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Intimate revue.
Written mainly by John McKellar, Stop Press is described by William Orr in the production program as dealing 'with the local scene, and [thus] it can truly be called "Sydney's own Revue"'. Among the topics and subject matter under fire were advertising jingles and slogans, Fidel Castro, Robert Menzies, Sydney's North Shore and South Shore, Australian television crime shows, and nuns and monks.
The order of sketches and songs (including performers) was:
Act One:
- 1. 'Grab It While it's Hot' (Company)
- 2. 'Monitor' (Dennis/ Hopgood/ Farr)
- 3. 'What the People Want' (Ginn/Dennis/Hardy/Mather)
- 4. 'Three Little Words' (Lenihan/ Mather/Farr/Hardy/Dennis)
- 5. 'Yes and No' (Wyndon)
- 6. 'High School for Scandal' (Hopgood/Lenihan/Farr/Hardy/Wyndon)
- 7. 'Control': (i) Zillion Dollars (Dennis) and (ii) 'No Strings' (Hopgood)
- 8. 'North Shore-South Shore' (Ginn/Lenihan/Wyndon/Mather)
- 9. 'Cook's Tour' (Farr)
- 10. 'Surfside Sick' (Dennis/Ginn/Hardy/Wyndon/Hopgood)
- 11. 'Yearnings' (Lenihan/Farr)
- 12 'I'm the Boy' (Mather/Wyndon)
- 13. 'Happily Ever After' (Dennis/Farr/Hopgood/Lenihan)
- 14. 'Calorie Count Down' (Hardy)
- 15. 'Time to Forget' (Company).
Act Two:
- 1. 'Peak Hour' (Company)
- 2. 'Paper' (Farr)
- 3. 'Holiday Estate' (Ginn/Lenihan/Mather/Dennis)
- 4. 'Encorpse' (Hopgood)
- 5. 'Girls' Night Out' (Lenihan/Hardy/Wyndon/Farr/Dennis)
- 6. 'Twilight Zone' (Mather)
- 7. 'Blue' (Hardy)
- 8. 'Monastery' (Ginn/Wyndon/Farr/Hopgood/Dennis)
- 9. 'Old-Fashion Passion' (Lenihan)
- 10. 'Guidance' (Mather/Hardy/Ginn)
- 11. 'Art Strip' (Wyndon)
- 12. 'Of Ming I Sing' (Ginn/Hopgood/Dennis/Mather)
- 13. 'Where Do We Go From Here?' (Company).
Notes
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Additional collaborators were:
Music Jim Wallett ('Zillion Dollars' and 'Calorie Count Down') and John Addison ('I'm the Boy' and 'Blue').
Lyrics Alan Hopgood ('Happily Ever After' with John McKellar, 'Monitor', 'No Strings', 'Encorpse', and 'Guidance'); John Cranko ('I'm the Boy' and 'Blue'); Gerry Donovan ('What the People Want' with John McKellar); and Ron Frazer ('Three Little Word', 'High School for Scandal', 'Cook's Tour', 'Surfside Sick', 'Yearnings', 'Holiday Estate', 'Girls' Night Out', and 'Twilight Zone', all with John McKellar).
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The Sydney Morning Herald critic, R. C., notes that while 'a good deal more pointed and lively than its predecessor', the revue was nevertheless 'lacking in sting'. In some respects, this was seen as the result of choosing targets that were too easy to hit and through an overall blunt and clumsy approach. 'Above all', writes R. C., 'the revue lacks the sense of being in urgent touch with latest foibles of the city, of catching a fad before it is realised to be fad, [and] of being maliciously ahead of the times instead of repetitiously behind them'. The production's saving grace, according to the Herald's review, was very much down to the talented cast, with all the female members (and notably Barbara Wyndon, Judi Farr, and Mary Hardy) shining. Alan Hopgood's performance is also described as having been 'the most accomplished and versatile' (18 May 1961, p.11).
Production Details
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1961: Phillip Street Theatre (150 Elizabeth Street), Sydney, 17 May - 31 September.
- Producer William Orr; Chorus Ronnie Hay; Design/Director Joseph Shearer; Music Director Dot Mendoza; Stage Manager Laurie Lynagh; Costumes Pat Carter.
- Cast Stewart Ginn, Barbara Wyndon, Brigid Lenihan, Dibbs Mather, Judi Farr, Mary Hardy, Alan Hopgood, Jon Dennis.
- Musicians Dot Mendoza (piano), Peter Piercy (piano), Ted Secombe (drums).
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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New Revue at Phillip Street
1961
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 18 May 1961; (p. 11)
— Review of Stop Press 1961 single work musical theatre
-
New Revue at Phillip Street
1961
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 18 May 1961; (p. 11)
— Review of Stop Press 1961 single work musical theatre
