1935

Roy Rene (in association with Mike Connors and Queenie Paul) returned to Melbourne's Apollo Theatre beginning Boxing

Day with the revue Go to Town. The company also included Sadie Gale, Lulla Fanning, Maurice Barling, Doris Whimp, Ronnie

Hay, Max Reedy, Edna Cahill, Pat White and Chic Arnold.

__________

RHAPSODIES OF 1935: [revue] Txt. [n/e]; Mus incl. Jack O'Hagen

"With his instinct for the spectacular and the bizarre," writes an Age theatre critic, "Ernest C. Rolls plies scene upon scene

until he gropes about exhausted amid the confusion. Rhapsodies of 1935… is just one heap of entertainment… a sort of theatrical

scramble. But it was an exuberant, delightful, lop-sided, extravagant, elusive scramble" with superb dancing and very original

costumes ("Apollo," 12).

The same Age review also records that although the lyrics were weak, the

music by Jack O'Hagen was light and entrancing, with the singing of Strella

Wilson and William Perryman bringing special mention (ibid, 12). Songs

known to have been presented in the revue were the scene numbers "Land of

Smiles" (sung by Strella Wilson in the role of Madame Dalska) and "The Maid

of Madrid" (sung by William Perryman and accompanied by the ballet chorus).

Alec Kellaway scored much success, too, with his performance of "Play Me an

Old-Fashioned Melody."

The sketches included "Modern Marriage," in which Roy Rene came

before the stage in the full dress of a duke in the Guards and proceeded to tell

the story of his life. The critic describes Rene's performance as "startling

versatile" and "the surprise of the revue." Other highlights of the revue

included the sketches "The Age of Compromise" "Gore Galore," along with

two specialty act performed by dancer Eve Alwyn, called "The Soul Leaving

the Body" and the other, performed in a Javanese setting called "The

Sacrifice." This turn involved "a weird religious dance" whereby Miss Alwyn

"triumphed in the beauty and daring of her strange abandon" as she leapt and

writhed in sinuous grace surrounded by dancers in death masks until caught up

by the Spirit of the Flame and finally offered up to the Fire God" (ibid, 12).

One of the features of the revue was the spectacular scena, "My Cellophane Girl," which

saw 40 per formers appear on the stage in elaborate cellophane costumes. The fragile nature

of this material results in every frock being worn out by the time the conclud ing dance has

been executed, and imme diately the foundations are rushed to the wardrobe mistress for

renewal. According to Table Talk some 40,000 sheets of colored cellophane were used

during the first two months of the Melbourne production (28 Mar. 1935, 14).

Table Talk (Melbourne) 14 Feb. 1935, Rotogravure Section, 2.

Eve Alwyn

Advertiser (Adelaide) 24 Aug.

1935, 15.

Robert Capron

Table Talk (Melbourne) 7 Feb. (1935),

17.

Strella Wilson

Advertiser (Adelaide) 7 Aug.

1935, 21.

Desiree and Montague

Table Talk (Melbourne) 7 Mar. 1935, 16.

1935: Apollo Theatre, Melbourne; 2 Feb. - 25 May

- Dir/Prod. Ernest C. Rolls; M Dir/Cond. Maurice Guttridge; Cost. Joan Scardon and Erica Huppert.

- Cast incl. Roy Rene, Eve Alwyn, Jan Kowsky, Desiree and Montigue, Sis and Buddy Roberts, George Moon Jnr,

Strella Wilson, William Perryman, Serge Moros, Joan de Beere, Rene Riano, Robert Capron, Alex Kellaway, Keira

Tusin, R. Barrett-Lennerd, Joyce Walker, Reg Tapley, Marie Doran, Keith Connelly, Leal Douglas, Chick Arnold.

- Following the end of the Rhapsodies season Rolls staged a second revue, Vogues of 1935 (see below)

1935: West's Theatre, Adelaide; 17-30 Aug.

- Dir/Prod. Ernest C. Rolls; M Dir/Cond. Maurice Guttridge; Cost. Joan Scardon and Erica Huppert.

- Cast incl. Roy Rene, Strella Wilson, Jenny Benson, R. Barrett-Lennerd, Alec Kellaway, Desiree and Montigue, Eve

Alwyn, Jan Kowsky, Rene Riano, Serge Moros, Dorothy Hutchison, Sis and Buddy Roberts, William Perryman,

Chick Arnold, George Moon.

- Members of the Rhapsodies company featured in a novelty programme broadcast from 5CL on 25 August. The show

was particularly "intended for people who [were] unable to witness the show because of sickness." The cast included

Jennie Benson, Strella Wilson, Roy Rene, and Rene Riano (News 24 Aug. 1935, 2).

- Following the end of the Rhapsodies season Rolls briefly staged his

other revue - Vogues of 1935 (see below)

"Apollo: The Rhapsodies of Mr Rolls, The." Argus (Melbourne) 4 Feb. 1935, 4.

Chiel, The. "Theatres: Rhapsodies of 1935 (Apollo), The." Australasian

(Melbourne) 9 Feb. 1935, 17.

"Colourful Revue at Wests: Dancing Feature of Rhapsodies of 1935." Advertiser

(Adelaide) 19 Aug. 1935, 19.

"Rhapsodies are Bright: Capacity House." Mail (Adelaide) 17 Aug. 1935, 2.

"Rhapsodies of 1935: Ernest Rolls Puts on New Revue at Apollo." Table Talk

(Melbourne) 7 Feb. 1935, 17.

"Rhapsodies of 1935 - Scramble in Brilliant Revue." Age (Melbourne) 4 Feb. 1935,

12.

"Theatre and Screen: Apollo Theatre Programme." Age (Melbourne) 12 Jan. 1935, 10.

"Unusual Frocks Worn in Rhapsodies." News (Adelaide) 19 Aug. 1935, 6.

VOGUES OF 1935: [revue] Txt. [n/e]; Mus [n/e]

Following the end of his Rhapsodies of 1935 season at Melbourne's Apollo Theatre, Ernest C. Rolls mounted a second revue,

this time opting for a more refined approach. Inits review of the opening night thew Argus theatre critic praised the new approach,

suggesting that the producer was becoming more in tune with the Melbourne public's taste:

The unquenchable ambition of Mr. Ernest C Rolls is producing some uncommonly interesting events in the Australian

theatre. In his newest extravaganza, Vogues of 1935, which was presented on Saturday night to an audience which filled

every seat in the theatre, he has the temerity to relegate comedy to a subordinate place. Instead of bleary-eyed buffoons

tripping over their walking sticks in baggy trousers he pays operatic prime donne to sing arias from Faust and La Travlata. In

gorgeously mounted stage setting copied to scale from the opera house. Indeed, so enthusiastically did Mr Rolls wax about

the reformation of revue in a curtain speech after the performance that he had to be reminded jocularly by Mr Gus Bluett (the

only comedian in the show) that in extolling the singers the dancers, the ballet, and show gills, the scene painters,

electricians, and costumiers, he had completely forgotten to acknowledge the place of comedy - an omission which Mr Rolls

handsomelv amended. Now all these refinements are of some significance, because they acknowledge a publie taste that is

tired of traditional red-nosed comedians of top-hatted juvenile leads and of piomoted chorus girls shyly lisping sentimental

ditties that the street urchins can whistle better... ("Vogues of 1935," 11).

Interestingly many of the performers engaged for the Vogues of 1935 had

appeared in the earlier revue. Notable omissions were Roy Rene and Strella

Wilson, both of whom returned to the Rolls fold in August to reprise their

Rhapsodies roles in Adelaide. The new artists engaged for the Vogues

production included Gus Bluett, Jenny Benson, and operatic singer Thea

Phillips.

1935: Apollo Theatre, Melbourne; 1 June - 10 Aug.

- Cast and production mostly as for Rhapsodies of 1935 season.

- New cast members included: Gus Bluett, Jennie Benson, Thea

Phillips, Pat Nelson.

1935: Wests Theatre, Adelaide; 31 Aug. -14 Sept.

- Dir/Prod. Ernest C. Rolls; M Dir/Cond. Maurice Guttridge; Cost.

Joan Scardon and Erica Huppert.

- Cast incl. Roy Rene, Strella Wilson, Jenny Benson, R. Barrett-

Lennerd, Alec Kellaway, Desiree and Montigue, Eve Alwyn, Jan

Kowsky, Rene Riano, Serge Moros, Dorothy Hutchison, Sis and

Buddy Roberts, William Perryman, Chick Arnold, George Moon.

Mail (Adelaide) 17 Aug. 1935, 21.

Argus 25 May 1935, 28.

"Apollo: Mr Rolls' New Revue - Vogues of 1935." Argus (Melbourne) 3 June 1935, 11.

"Apollo: Vogues of 1935." Age (Melbourne) 22 July 1935, 10.

"Opera Artists in Revue: Vogues of 1935 at Apollo." Table Talk (Melbourne) 6 June 1935, 20.

"Vogues of 1935 at Wests: Excellent Revue." Advertiser (Adelaide) 2 Sept. 1935, 13.

"Vogues of 1935: Thea Philips' Debut in Colorful Variety." Age (Melbourne) 3 June 1935, 14.

BABES IN THE WOOD: [pantomime] Lib. Frank Neil; Mus. [n/e].

Although possibly based on or adapted from Frank Neil's 1921 Babes in the Wood pantomime it is more than likely that this

production comprised new incidental music, songs and comic business. The Age and Argus both report that Neil's direction

emphasised the spectacular rather than the story, with three particular scenes described as being lavish and brilliantly achieved.

1935: King's Theatre, Melbourne; 26 Dec. 1935 - ca. Jan. 1936

- Dir. Frank Neil; Prod. J.C. Williamson's Ltd and Frank Neil; Chor. Jennie

Brennan.

- Cast incl. Maudie Edwards (Robin Hood), Winnie Merville (Maid Marion), Syd

Beck (Dame Anastasia), Alec Pleon, Bobby Kerrigan, Nick Morton (Baron

Bazouker, the babes' uncle), Reg Roberts (Grabail), Phyllis Steadman (Fairy

Queen), Lucille Leber and Pat Keating (the babes), Alfred Latell (Bonzo the dog),

Valma Clark, Corrie Lodders and Gloria Williams (solo dancers), Jean Florian

(juggler), Sylvan Dale, De Tro and Lady (wire), Melbourne Marvels.

"Babes in the Wood: Colorful Spectacle at the King's Theatre." Age (Melbourne) 27 Dec. 1935, 11.

"Babes in the Wood: Varied Entertainment." Argus (Melbourne) 27 Dec. 1935, 8.

SINBAD THE SAILOR: [pantomime] Lib. Frank Neil; Mus. [n/e].

Staged over 18 scenes, this revival of the Sinbad story after a long absence in Melbourne, was described in the Age as being a

little over the heads of the young folk attending it. "On the other hand," writes the paper's critic, "it is bright, colourful and

contains much that will amuse those of tender years, even if some of the passages appear a little too deep for their youthful

outlook" ("Sinbad," 11).

1935: Garrick Theatre, Melbourne; 26 Dec. 1935 - ca. 24 Jan. 1936

- Cast incl. Zilla Weatherby (Sinbad), Les Adams (Dame Hinbad), Gloria Dawn, Billy Andros (Herbert, comical sailor),

Joan Lucas, Ena Gordon, Frederic Bean, Billy Milton, Kenneth Adams, George Rutherford.

"Sinbad the Sailor: Bright Presentation at the Garrick." Age (Melbourne) 27 Dec. 1935, 11.

"Sinbad the Sailor: A Bright Performance." Argus (Melbourne) 27 Dec. 1935, 8.

Last updated: 28/11/2018 Expanded and updated from Clay Djubal, "What Oh Tonight" (Appendix C), Ph D Diss (2005) U of Qld.

NB: The URL for this PDF will change each time it is updated. If you wish to cite or link to this record please use the following: Australian Variety Theatre Archive • http://ozvta.com/1930s/

Table Talk (Melbourne) 26 Dec.

1935, 16.