Category Archives: Theatre History

“Smack in the Dacks/Smackin the Dacks” bad reviews – 1977

It’s fair to say that Melbourne theatre critics, Leonard Radic and Neil Jillet, did not like the APG’s “Smack in the Dacks”. Below are copies of their reviews: Leonard Radic in The Age (Nov ’77) and Neil Jillett in The Herald (21/11/77).

Picture, The Age, Nov “77

END OF POST

APG Meetings: A few Minutes and Reports – early 1976

  • Agenda 22/12/1975
  • Executive report 22/12/1975
  • Minutes of Collective Meeting 22/12/1975
  • Minutes of Collective Meeting 29/1/1976
  • Minutes of Special Collective Meeting 9/2/1976
  • Minutes of Collective Meeting 16/2/1976
  • Agenda AGM 29/3/1976
  • Executive Report 29/3/1976
  • Format for radio show “Looping the Loop’ 29/3/1976 (Bill Garner)
  • Proposal by Jon Hawkes “To set up a limited liability company which will make low budget films” – 29/3/1976
  • Minutes of AGM 29/3/1976.
Continue reading

“The Perambulator”- APG Newsletter – January 1979

Contents:

  • “New Economic Policy for 1979” by Bill Garner
  • “Gang of Three Report” by Kerry Dwyer, Wilfred Last and Richard Murphet
  • “New Space” by Bill Garner
  • “The Pram Social Club” by Bill Garner
  • “Circus Oz at National Gallery” by Robin Laurie
  • “Films at The Pram” by Kerry Dwyer
  • “Dimboola: the film” by John Timlin
  • “100 Artists”
  • “Nightshift on the move”
  • “On not being treated like a minority” by John Romeril
  • “The Young and the Jobless” by Alison Richards
  • “Comings ….. and Goings”
  • “Radio Run Out” by Greig Pickhaver
  • “The Originators”
  • “The APG: Ten years ago”
  • APG Records
Continue reading

Poster for The Radio Active Horror Show – July 1977

The Radio Active Horror Show was written by John Romeril and the group.  Credits for cast, crew, writers, publicity and other persons (excluding office workers) are on the back of the poster.

Poster – A3 – top half
Poster – A3 – bottom half
Poster – A3 – back – top half
Poster – A3 – back – bottom half

APG Newsletter March 1977

NEWS ——— Phar Lap; Soapbox Circus; Stasis; 1976 in review; Radio on the Run; The Hills Family; A Stretch of the Imagination; uranium; hypnotism; 1977 plans; Union Theatre Department; Income and Expenditure 1976.

Continue reading

APG promotional newsletter for National Campus Tour 1976

This campus tour/roadshow – scheduled for winter and spring of 1976 – is described in the newsletter as follows: “The 90 minute show is a combination concert, electric circus, vaudeville and political cabaret”

APG News Campus Tour page 1

APG newsletter, National Campus Tour, 1976, Winter/Spring, page 1

APG News Campus Tour page 2

APG newsletter, National Campus Tour, 1976, Winter/Spring, page 2

APG News Campus Tour page 3

APG newsletter, National Campus Tour, 1976, Winter/Spring, page 3

APG News Campus Tour page 4

APG newsletter, National Campus Tour, 1976, Winter/Spring, page 4

APG News Campus Tour page 5

APG newsletter, National Campus Tour, 1976, Winter/Spring, page 5

APG News Campus Tour page 6

APG newsletter, National Campus Tour, 1976, Winter/Spring, page 6

APG News Campus Tour page 7

APG newsletter, National Campus Tour, 1976, Winter/Spring, page 7

 

APG News Campus Tour page 8

APG newsletter, National Campus Tour, 1976, Winter/Spring, page 8


 

Circus Oz at the Adelaide Festival of Arts 1978

From 14 March to 19 March, 1978 the Australian Performing Group (APG) offshoot Circus Oz gave 12 performances at Bonython Park, Adelaide, as part of the Adelaide Festival of Arts.

“Circus Oz was the amalgamation of two already well known groups—Soapbox Circus, a roadshow set up by the Australian Performing Group (APG) in 1976, and the New Ensemble Circus, a continuation of the New Circus, established in Adelaide in 1974.” – Jon Hawkes, circopedia.org

The following photographs and text are from the Circus Oz brochure which was prepared for distribution at the festival. (Advertisements have been not been copied.) (The photographer/s is/are not credited in the publication. The performers who appear in the photos are:

Sue Broadway, Tony Burkys, Tim Coldwell, Jim Conway, Mick Conway, Jack Daniels, Laurel Frank, Kelvin Gedye, Jon Hawkes, Ponch Hawkes, Robin Laurie, Ric Ludbrook, Gordon McLean, Peter Muhleisen, Michael Price, Jim Robertson, Pixi Robertson and Helen Sky.

Continue reading

“Back To Bourke Street” poster from the APG (for the September 1977 season)

“Back To Bourke Street” was staged by the Australian Performing Group on several occasions and at several venues. (More information to come.) This poster advertises a return season of 7 late-night shows, three at La Mama theatre and four at the Pram Factory, in September 1977. The show was devised by Claire Dobbin, Libby Drake, Eveyn Krape and Tony Taylor.

Poster Back To Bourke St Sept 1977

HOME

Theatre Australia magazine – Carlton special – 1977

Theatre Australia cover

Max Gillies – 1977 (Cover photo by Ian McKenzie)

This edition of Theatre Australia contains articles titled:

  • “Ten Years of Carlton Theatre” by Garrie Hutchinson (with photos from 1969 and 1970);
  • “The Many Masks of Max Gillies” by John Larkin;
  • “Carlton Designs” by Peter Corrigan (with photos of sets for the plays “City Sugar”, A Floating World”, “Pecking Orders”, “The Mother”, “Crackers at the Savoy” and “Canned Peaches”.; and
  • Playscript – “Marvelous Melbourne” – Part One, with an introduction by Jack Hibberd on “How Marvelous Melbourne Came to Life”.

pram Factory Advert Theatre Australia

Advertisement appearing in the “Carlton special” edition of Theatre Australia magazine, August 1977

Red line small

HOME

Dressed up and recording the “Hills Family Radio Show”: exclusive photos

“The Hills Family Show” was arguably the most popular and critically acclaimed theatre production by the Australian Performing Group. (More memorabilia from this production will be posted on this site later.)

The fact that the APG recorded a version of the Hills Family Show for radio seems to have been overlooked in written accounts of the APG.

(Additional comment May 2020) Furthermore, I’ve searched the internet thoroughly but cannot find a copy of audio of the show.

The in-costume recording took place at the Pram Factory Theatre in Carlton on Saturday, 3 July 1976. (Max Gillies’ injured arm is real!) I believe the recording was aired on community radio station 3CR, Melbourne. Over the next few weeks I will be posting here my 20 exclusive photos of the event. (I’m almost certain that I was the only person at the event with a camera.) Peter J Keenan 25/6/2014.

Updated 22/10/2021: Max Gillies played Fitzroy Hills; Sue Ingelton played Adelaide Hills; Tony Taylor played Winston Hills; Fay Mokotow played Antigone Hills; Robert Meldrum played Clifton Hills; Evelyn Krape played Fanny ‘Granny’ Hills; Bill Garner played Sandringham Hills; and Jack Weiner played Bluey Hills. Jon Hawkes was Albert Alp, manager of the Hills Family.

Updated 22/10/2021: All of my photos are now posted. Number of photos posted to 8/9/2014 = 15.  Number of photos posted to 22/10/21 = 20.


Photo 1 – Max Gillies, Sue Ingleton, Tony Taylor, Fay Mokotow, Robert Meldrum, Evelyn Krape and Bill Garner, July 1976

All dressed for recording

Photo 2 (below) – Evelyn Krape and Fay Mokotow, July 1976

Hills Krape Mokotow

Photo 3 (below) – Jon Hawkes, juggling on radio, July 1976

Jon Hawkes juggling

Photo 4 (below) – Susy Potter, making sounds with her feet, July 1976

Susy Potter

Photo 5 (below) – Jack Weiner and Sue Ingleton tickle the ivories, July 1976

Weiner and Singleton

 

Photo 6 (below) – Sue Ingleton, July 1976

Sue Ingleton by herself

Photo 7 (below) – Fay Mokotow and Robert Meldrum, July 1976

Fay and Robert dancing

Photo 8 (below) – Tony Taylor and Max Gillies, July 1976. (In background: Lloyd Carrick, sound recordist, Sue Ingleton, Robert Meldrum and Bill Garner.)

Tony and Max

Photo 9 (below) – Fay Mokotow and Max Gillies, July 1976.
Fay and Max

Photo 10 (below) – Evelyn Krape, July 1976

Evelyn Krape at mike

Photo 11 (below) – Robert Meldrum, Sue Ingleton, Evelyn Krape, Tony Taylor, Max Gillies and Bill Garner, July 1976

Several at mikes

Photo 12 (below) – Tony Taylor, Jack Weiner, Bill Garner and Max Gillies, July 1976

Four Hills

Photo 13 (below) – Max Gillies, July 1976

Max Gillies

Photo 14 (below) – Bill Garner, July 1976

Bill Garner

Photo 15 (Below) – Fay Mokotow and Robert Meldrum, July 1976

Fay and Robert

Photo 16 (below) – Max Gillies, Sue Ingleton, Tony Taylor, Fay Mokotow, Robert Meldrum, Evelyn Krape & Bill Garner

Photo 17 (below) – Tony Taylor

Photo 18 (below) – Robert Meldrum, Fay Mokotow, Jack Weiner, Evelyn Krape, Bill Garner & Max Gillies

Photo 19 (below) – Robert Meldrum and Bill Garner, making sounds

Photo 20 (below) – Sue Ingleton

END OF POST

HOME