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y separately published work icon Lola Montez single work   musical theatre  
Issue Details: First known date: 1958... 1958 Lola Montez
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Musical

Set in Ballarat during the gold rush year of 1856, the story concerns the visit to the town Lola Montez (aka Dolores Eliza Gilbert), the famous Irish-born courtesan and mistress of a king. Her notoriety was also in part due to her sensational strip-tease 'The Spider Dance.'

Adaptations

form y separately published work icon Lola Montez Alan Burke , Peter Benjamin , Peter Stannard (composer), ( dir. Alan Burke ) 1962 Australia : ABC Television , 1962 Z1587941 1962 single work film/TV The story is based on the real-life events surrounding the visit to the gold-rush city of Ballarat in 1855 by the legendary and flamboyant dancer/courtesan Lola Montez.

Notes

  • Alan Burke, Peter Benjamin and Peter Stannard conceived their musical telling of the legend of Lola Montez along American 'Broadway musical' lines, and indeed it has been described by theatre historian John West as having 'the right number of songs, a big dance scene, [and] a subsidiary love story' (p.188).

  • The original cast recording was the first stereo LP to be released in Australia, and was unoffically accorded 'best album of the year' status by the Sydney Sun (23 October 1958, p.47). The ballad 'Saturday Girl' is still regarded as one of the best known songs from an Australian musical.

    The original cast recording was re-released on CD by Bayview Records in 1999.

  • In 1960 the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) produced Lola Montez as a ninety minute television musical special - its first foray into the genre. The script was adapted by Burke from the original stage version.

  • Photographs from the 1958 Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust production are available online through the National Library of Australia. These include:

Production Details

  • 1958: Union Theatre, Melbourne ; 19 February - 22 March. - Dir. John Sumner; Prod. Union Theatre Reperoty Company. - Cast incl. Justine Rettick (Lola Montez), Neil Fitzpatrick, Michale Cole, Patricia Conolly, Frank Gatliff, Alan Hopgood, Monica Maughan, George Ogilvie, Robin Ramsay.

    • The soundtrack album was released to coincide with the production's premiere.

    1958: Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane AETT; 1-18 Oct. - Dir/Chor. George Cardin; Prod. Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust ; Music Dir. Leo Packer ; Music Arr. Verdon Williams; Design. Hermia Boyd. - Cast: incl. Mary Preston (Lola Montez), Frank Wilson (Sam Vanderburg), Jane Martin, Michael Cole, John Auld, Alan Hopgood, Bernard Shine, Doreen Oakshott, Ron Pinnell, Eric Thornton.

    1958: Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney ; 22 October 1958 - 14 February 1959. - Dir/Chor. George Cardin; Prod. Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust ; Music Dir. Leo Packer ; Music Arr. Verdon Williams ; Stage Design Hermia Boyd. - Cast: (Lola Montez) Mary Preston (Sam Vanderburg) Frank Wilson, (Daniel) Eric Thornton, (Jane Oliver) Jane Martin, Michael Cole, John Auld, Alan Hopgood, Bernard Shine, Doreen Oakshott, Ron Pinnell.

    • The Sydney version was a full-scale production, with some 38 singers and dancers. It also included Australia's first hit show tune, "Saturday Girl." The show closed with a loss of £31,581.

    1960: ABC Television ; [see Film/TV entry for details]

    1988: Canberra Theatre, ACT ; 3, 7-10 December. - Dir. Alan Burke ; Prod. Canberra Repertory Company ; Music Dir/Cond. Keith Helgesen ; Design Russell Brown; Cost. Hilary Hartney; Chor. Edwin Briggs. - Cast incl. Kate Peters, John Loy, Maria-Brigid Ryan, Andrew Moore.

    • Funded as part of the Australian Bicentenary celebrations.

    2018: One-night performance at Parramatta Riverside Theatre, 2 June 2018. - Dir. Stephen Helper ; Prod. Diadem Productions ; Music Dir/Arr. Craig Renshaw ; Ass. Music Dir. Bev Kennedy ; Chor. Paul Mercurio. - Cast: Debora Krizak (Lola), Scott Irwin (Sam), Joel Granger (Daniel), Ashleigh Rubenach (Jane), Peter Cousens (Smith), Red Symons (Seekamp), Caitlin Berry (Gisela), Luke Joslin (Wilson/Sheriff), Kaeng Chan (Crosbie), Genevieve Lemon (Rose), Josie Lane (Cherry), and Brendan Xavier (Jocko).

  • A planned professional revival in 1972 starring Bunny Gibson, Sheila Bradley, and Peter Carroll never opened.

    Although Lola Montez has only been staged on the professional stage a few times since it premiered in 1958, there have been countless amateur revivals, including at least two by the Brisbane Arts Theatre - the first in 1972 (directed by Jan McKee) and the second in 1992 (directed by Lynne Wright). There were also a number of productions undertaken as part of the 1988 Bicentennial celebrations, notably the Western Theatrical Company's version staged at Blacktown (Sydney).

  • This entry has been sourced from on-going historical research into Australian music-film, theatre and television being conducted by Dr Clay Djubal.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1958
      ca. 1958 .
      Extent: 54 leaves ; typescript (leaf 9 missing)p.
      (Manuscript) assertion
      Note/s:
      • Two acts ; score not included

      Holdings

      Held at: University of Queensland University of Queensland Library Fryer Library
      Location: Hanger Collection
      Local Id: HO220
      1958-1983 .
      Alternative title: Scrapbook on Lola Montez, 1958-1983
      Extent: 1 folio packagep.
      (Manuscript) assertion
      Note/s:
      • Copies from a scrapbook containing newspaper cuttings and programs relating to the 1958 Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust production of Lola Montez starring Mary Preston and subsequent productions by other companies including Miranda Theatre Group (1967), Canterbury Theatre Guild (1983) and the University of Melbourne. Also includes some cuttings relating to the 1959 television production of Pardon Miss Westcott.

      Holdings

      Held at: National Library of Australia
      Local Id: NLA MS833
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()

Works about this Work

The 15 Greatest Australian Musicals, on Stage and Screen – Sorted Cassie Tongue , Benjamin Neutze , 2022 single work review
— Appears in: The Guardian Australia , 7 August 2022;
— Review of Fangirls Yve Blake , 2019 single work musical theatre ; The Legend of King O'Malley Michael Boddy , Bob Ellis , 1970 single work musical theatre ; Lola Montez Peter Benjamin , Alan Burke , 1958 single work musical theatre ; Bran Nue Dae : A Musical Journey Jimmy Chi , 1990 single work musical theatre ; Only Heaven Knows Alex Harding , 1988 single work musical theatre ; Moulin Rouge! The Musical Baz Luhrmann , John Logan , 2016 single work musical theatre ; The Boy from Oz Nick Enright , Peter Allen , 1998 single work musical theatre ; Keating! A Country Soul Opera Casey Bennetto , 2005 single work musical theatre ; Summer Rain Nick Enright , 1983 single work musical theatre ; Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Musical Stephan Elliott , Allan Scott , 2006 single work musical theatre ; Barbara and the Camp Dogs Ursula Yovich , Alana Valentine , 2017 single work musical theatre ; Muriel's Wedding : The Musical P. J. Hogan , 2017 single work musical theatre ; Miracle City Nick Enright , 1996 single work musical theatre
What's a Man to Do? Images of Rural Australian Masculinities in Three Plays of the 1950s : Reedy River, The Bastard Country and Lola Montez Adrian Kiernander , 2005 single work criticism
— Appears in: Australasian Drama Studies , April no. 46 2005; (p. 38-57) The article examines the features of masculinity as they appear in three plays from the 1950s set in rural Australia - an environment conventionally regarded as a place of authenticy for men - and discusses the uses to which these depictions of masculinity are put. The aims of the article are in part dramaturgical: 'to think about the relationship between the scripts of the plays and the time in which they were first performed, and to ask questions about how these plays worked in relation to changing possibilities for the performance of gender' (38).
y separately published work icon Theatre in Australia John West , Stanmore : Cassell Australia , 1978 Z1306143 1978 single work criticism
'Lola Montez' - An Australian Musical 1960 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Theatre Year , 1959/1960 vol. 4 no. 1960; (p. 40)
— Review of Lola Montez Peter Benjamin , Alan Burke , 1958 single work musical theatre
New Musical to be Presented 1958 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 7 January 1958; (p. 9)
— Review of Lola Montez Peter Benjamin , Alan Burke , 1958 single work musical theatre Preeview of forthcoming Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust production.
'Lola Montez' - An Australian Musical 1960 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Theatre Year , 1959/1960 vol. 4 no. 1960; (p. 40)
— Review of Lola Montez Peter Benjamin , Alan Burke , 1958 single work musical theatre
'Lola Montez' at Elizabethan 1958 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 23 October 1958; (p. 5)
— Review of Lola Montez Peter Benjamin , Alan Burke , 1958 single work musical theatre
'Lola Montez' Set to Music 1958 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 23 October 1958; (p. 7)
— Review of Lola Montez Peter Benjamin , Alan Burke , 1958 single work musical theatre
'Lola' Our Best this Year 1958 single work review
— Appears in: Sun Herald , 28 October 1958; (p. 4)
— Review of Lola Montez Peter Benjamin , Alan Burke , 1958 single work musical theatre
New Musical to be Presented 1958 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 7 January 1958; (p. 9)
— Review of Lola Montez Peter Benjamin , Alan Burke , 1958 single work musical theatre Preeview of forthcoming Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust production.
What's a Man to Do? Images of Rural Australian Masculinities in Three Plays of the 1950s : Reedy River, The Bastard Country and Lola Montez Adrian Kiernander , 2005 single work criticism
— Appears in: Australasian Drama Studies , April no. 46 2005; (p. 38-57) The article examines the features of masculinity as they appear in three plays from the 1950s set in rural Australia - an environment conventionally regarded as a place of authenticy for men - and discusses the uses to which these depictions of masculinity are put. The aims of the article are in part dramaturgical: 'to think about the relationship between the scripts of the plays and the time in which they were first performed, and to ask questions about how these plays worked in relation to changing possibilities for the performance of gender' (38).
y separately published work icon Theatre in Australia John West , Stanmore : Cassell Australia , 1978 Z1306143 1978 single work criticism
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Awards

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Last amended 22 May 2018 12:44:58
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