AustLit

In January 1915, Lindsay Kemble a 19 year-old man from Burra, South Australia became infamous throughout much of Australia after being arrested in Adelaide dressed as a woman. The incident subsequently led to a three night headline engagement with the Brennan-Fuller Vaudeville Circuit (King’s Theatre) and a simultaneous contract with Lou Powell and Fred Coffey to appear on stage at their Star Theatre as a between-films act. Powell and Coffey also arranged for cinematographer Harry Krischock to film Kemble replicating some of the incidents that occurred during the two months he masqueraded as a woman.

The comedy, which played the Star from 23 January remained a major attraction for several weeks. Largely billed as simply Lindsay Kemble, it later toured some South Australian regional centre.

Much public interest focused on the local men who fell for Kemble's feminine charms, and this aspect appears to have created much of the comedy in the film.