Cast: Sue Ingelton (“Adelaide Hills”), Evelyn Krape (“Fanny ‘Granny’ Hills”), Fay Mokotow (“Antigone Hills”), Max Gillies (“Fitzroy Hills”), Bill Garner (“Sandringham Hills”), Robert Meldrum (“Clifton Hills”), Tony Taylor (“Winston Hills”) and Buz Leeson (“David Hills”). Photos: Larry Meltzer. Choreography: Lorry Clark and Bob Thorneycroft.
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Posted in Alternative theatre, APG, Australian Performing Group, Australian theatre, Live theatre, Plays, Pram Factory Theatre, Theatre History
Tagged 1975, Bill Garner, Buzz Leeson, Evelyn Krape, Fay Mokotow, Larry Meltzer, Max Gillies, October, Robert Meldrum, Sue Ingleton, The Hills Family Show, Tony Taylor
Cast: Sue Ingelton (“Adelaide Hills”), Evelyn Krape (“Fanny ‘Granny’ Hills”), Fay Mokotow (“Antigone Hills”), Max Gillies (“Fitzroy Hills”), Jack Weiner (“Bluey Hills”), Bill Garner (“Sandringham Hills”), Robert Meldrum (“Clifton Hills”) and Tony Taylor (“Winston Hills”). Jon Hawkes as “Albert Alps, manager”.
Presented by THE VICTORIAN ARTS COUNCIL, 31/5/76 – 26/6/76
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“The Dudders”, a cabaret-style musical comedy set in Australia in 1942, was staged at the Pram Factory front theatre and ran from 11 November to 24 December 1976. It was written by John Romeril and John Timlin and directed by John Romeril, all APG members. The actors were Tim Robertson, Alison Richards, Susy Potter, Bob Thorneycroft, Bob Daly, Peter Green, Richard Murphet and Bill Garner.
Below are copies of the APG publicity poster and favourable reviews by theatre critics Bob Crimeen, Leonard Radic and Neil Jillett.
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APG advertisement
Review by Leonard Radic
Review by Barry Oakley
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“A Stretch of the Imagination”, a one character play by Jack Hibberd, has been staged many times in many places with different actors in the lead. It has become an Australian classic.
In 1976, when staged in the back theatre of the Pram Factory, the character of Monk O’Neill was played by Max Gillies (directed by Paul Hampton); and the play and performance received rave reviews. Copies of three of those reviews appear below. (The play, with the same actor and director, was staged again at the Pram Factory – this time in the front theatre – in Aug/Sept 1977.)
Neil Jillet described the play as “probably the most beautiful Australian play ever written”; Bob Crimeen said “Hibberd’s masterpiece of hallucinations and shattered dreams gives Gillies the chance to prove his mettle in tragic-comedy”; and a writer for the Sunday Press said “This study of a singular man is Australian writer Jack Hibberd at his best …. Max Gillies as Monk O’Neil, is brilliant and gives Melbourne … the performance of the year”.
(“A Stretch of the Imagination” was first performed at the Pram Factory in 1972, with Peter Cummins as Monk O’Neill, directed by Jack Hibberd.)
Continue readingThe Australian Performing Group staged “Phar Lap – it’s Cingalese for lightning, y’know”, written by Steve Mastare) (aka Stephen Mastare, Stephanie Mastare and Ess Mastare), at the Pram Factory theatre in March and April 1977.
Director: Paul Hampton. Cast: Susy Potter, Claire Dobbin, Phil Motherwell, Alison Richards, Wilfred Last, Greig Pickhaver. Design: Micky Allen, Carol Porter. Lighting: Ian McKenzie. Original Music: Andrew Bell. Poster: Bob Daly. Props :Ursula Harrison. Costume: Freda Rowed. Sound Operator: Margot Nash.
Below is a copy of “Turf Notes”, a publicity brochure for the programme.
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Posted in Alternative theatre, APG, Australian Performing Group, Australian theatre, Live theatre, Pram Factory Theatre, Theatre History
Tagged 1977, Alison Richards, APG, Australian Performing Group, Bob Daly, Cingalese, Claire Dobbin, Greig Pickhaver, Paul Hampton, Phar Lap, Phil Motherwell, Pram Factory, Stephen Mastare, Susy Potter, turf notes, Wilfred Last
It’s fair to say that Melbourne theatre critics, Leonard Radic and Neil Jillet, did not like the APG’s “Smack in the Dacks”. Below are copies of their reviews: Leonard Radic in The Age (Nov ’77) and Neil Jillett in The Herald (21/11/77).
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“A Mad World, My Masters”, a musical written by English playwright Barrie Keeffe in 1977, was staged by the Australian Performing Group from January to March 1978.
Director: Wilfred Last. Cast: David Kendall, Bruce Spence, Kerry Dwyer, Phil Motherwell, Bill Garner, Peter Green, Alison Richards, Tim Robertson and Fay Mokotow. Producers: John Timlin, Fay Mokotow. Designed: Peter Corrigan & cast.
Posted in APG, Australian Performing Group, Australian theatre, Live theatre, Pram Factory Theatre
Tagged 1978, Alison Richards, Barrie Keeffe, Bill Garner, Bruce Spence, David Kendall, Fay Mokotow, John Timlin, Kelvin Gedye, Kerry Dwyer, Margot Lindsay, Peter Corrigan, Peter Green, Phil Motherwell, Rose Chong, Tim Robertson, Wilfred Last
