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1914-1918, Or, For the Duration single work   musical theatre   revue/revusical   humour  
Issue Details: First known date: 1922... 1922 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Revusical.

One of the earliest of Jim Gerald's revusicals, 1914-1918 was a fleshed-out adaptation of his musical sketch 'The New Recruit' (1919), with additional musical sequences, comic scenes, and characters. The action is developed over three settings ('A Training Camp', 'Aboard a Transport Ship', and 'Armistice Day in the Trenches'), with the incidents purportedly drawn from his three years' active service.

The characters include the red-nosed raw recruit Private Muggins (played by Gerald), who is 'gifted with a shrewd and ready tongue' (Sydney Morning Herald 11 September 1922, p.5); a sergeant-major; a captain; a regimental cook (played by Lance Vane, who presented him on the lines of 'Old Bill'); a fellow-recruit (an 'effeminate station-hand', played by Reg Hawthorne); and several Red Cross sisters. After his training is completed, Gerald's Private Muggins is made a cook's mate, which the Brisbane Courier's theatre critic records 'afforded him a wide field for fun-making' (27 February 1928, p.6). The location of the camps changed according to the city that Gerald's troupe was then playing. In Sydney, for example, this was the Liverpool Camp, while the Melbourne setting was the Broadmeadows Camp.

The Brisbane Courier theatre critic writes, in 1922, 'Enlisting in 1914 [Mr Gerald's] period as a recruit at Liverpool Camp was one of "persecution" at the hands of Sergeant Major Bluff (Mr Howard Hall) from whose gruff person he got nothing but hostility and abuse. Muggins' discomfiture was further provoked by the austere Captain Aynsley (Mr Ernest Crawford). On board the transport and finally in the trenches Private Muggins was always to the fore' (13 Nov. 1922, p.13). In later years, Brisbane's Telegraph newspaper records that although Gerald availed himself of many and varied humorous situations, 'the comedy was not forced, nor was it carried out to a farcical extreme, but the incidents portrayed were faithful representations of happenings familiar to every digger who enlisted "for the duration"' (20 February 1928, n. pag.). The same review makes special note of the scenery, which is described as having been of a high standard and 'aided by effective lighting'. According to the critic, the most striking scene was the finale, which Gerald set in the trenches at the time of the signing of the Armistice in 1918 (20 February 1928, n. pag.). A 1928 review also notes that the final scene 'developed an unexpected note of pathos and dramatic intensity' (Brisbane Courier 27 February 1928, p.6).

A ballet titled 'On Parade' is known to have been presented during the 1926 Bijou Theatre season. The musical program for the 1928 Brisbane production included such songs as 'You Might Break the Heart of My Dear Old Mother' (sung by Essie Jennings and Jim Gerald), 'Minstrel Boy' (Shannon Raye), 'The Trumpeter' (Ernest Crawford), and 'Dream Girl' (Howard Hall).

Exhibitions

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Notes

  • The above reference to Gerald enlisting in 1914 is incorrect. His enlistment occurred in 1916. (See Jim Gerald's AustLit entry for further details).

Production Details

  • 1922: Victoria Theatre (Newcastle), ca. August.

    • Director Jim Gerald; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Stage Manager Lance Vane; Chorus Polly McLaren; Orchestra Leader Harold Vinner.
    • Troupe Jim Gerald's Miniature Musical Comedy Company.
    • Cast incl. Jim Gerald (Private Muggins), Ernest Crawford (Captain Aynsley), Howard Hall (Sergeant Major Bluff), Lance Vane (Greasy, the camp cook), Essie Jennings (Sister Hope), Reg Hawthorne (Private Fairie), Shannon Raye (Sister Goodheart), Winnie Trevail (Millie Joy), Polly McLaren (Private Smith), and the Six Twinklers (Iris McKenzie, Vera Nixon, Laurel Barrett, Irene Vando, Edna Drake, Myra Rowe).
    • Although it has not been established if this revusical was staged in Newcastle during Gerald's debut with the Miniature Musical Comedy Company, it is more than likely that this was one of his original four productions. It was possibly staged over the week 5-11 Aug.

    1922: Fullers' Theatre, Sydney, 9-16 September (return season: 30 September - 13 October).

    • Director Jim Gerald; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Stage Manager Lance Vane; Chorus Polly McLaren; Orchestra Leader Harold Vinner.
    • Troupe Jim Gerald's Miniature Musical Comedy Company ;
    • Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Ernest Crawford, Howard Hall, Lance Vane, Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, Shannon Raye, Winnie Trevail, Polly McLaren, and the Six Twinklers (Iris McKenzie, Vera Nixon, Laurel Barrett, Irene Vando, Edna Drake, Myra Rowe).
    • The return season ran for two weeks.

    1922: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 11-17 November.

    • Director Jim Gerald; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Stage Manager Lance Vane; Chorus Polly McLaren.
    • Troupe Jim Gerald's Miniature Musical Comedy Company.
    • Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Ernest Crawford, Howard Hall, Lance Vane, Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, Winnie Trevail, Polly McLaren, Shannon Raye, and the Six Twinklers (Iris McKenzie, Vera Nixon, Laurel Barrett, Gladys Taylor, Edna Drake, Myra Rowe).

    1924: Fullers' New Theatre, Sydney, 22 March - 4 April (two-week season).

    • Director Jim Gerald; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Stage Manager Lance Vane; Chorus Polly McLaren.
    • Troupe Jim Gerald's Miniature Musical Comedy Company.
    • Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, Polly McLaren, Lance Vane, Howard Hall, Letty Craydon, Mona Thomas, and the Six Twinklers.

    .

  • 1926: Fullers' Theatre, Sydney, 6-12 March (return season: 3-9 April).

    • Director Jim Gerald; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Stage Manager Lance Vane; Chorus Polly McLaren.
    • Troupe Jim Gerald's Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, Polly McLaren, Lance Vane, Mona Thomas, Ernest Crawford, Howard Hall, Myra Rowe, Betty Lambert, May Geary, Neva Carr-Glynn, and the Six Twinklers.

    1926: New Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 4-10 September.

    • Director Jim Gerald; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Stage Manager Lance Vane; Chorus Polly McLaren.
    • Troupe Jim Gerald Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Lance Vane, Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, Polly McLaren, May Geary, Howard Hall, Ernest Crawford, Myra Rowe, Mona Thomas, Betty Lambert, and the Six Twinklers.
    • Iris McKenzie's name is mentioned in several reviews during the Bijou Theatre season. It is unclear at this stage if she had become a member of the cast or was still one of the Six Twinklers.

    1927: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 16-27 April.

    • Director Jim Gerald; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Stage Manager Lance Vane; Chorus Polly McLaren.
    • Troupe Jim Gerald's Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, Harry Burgess, Polly McLaren, Lance Vane, Dan Weldon, Howard Hall, May Geary, Betty Lambert, Jack Manners, Dalton Payne, Harry Payne, Flora McDonald, Ray and Dot McLean, and the Six Twinklers.
    • Dan Weldon temporarily replaced Ernest Crawford, who was incapacitated for several weeks.

    1928: Fullers' Theatre, Sydney, 18 February - 2 March.

    • Director Jim Gerald; Producer Fullers' Theatre Ltd; Stage Manager Lance Vane.
    • Troupe Jim Gerald's Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, Harry Burgess, Howard Hall, Lance Vane, Phyllis du Barry, Ray McLean, Mona Thomas, Cecil Scott, May Geary, Dot Creswell, Les Pearce, Neva Glynn-Carr, Betty Lambert, and the Six Twinklers.

    1934: Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne, 23-29 June.

    • Director Jim Gerald; Producer Tivoli Circuit Australia.
    • Troupe Jim Gerald's Musical Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Charles L. Sherman, Lou Cottam, Edna Ralston, Lily Coburn, Thelma Duff, Tom Dale, Lance Vane, Frieda Bohning, George Moon Jnr, Vilma Kaye, Robbie Clifton, Will Perryman, Max Reddy, and the Six Twinklers.
    • The first-half entertainment, Happy Ideas, was presented in the revue format.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1922
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Related Works

The New Recruit The Raw Recruit Jim Gerald , 1919 single work musical theatre sketch (theatrical)

Also sometimes billed as 'The Raw Recruit', this musical sketch was based in part on Jim Gerald's own wartime experiences. 'Originality and cleverness mark the sketch' writes a Theatre critic in July 1919. 'Mr Gerald's account of how he lost his pal in the war is very pathetic. High art indeed is his work in this monologue. Later on Miss Jennings as a handsome military principal boy and Mr Gerald as the raw recruit have the house in roars. Their business over the canteen is exceptionally funny' (July 1919, p23).

Charles Norman recalls that Gerald devised the sketch shortly after his return from active duty in late 1918. Its first known staging was in May 1919 when it was presented as a first part attraction prior to Paul Stanhope's Revue Company at the Theatre Royal (Brisbane). Norman also provides a description of the sketch: 'Essie, with her beautifully turned out figure was an officer, replete with slouch hat and ostrich plume, jacket with brass buttons and regimental colours, tights of a brown hue and brown lace-up boots... but with high heels. Jim was a rookie soldier and dressed in his blue dungaree sloppy suit (today blue denim or jeans) and wearing a nondescript white washing hat. He had a song, right up to the minute : "They May Break the Heart of My Old Dear Mother but They'll Never Break Mine!" After some standover business from Officer Essie, and to the last step in his acrobatic dance with the neck reel at the finish, they were a riot. On the first night with this marvellous routine the audience were so carried away that they were forced to play the whole sketch over again. They just had to in order to quieten the audience" (When Vaudeville was King, q.v., pp226-7).

Gerald later expanded 'The New Recruit' into the one act musical comedy 1914-1918; Or, For the Duration.
VIEW ALL RELATED WORKS (1)

Works about this Work

Tivoli - Jim Gerald's Review [sic] 1934 single work review
— Appears in: The Age , 25 June 1934; (p. 10)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
Fullers' Theatre 1928 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 27 February no. 28126 1928; (p. 6)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
Empire Theatre : A Bright Programme 1928 single work review
— Appears in: The Telegraph (Brisbane) , 20 February 1928; (p. n. pag.)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
Fullers' 1926 single work review
— Appears in: Theatre Society and Home , April 1926; (p. 13)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre ; Oh Mum Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
Empire Theatre 1922 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 13 November 1922; (p. 13)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
Fullers' Theatre 1922 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 11 September no. 26422 1922; (p. 5)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
Empire Theatre : A Bright Programme 1928 single work review
— Appears in: The Telegraph (Brisbane) , 20 February 1928; (p. n. pag.)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
Empire Theatre 1922 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 13 November 1922; (p. 13)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
Fullers' Theatre 1928 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 27 February no. 28126 1928; (p. 6)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
Fullers' 1926 single work review
— Appears in: Theatre Society and Home , April 1926; (p. 13)
— Review of 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre ; Oh Mum Jim Gerald , 1922 single work musical theatre
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PeriodicalNewspaper Details

Note:
This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive
Last amended 21 Aug 2014 09:50:34
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