Category Archives: Australian Performing Group

Theatre Australia magazine – Carlton special – 1977

Theatre Australia cover

Max Gillies – 1977 (Cover photo by Ian McKenzie)

This edition of Theatre Australia contains articles titled:

  • “Ten Years of Carlton Theatre” by Garrie Hutchinson (with photos from 1969 and 1970);
  • “The Many Masks of Max Gillies” by John Larkin;
  • “Carlton Designs” by Peter Corrigan (with photos of sets for the plays “City Sugar”, A Floating World”, “Pecking Orders”, “The Mother”, “Crackers at the Savoy” and “Canned Peaches”.; and
  • Playscript – “Marvelous Melbourne” – Part One, with an introduction by Jack Hibberd on “How Marvelous Melbourne Came to Life”.
pram Factory Advert Theatre Australia

Advertisement appearing in the “Carlton special” edition of Theatre Australia magazine, August 1977

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“Dimboola” the movie – review in Cinema Papers – 1979

Source: Cinema Papers, Issue 21, May-June 1979

Bruce and Tim

Review - section 1

Review - section 2

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“Dimboola”, the movie, Cinema Papers, 1978

Dimboola in Cinema Papers

L to R: Natalie Bate, Bruce Spence and Kerry Dwyer

Dimboola-wedding-party-Cinema-Papers

The wedding party in the movie “Dimboola”. From Cinema Papers, Oct-Nov 1978. Photo probably taken by Stills Photographer, Ponch Hawkes.


This news article in Cinema Papers was written by Jack Clancy, and is from his observations on the scene during the making of the movie.

Headings in the article: The Shooting, Panavision, The Town, The Script, Actors, Rushes.

Named persons in photos: John Weily (producer), Paul Ammitzboll (grip), John Duigan (director), Tom Cowan (director of photography), Jan Kenny (focus puller), Walter Dobrowoski (first assistant), Larry Eastwood (art director), Lloyd Carrick (sound recordist), and actors Dick May, Barry Barkla, Irene Hewitt and Alan Rowe.

The cover photo and all photos in the article were probably taken by the Stills Photographer, Ponch Hawkes.

The following production details of the movie are published in the Production Survey section of the magazine:
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“Sisters” poster from the APG

“Sisters” was staged by the Australian Performing Group in the front theatre of its Pram Factory theatre in Carlton from May 20 to June 23, 1976. Written by Robin Thurston, it was a prison show written by a man but with an all-female cast. They are pictured below in a copy of the poster.

(A videotape of “Sisters” – with Bob Weiss in charge – was made at the Pram Factory on 5th and 6th June 1976.)

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Dressed up and recording the “Hills Family Radio Show”: exclusive photos

“The Hills Family Show” was arguably the most popular and critically acclaimed theatre production by the Australian Performing Group. (More memorabilia from this production will be posted on this site later.)

The fact that the APG recorded a version of the Hills Family Show for radio seems to have been overlooked in written accounts of the APG.

(Additional comment May 2020) Furthermore, I’ve searched the internet thoroughly but cannot find a copy of audio of the show.

The in-costume recording took place at the Pram Factory Theatre in Carlton on Saturday, 3 July 1976. (Max Gillies’ injured arm is real!) I believe the recording was aired on community radio station 3CR, Melbourne. Over the next few weeks I will be posting here my 20 exclusive photos of the event. (I’m almost certain that I was the only person at the event with a camera.) Peter J Keenan 25/6/2014.

Updated 22/10/2021: Max Gillies played Fitzroy Hills; Sue Ingelton played Adelaide Hills; Tony Taylor played Winston Hills; Fay Mokotow played Antigone Hills; Robert Meldrum played Clifton Hills; Evelyn Krape played Fanny ‘Granny’ Hills; Bill Garner played Sandringham Hills; and Jack Weiner played Bluey Hills. Jon Hawkes was Albert Alp, manager of the Hills Family.

Updated 22/10/2021: All of my photos are now posted. Number of photos posted to 8/9/2014 = 15.  Number of photos posted to 22/10/21 = 20.


Photo 1 – Max Gillies, Sue Ingleton, Tony Taylor, Fay Mokotow, Robert Meldrum, Evelyn Krape and Bill Garner, July 1976

All dressed for recording

Photo 2 (below) – Evelyn Krape and Fay Mokotow, July 1976

Hills Krape Mokotow

Photo 3 (below) – Jon Hawkes, juggling on radio, July 1976

Jon Hawkes juggling

Photo 4 (below) – Susy Potter, making sounds with her feet, July 1976

Susy Potter

Photo 5 (below) – Jack Weiner and Sue Ingleton tickle the ivories, July 1976

Weiner and Singleton

 

Photo 6 (below) – Sue Ingleton, July 1976

Sue Ingleton by herself

Photo 7 (below) – Fay Mokotow and Robert Meldrum, July 1976

Fay and Robert dancing

Photo 8 (below) – Tony Taylor and Max Gillies, July 1976. (In background: Lloyd Carrick, sound recordist, Sue Ingleton, Robert Meldrum and Bill Garner.)

Tony and Max

Photo 9 (below) – Fay Mokotow and Max Gillies, July 1976.
Fay and Max

Photo 10 (below) – Evelyn Krape, July 1976

Evelyn Krape at mike

Photo 11 (below) – Robert Meldrum, Sue Ingleton, Evelyn Krape, Tony Taylor, Max Gillies and Bill Garner, July 1976

Several at mikes

Photo 12 (below) – Tony Taylor, Jack Weiner, Bill Garner and Max Gillies, July 1976

Four Hills

Photo 13 (below) – Max Gillies, July 1976

Max Gillies

Photo 14 (below) – Bill Garner, July 1976

Bill Garner

Photo 15 (Below) – Fay Mokotow and Robert Meldrum, July 1976

Fay and Robert

Photo 16 (below) – Max Gillies, Sue Ingleton, Tony Taylor, Fay Mokotow, Robert Meldrum, Evelyn Krape & Bill Garner

Photo 17 (below) – Tony Taylor

Photo 18 (below) – Robert Meldrum, Fay Mokotow, Jack Weiner, Evelyn Krape, Bill Garner & Max Gillies

Photo 19 (below) – Robert Meldrum and Bill Garner, making sounds

Photo 20 (below) – Sue Ingleton

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Australian Performing Group Actors Agency brochure 1975

This is the second brochure prepared by the Actors Agency run by the APG . It was prepared in 1975 and contains photographs and short biographies of the following actors, with a page allocated to each:

Joe Bolza, Eileen Chapmen, Jane Clifton, Roz deWinter, Claire Dobbin, Bill Garner, Neil Giles, Max Gillies, Sue Ingelton, Evelyn Krape, Wilfred Last, Yvonne Marini, Robert Meldrum, Fay Mokotow, Greig Pickhaver, Carol Porter, Susy Potter, Michael Price, Tim Robertson, Tony Taylor and Bob Thorneycroft.


Joe BolzaEileen ChapmanJane CliftonRoz deWinterClaire DobbinBill GarnerNeil GilesMax GilliesSue IngeltonEvelyn KrapeWilfred LastYvonne MariniRobert MeldrumFay MokotowGreig PickhaverCarol PorterSusy PotterMichael PriceTim RobertsonTony TaylorBob Thorneycroft Red line small

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Larger venue causes mixed reaction to “Melba” production at National Theatre

After the Australian Performing Group performed “A Toast to Melba” in Adelaide to critical and popular acclaim, it moved the production to the much larger National Theatre in St Kilda, opening on 1 April 1976. Not everyone was as impressed. Here are reviews by Keith Dunstan (The Sun), Kit Neilson, Garrie Hutchinson (The Australian), L.R. (The Tribune), Colin Talbot (Nation Review), Ian Marshall, Leonard Radic (The Age), and The Southern Cross, together with some publicity pieces from the Melbourne Sun.

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KEITH DUNSTAN

Dunstan-25032014

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KIT NEILSON

Kit Neilson part 1
Kit Neilson Part 2

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GARRIE HUTCHINSON

Hutchinson April 76

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THE TRIBUNE

Tribune 1976

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COLIN TALBOT

Talbot april 76 part 1
Talbot April 76 part 2

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IAN MARSHALL

Marshall April 76

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LEONARD RADIC

Radic April 76 part1
Radic April 76 part2
Radic April 76 Part 3
Radic April 76 part 4
Radic April 1976 part 5
Radic April 76 part 6

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THE SOUTHERN CROSS

Southern cross april 76

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PUBLICITY IN THE SUN, MELBOURNE

Publicity heading
Photo of Evelyn
Publicity blurb april 76

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High praise from critics for “A Toast to Melba” at 1976 Adelaide Festval

The Australian Performing Group performed “A Toast to Melba”, its new play by Jack Hibberd, at the Adelaide Festival of Arts in March 1976 and received high praise from critics. Here are the reviews by Leonard Radic (The Age), Garrie Hutchinson (The Australian), Andre Jute (Nation Review) and The Bulletin’s critic.

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The Age, 13 March 1976


Leonard Radic part 2
Leonard Radic part 3
Leonard Radic part 4_______________________________________________

The Australian, 8 March 1976
Toast-To-Melba-Adelaide-Review-Hutchinson-8March1976_p1
Toast-To-Melba-Adelaide-Review-Hutchinson-8March1976_p2

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Nation Review, 26 March 1976

Toast-To-Melba-Adelaide-Review-Jute-26March1976_p1
Toast-To-Melba-Adelaide-Review-Jute-26March1976_p2

 

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The Bulletin part 1

Bulletin part 2

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Programme-booklet for “A Toast to Melba” by Jack Hibberd at the National Theatre in 1976

This is a copy of the programme/booklet for the APG’s production of “A Toast to Melba” performed at the National Theatre in St Kilda for 4 weeks from 1 April 1976. It includes photos of Claire Dobbin, Peter Finlay, Max Gillies, Paul Hampton, Jack Hibberd, Evelyn Krape, Fay Mokotow, Tony Taylor and Jack Weiner, and the names and descriptions of the various real and fictional characters they played. The photos appear to have been taken by Jane Clifton. (“A Toast to Melba” premiered at the Adelaide Festival (Theatre 62) in March 1976.)


Cover
Cast List
Claire Dobbin
Peter Finlay
Max Gillies
Paul Hampton and Jack Weiner
Jaxk Hibberd
Evelyn Krape
Fay Mokotow
Tony Taylor
About the play
Coming shows
About the APG

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“Yours for the Masking” and “How Grey was my Nurse” in 1976

Presented as a double bill at the Pram Factory theatre, “Yours for the Masking” and “How Grey was my Nurse” ran from the 23/1/76 to 22/2/76. The images that appear here are: a display advertisement for the production; the first two pages of a programme prepared for those attending; a newspaper photograph for promotional purposes; a review of the two shows by Robin Prentice for the Nation Review; and a photo by me of the Pram Factory theatre in February 1976.

Display advertisement

Display advertisement

Programme Page 1

Double bill programme: page 1

Programme Page 2

Double bill programme: Page 2

Promotional photograph

Promotional photograph.

Review

Review in Nation Review

TheatreFebruary2006
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