ex Delohery, Craydon and Holland), who had been stage managing Sydney's Princess Theatre for the Fullers for some five years to the beginning of 1916, and producing numerous revusicals in the process, also staged one or two at the theatre during the year while it was under the management of lessees Jack Kearns and Harry Sadler. One of these revusicals was Muldoon's Picnic, a revival of the once popular minstrel farce, which Frank M.