AustLit

Variety performers, comedians, dancers, revue company leaders.

The names Albert and Maud Bletsoe have long since disappeared from the annals of Australian theatre history, but the variety troupe they founded in 1915 later formed the nucleus of one of the most popular revusical companies of the 1910s and 1920s. Comprising several well-established performers and an emerging comic by the name of Roy Rene, Bletsoes' Tabloid Musical Comedy Company was also one of the pioneers of the Australian revusical genre, along with Bert Le Blanc's Travesty Stars, Arthur Morley's Royal Musical Comedy Company (aka Harry Clay's No 1 Revue Company), the Paul Stanhope Revue Company, and the Jack Kearns Revue Company.

Although little is known of the early life and career of Albert Bletsoe and his sister Maud, they are described in a 1915 Theatre Magazine 1912 profile as being 'well-known in costume comedy work throughout Australia and New Zealand' (April 1915, p.48). The article's publication coincided with the Bletsoes' return on from a thirteen-month tour of America and Canada on the Y.M.C.A circuit, during which time they specialised in sketch work and novelty dancing. One of their more popular creations on that tour was a dance they titled 'The Kangaroo Tango' (April 1915, p.48).

The earliest of the Bletsoes' engagements found to date is 1912, when their Crimson Ramblers troupe opened for a season at Brisbane's Arcadia Theatre (situated in New Farm). The entertainment on offer is described in a Brisbane Courier preview as 'being full of musical gems, song, dance, sketch and story in a bright, unique manner.' Their shows also concluded with 'the latest photo plays by [the] best producer' (10 August 1912, p.5).

Following their return from America, Albert and Maud signed with Fullers' Theatres and, at the company's suggestion, formed Bletsoes' Tabloid Musical Comedy Company. In addition to Roy Rene, the troupe's feature artists initially included James Caldwell, Eileen Barnsley, Ernest Lauri, Charles Melvin, and dancer Rosie Bowie (who later choreographed the Stiffy and Mo revusicals). The troupe's first engagement is believed to have been at Newcastle under the management of Dix-Baker. The Theatre Magazine records that their show, which occupied the first part of the programme, was a vast improvement on the management's previous offering, the old minstrel first part (June 1915, n. pag.). The troupe's repertoire of five revusicals included In Vacation Time, Fun in a Sanatorium, Be Beautiful, and Palmistry Up-to-Date.

The Newcastle season was followed by an engagement in Melbourne at the Fullers' Bijou Theatre. The troupe then returned to New South Wales, ending the year as the feature entertainment at the National Theatre in Sydney.

The Bletsoes' final season with their revusical company was played at the Empire Theatre in Brisbane, beginning mid-May 1916. At some stage during that engagement, Albert and Maud decided to retire from the industry, with Albert indicating to the Theatre Magazine that he had sold the whole of their shows to Nat Phillips. The magazine further records that Albert Bletsoe had lined up a good commercial position in Wellington (August 1916, p.46).