Category Archives: Alternative theatre

Circus Oz at the Adelaide Festival of Arts 1978

Posted on May 7, 2020 | Leave a comment

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 →

Leave a comment

Posted in Alternative theatre, APG, Australian Performing Group, Australian theatre, Circus Oz, Pram Factory Theatre, Theatre History

Tagged 1978, Adelaide Arts Festival, Captain Matchbox band, circus oz, Gordon McLean, Helen Sky, Jack Daniels, Jim Conway, Jim Robertson, Jon Hawkes, Kelvin Gedye, Laurel Frank, Michael Price, Mick Conway, Peter Muhleisen, Pixi Robertson, Ponch Hawkes, Ric Ludbrook, Robin Laurie, soapbox circus, Sue Broadway, Tim Coldwell, Tony Burkys

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

Posted on July 11, 2019 | Leave a comment

“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.

HOME

Leave a comment

Posted in Alternative theatre, APG, Australian Performing Group, Australian theatre, Pram Factory Theatre, Theatre History

Tagged APG, Back to Bourke Street, Claire Dobbin, Eveyn Krape, Libby Drake, poster, Pram Factory, September 1977, Theatre, Tony Taylor

Theatre Australia magazine – Carlton special – 1977

Posted on April 14, 2017 | Leave a comment

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”.

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

HOME

Leave a comment

Posted in Alternative theatre, APG, Australian Performing Group, Australian theatre, Pram Factory Theatre, Theatre History

Tagged APG, August 1977, Carlton, Garrie Hutchinson, Jack Hibberd, John Larkin, Max Gillies, Paul Hampton, Peter Corrigan, Pram Factory Theatre, Theatre Australia

“Sisters” poster from the APG

Posted on March 6, 2016 | Leave a comment

“Sisters” was staged by the Australian Performing Group in the front theatre of its Pram Factory theatre in Carlton from May 20 to June 23, 1976. Written by Robin Thurston, it was a prison show written by a man but with an all-female cast. They are pictured below in a copy of the poster.

(A videotape of “Sisters” – with Bob Weiss in charge – was made at the Pram Factory on 5th and 6th June 1976.)

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in Alternative theatre, APG, Australian Performing Group, Australian theatre, Pram Factory Theatre

Tagged 1976, APG, Bob Weiss, Claire Dobbin, Jane Clifton, Jenny Jones, Kerry Dwyer, Margot Nash, Ponch Hawkes, Pram Factory, Richard Murphett, Robin Laurie, Roz de Winter, Ursula Harrison, video

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

Posted on June 25, 2014 | Leave a comment

“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

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

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

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

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

Photo 6 (below) – Sue Ingleton, July 1976

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

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

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

Photo 10 (below) – Evelyn Krape, July 1976

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

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

Photo 13 (below) – Max Gillies, July 1976

Photo 14 (below) – Bill Garner, July 1976

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

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

Leave a comment

Posted in Alternative theatre, APG, Australian Performing Group, Australian theatre, Live theatre, Pram Factory Theatre, Theatre History

Tagged 1976, APG, Bill Garner, Evelyn Krape, Fay Mokotow, Hills Family Show, Jack Weiner, Jon Hawkes, Lloyd Carrick, Max Gillies, photos, Pram Factory, radio recording, Robert Meldrum, Sue Ingleton, Susy Potter, Theatre, Tony Taylor

Australian Performing Group Actors Agency brochure 1975

Posted on May 2, 2014 | Leave a comment

This is the second brochure prepared by the Actors Agency run by the APG . It was prepared in 1975 and contains photographs and short biographies of the following actors, with a page allocated to each:

Joe Bolza, Eileen Chapmen, Jane Clifton, Roz deWinter, Claire Dobbin, Bill Garner, Neil Giles, Max Gillies, Sue Ingelton, Evelyn Krape, Wilfred Last, Yvonne Marini, Robert Meldrum, Fay Mokotow, Greig Pickhaver, Carol Porter, Susy Potter, Michael Price, Tim Robertson, Tony Taylor and Bob Thorneycroft.