AustLit

Revusical.

Revusical.

Although information concerning this revusical's storyline is scarce, Harry Little's portrayal of a Wooloomooloo tough came in for special mention in a review published in the February 1917 issue of the Theatre. Describing his impersonation as having been done 'to a tick', the magazine's variety critic, X-ray, cites the following lines from Loo-ite Blister as he complains about his wife: 'She wouldn't give me a deener... and she had a day's washing yesterday.' One of Jack Kearns's amusing lines, according to the same review, was 'Don't you call me a loafer or I'll have you up on definition of character' (p.46).

In the same production, Elsie Bates and Phyllis Faye played the companion characters Mrs Boko and Mrs Blister, described by X-ray as 'two lairy, shriekingly-funny creations.'

Revusical.

Revusical.

Revusical.

Revusical.

Although little information concerning this revusical's storyline has been located, Australian Variety records that one song performed during the September 1916 season, 'Here's to My Love', was 'responsible for much applause' (20 Sept. 1916, n pag.).

Revusical.

Revusical.

In reviewing the 1919 Coliseum production, Australian Variety records:

The house full sign was registered long before the curtain went up.... It is really a bright little offering, and with the cast well allotted went briskly during its tenure of the stage... The whole show is scintillating with animation, colour and humour, and offerings of its kind should do much towards keeping the standard of Clay bravely in the fore-front of North Sydney patrons. With such productions brought to their door, suburbanites are going to have no trouble in seeing a metropolitan show for the present class of entertainment is well up to the equal of a majority of the city shows (n. pag.).

No other information regarding the revusical's storyline has been located to date.

Revusical.

In reviewing the premiere production of On the Sands at Harry Clay's Bridge Theatre, Australian Variety records:

The Royal Musical Comedy Co opened and as responsible for the 'House Full' signs being out long before the curtain was raised... The whole show was bright and catchy and did not leave one dull moment... The musical items are fresh and attractive and has none of the hackneyed quality of many of the recent revues seen at other theatres lately ... Judging by the reception the revue received, it should have a record run, which it fully deserves, as it is well worth seeing and well worth the trip out for the 'city-ites' after some of the revues that have been produced lately (27 October 1915, p.6).

Although no details concerning the story have yet been located, the 'Synopsis of Events' as advertised in Australian Variety indicate the following scenes: 'Flo and Her Friends Arrive', 'On the Sands', 'Private, Strictly Private', 'Clarence the Sport', 'Somebody's Taken My Togs, I Wonder Who Were There Before?', 'Police', 'The Rich Uncle From Fiji', and 'Everybody Happy'.

The songs used in this production, believed to have been of both original Australian and international origin, were also changed on a regular basis. The Australian Variety review reveals, for example, that all of the songs presented during the opening week were replaced for the second. One of the songs that featured in the revusical was Morley's 'Be a Man, Enlist To-Day!'.

The 1931 revival staged by George Sorlie and his newly formed Vaudeville and Revue Company was reportedly set at Kirra Beach, with the actor/manager in the role of a waiter.