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Revue.
Upon his return to Australia in early 1929 following nine months overseas, Jim Gerald re-formed his revue company and put together a repertoire of both old and new productions. Although Everyone's records that the new material moved away from the revusical format, 'the stuff that landed him in the front row of local comedy merchants', and thus did not afford Gerald the same scope, the season's opening production, Happy Ideas, nevertheless still made a strong impression. In reporting that it introduced 'much in the way of novelty and effective presentation.' The magazine's critic further notes:
'It is mounted with a suggestion of lavishness, which is emphasized by the stage lighting. Evidently one of the wrinkles picked up by Gerald in America, varied coloured and ever changing lights [were] thrown from the wings on to a gold drop centre paneled by rich figured material' (1 May 1929, p.49).
Gerald returned to staging his traditional entertainment (a vaudeville first half and a second-half revusical) the following year, but retained Happy Ideas as a generic title for the vaudeville part of the programme. For example, a review of the second week's edition of Happy Ideas as staged during the 1930 Melbourne Tivoli season records:
'[It] was well named. In the eight ideas presented the company was in a happy vein, and kept the patrons in a state of laughter from start to finish. Jim Gerald himself displayed remarkable versatility, particularly in the haunted house scene, in company with Reg Hawthorne. The humour was original, and was deservedly appreciated' (Age 14 April 1930, p.12).
Each opening week of a season up until at least the mid-1930s also invariably saw the troupe present a week of straight vaudeville-style revue under the same title.
Production Details
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1929: Fullers' Theatre, Sydney, ca. April/May.
- Director Jim Gerald; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Jim Gerald Revue Company.
- Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, Howard Hall, Billy Heaton, Tom Dale, Ron Shand, Lily Coburn, Linda Foy.
- Jim Gerald's brother, Lance Lenton, was no longer with the troupe.
1930: Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne, 5 April - 4 July.
- Director Jim Gerald; Producer Tivoli Celebrity Vaudeville Pty Ltd.
- Troupe Jim Gerald Musical Revue Company.
- Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, Howard Hall, Jim Foran, Sadie Gale, Tom Dale, Joe Hudson, Ray McLean, Joan Graham, Lily Coburn, Marie Ward, Thelma Duff, Edna Ralston, and the Six Twinklers.
1933: Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, 27 January - 13 April.
- Director Jim Gerald; Producer Con-Paul Theatres (Mike Connors and Queenie Paul).
- Cast incl. Jim Gerald, Lily Coburn, Reg Hawthorne, Frieda Bohning, Howard Hall, Thelma Duff, Will Perryman, Lou Cottam, Tom Dale, Heather Jones, Thelma Bryce, Jess Gillam, Vilma Kaye, and the Twelve Twinklers.
- The Sydney season began on 24 December 1932 with Pantomime Revels, followed by the two-act musical comedy The Honeymoon Girl (20-26 January 1933). The remainder of the season comprised Happy Ideas (first part) and a second-part revusical.
1934: Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne, 31 Mar. - 9 August.
- Director Jim Gerald; Producer Con-Paul Theatres (Mike Connors and Queenie Paul) / Tivoli Circuit Australia Pty Ltd (from ca. May onwards).
- Troupe Jim Gerald's Musical Revue Company.
- Cast incl. Jim Gerald, 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 Twinklers.
- Charles L. Sherman joined the company on 12 May and was also involved in the first-part vaudeville entertainment, as a piano-playing storyteller.
- NB: Frieda Bohning's surname is sometimes given as 'Bonning.' It is unclear which is the correct name.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Tivoli Theatre: The Jim Gerald Co.
1934
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 23 July 1934; (p. 10)
— Review of Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre ; His Lucky Day 1934 single work musical theatreA review of both the second part revusical, His Lucky Day, and the 17th edition of the first part vaudeville entertainment, Happy Ideas, staged at the Tivoli Theatre (Melbourne) during 1934.
The review also draws attention to a special presentation given to Jim Gerald and his wife, Essie Jennings, on the occasion of their twenty-first wedding anniversary.
-
New Tivoli Theatre : 'A Moorish Maid'
1933
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 3 April no. 29718 1933; (p. 5)
— Review of A Moorish Maid 1933 single work musical theatre ; Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre -
New Tivoli Theatre : A Varied Programme
1933
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 20 February no. 29682 1933; (p. 4)
— Review of He's in Again 1933 single work musical theatre ; Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre -
New Tivoli Theatre : 'The Naughty Earl'
1933
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 20 March no. 29706 1933; (p. 4)
— Review of Not Likely 1926 single work musical theatre ; Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre A review of the 1933 Sydney season of The Naughty Earl (aka Not Likely) and the first part revue, Happy Ideas. -
New Tivoli Theatre : 'Honeymoon Troubles'
1933
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 13 February no. 29676 1933; (p. 5)
— Review of The Naughty Husband 1926 single work musical theatre ; Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre A review of the 1933 Sydney season of Honeymoon Troubles (aka The Naughty Husband) and the first part revue, Happy Ideas.
-
Jim Gerald Back at Fullers, Sydney
1929
single work
review
— Appears in: Everyone's , 1 May 1929; (p. 49)
— Review of Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre -
Tivoli Theatre: The Jim Gerald Co.
1934
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 23 July 1934; (p. 10)
— Review of Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre ; His Lucky Day 1934 single work musical theatreA review of both the second part revusical, His Lucky Day, and the 17th edition of the first part vaudeville entertainment, Happy Ideas, staged at the Tivoli Theatre (Melbourne) during 1934.
The review also draws attention to a special presentation given to Jim Gerald and his wife, Essie Jennings, on the occasion of their twenty-first wedding anniversary.
-
New Tivoli Theatre : 'Circus Days'
1933
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 30 January no. 29664 1933; (p. 4)
— Review of Bare Backs 1922 single work musical theatre ; Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre A brief review of the 1933 Sydney season of Circus Days (formerly known as Bare Backs) and Happy Ideas (first part revue). -
New Tivoli Theatre : 'I Don't Want to Be a Jockey'
1933
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 6 March no. 29694 1933; (p. 5)
— Review of Whips and Quips 1922 single work musical theatre ; Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre A review of the 1933 Sydney season of I Don't want to Be a Jockey (formerly known as Whips and Quips and Sport of Kings) and Happy Ideas (first part revue). -
New Tivoli Theatre : 'So Long Customers'
1933
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 10 April no. 29724 1933; (p. 5)
— Review of Your Own Show 1924 single work musical theatre ; Happy Ideas 1929 single work musical theatre Review of the 1933 Sydney season of So Long Customers (aka Your Own Show) and the first part revue, Happy Ideas.
