AustLit
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
A humorous boardinghouse mystery, including a murder, a garrulous landlady, fugitives from justice, and a newspaper reporter.
Notes
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Mr and Mrs Er-Smith:
Some Australian newspapers note that A Clue There Was was produced in London as an opening to A.A. Milne's Belinda, where British newspapers (and associated sources) record that play as Mr and Mrs Er-Smith. Conversely, no play by the title Mr and Mrs Er-Smith was produced in Australia. It is possible that these two works are the same drama with different titles, but more information is needed before this can be confirmed.
Sources:
'Music and the Theatre', West Australian, 29 July 1933, p.5.
'Success in London', Argus, 21 May 1931, p.3.
Production Details
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The earliest production of this drama traced to date was as part of a series of four one-act plays by Australian women writers (including Handley's other two plays, A Columbine Cure and The Celebrity), produced by the Workers' Educational Association Dramatic Society at the Australia in Adelaide, on 2 August 1930.
Producer: Brenda Kekwick.
Cast members included Ella Weil, Brenda Kekwick, Michael Faraday, and Gordon Madigan.
Sources:
'Australian Plays: Students Score Success', News, 4 August 1930, p.10.
'W.E.A. Dramatic Society: Australian Playlets Produced', Advertiser, 4 August 1930, p.7.
