Dimboola is a play by the Australian author Jack Hibberd. It premiered in 1969 at La Mama Theatre under the direction of Graeme Blundell.[1] The whole action of the play supposedly takes place at a real wedding at which the actors represent the families of the bride and groom and the audience are "invited guests". The play is described in the program notes as Rabelaisian and rumbustious.
In 1970 Dimboola was chosen for performance as a climax to the Australian National University's "Bush Week"[2] celebrations.[3] Directed by Roger Vickery, it was performed on 26 July 1970 in the Tarago Hall to an audience of about 80 students who arrived there by steam train.[4]Graham Farquhar, later Distinguished Professor and 2018 Senior Australian of the Year, played the Best Man, "Dangles".
By 1974 it was thought the play had grossed over $1 million.[7] By 1978 it was estimated it had been seen by over 350,000 people.[8]
More Australians have seen Dimboola than any other stage musical, comedy or straight play,[citation needed][dubious – discuss] and hundreds of productions have been mounted across the world.[citation needed] It ran in Sydney for two and a half years until the venue, the Whiskey Au Go Go, burned down.[dubious – discuss] In 1979, a film was made directed by John Duigan. In 1988, Pat Garvey adapted the play for a musical which alone has played over 2 000 performances.[9] In 2007, it was produced at the Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, with Max Gillies and directed by Michael Kantor. In March and April 2008 it played at the La Mama Theatre, directed by Robert Chuter.
A novelisation of the same name appeared in 1978, written by Tim Robertson and published by Sun Books, Melbourne.[10]
PlotEdit
Dimboola is a celebration of the wedding of Protestant Morrie McAdam and Catholic Reen Delaney in the Mechanics' Institute Hall in Dimboola, Victoria. No holds are barred as the two families come together for the wedding which Jack Hibberd calls "the testing of strengths of the newly conjugated tribes". The family members try to preserve social grace and dignity in the face of impending disasters. And disasters there are aplenty! After the drink has flowed a little too freely, mayhem and humour ensues when the families exchange insults and punches, as they resolve to come to terms with the situation.[11]
The play uses audience participation to a very high degree; audience members are greeted by the father of the bride and the new arrivals are announced to the audience. Glasses of sherry and food are served by the actors, the auditorium is set up with tables and decorated with ballons and streamers. Audience members are assigned characters and actors improvise with them during the play's fights and shenanigans. The alcohol consumed on stage is often real.
ReferencesEdit
^Blundell, Graeme (22 March 2008). "Too close to home". The Australian. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
^For a description of Bush Week see Ian Warden, The Canberra Times, 29 July 2013, "Hear ye, ACT's crying shame".
^See The Canberra Times, 11 July 1970, "A Bonza Bush Week"; Woroni ANU University Student Magazine for "Dimboola review, 30 June 1970;
^ANU News, July 1970, "Putting the Bush Back into Bush Week" by Roger Vickery; and photos of the Tarago Dimboola.
^For a fuller list of significant performances see Australian Live Performance Database.
^. Theatre Alive. 2008. Archived from the original on 21 April 2008. Retrieved 25 March 2008.
External linksEdit
The APG's Dimboola at Ozmovies
August 28, 2023
dimboola, play, dimboola, play, australian, author, jack, hibberd, premiered, 1969, mama, theatre, under, direction, graeme, blundell, whole, action, play, supposedly, takes, place, real, wedding, which, actors, represent, families, bride, groom, audience, inv. Dimboola is a play by the Australian author Jack Hibberd It premiered in 1969 at La Mama Theatre under the direction of Graeme Blundell 1 The whole action of the play supposedly takes place at a real wedding at which the actors represent the families of the bride and groom and the audience are invited guests The play is described in the program notes as Rabelaisian and rumbustious Contents 1 History 2 Plot 3 Cast 4 Performance practice 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditThe play grew out of a reading in London of Anton Chekhov s 1889 play The Wedding and Bertolt Brecht s farce A Respectable Wedding The production at La Mama was supported by a grant of 1 250 from the Australia Council for the Arts In 1970 Dimboola was chosen for performance as a climax to the Australian National University s Bush Week 2 celebrations 3 Directed by Roger Vickery it was performed on 26 July 1970 in the Tarago Hall to an audience of about 80 students who arrived there by steam train 4 Graham Farquhar later Distinguished Professor and 2018 Senior Australian of the Year played the Best Man Dangles The second professional production by the Australian Performing Group at The Pram Factory in 1973 was directed by David Williamson 5 This performance was filmed 6 By 1974 it was thought the play had grossed over 1 million 7 By 1978 it was estimated it had been seen by over 350 000 people 8 More Australians have seen Dimboola than any other stage musical comedy or straight play citation needed dubious discuss and hundreds of productions have been mounted across the world citation needed It ran in Sydney for two and a half years until the venue the Whiskey Au Go Go burned down dubious discuss In 1979 a film was made directed by John Duigan In 1988 Pat Garvey adapted the play for a musical which alone has played over 2 000 performances 9 In 2007 it was produced at the Malthouse Theatre Melbourne with Max Gillies and directed by Michael Kantor In March and April 2008 it played at the La Mama Theatre directed by Robert Chuter A novelisation of the same name appeared in 1978 written by Tim Robertson and published by Sun Books Melbourne 10 Plot EditDimboola is a celebration of the wedding of Protestant Morrie McAdam and Catholic Reen Delaney in the Mechanics Institute Hall in Dimboola Victoria No holds are barred as the two families come together for the wedding which Jack Hibberd calls the testing of strengths of the newly conjugated tribes The family members try to preserve social grace and dignity in the face of impending disasters And disasters there are aplenty After the drink has flowed a little too freely mayhem and humour ensues when the families exchange insults and punches as they resolve to come to terms with the situation 11 Cast EditAt the official table Maureen Delaney Reen bride Morrie McAdam Morrie groom Bruce Spence Darcy Delaney Darkie father of the bride April Delaney June mother of the bride Angus McAdam Knocka father of the groom Florence McAdam Florrie mother of the groom Patrick O Shea parish priest Daryl Dunn Dangles best man Shirl town bike 12 and bridesmaid Astrid McAdam flower girl Guests invited Horace McAdam Horrie the Horrible uncle of the groom Mavis McAdam aunt of the groom Aggie McAdam spinster cousin to the McAdams Guests uninvited Bayonet local wit and drunk Max Gillies Mutton local wit and drunk Graeme Blundell The Band Lionel Driftwood and His Piledrivers Others Leonardo Radish reporter of the Mildura Trumpet a caricature of the theatre critic and playwright Leonard Radic 13 Original actors in brackets other actors in the premiere production were Lindy Davies and John Romeril 14 Performance practice EditThe play uses audience participation to a very high degree audience members are greeted by the father of the bride and the new arrivals are announced to the audience Glasses of sherry and food are served by the actors the auditorium is set up with tables and decorated with ballons and streamers Audience members are assigned characters and actors improvise with them during the play s fights and shenanigans The alcohol consumed on stage is often real References Edit Blundell Graeme 22 March 2008 Too close to home The Australian Archived from the original on 12 September 2012 Retrieved 12 September 2018 For a description of Bush Week see Ian Warden The Canberra Times 29 July 2013 Hear ye ACT s crying shame See The Canberra Times 11 July 1970 A Bonza Bush Week Woroni ANU University Student Magazine for Dimboola review 30 June 1970 ANU News July 1970 Putting the Bush Back into Bush Week by Roger Vickery and photos of the Tarago Dimboola For a fuller list of significant performances see Australian Live Performance Database Dimboola The Stage Play at IMDb Leslie Rees Australian Drama in the 1970s Angus amp Robertson 1978 p 44 45 Jack Clancy Dimboola Cinema Papers October November 1978 p 99 Our Services Pat Garvey Enterprise Archived from the original on 18 July 2008 Retrieved 25 March 2008 Tim Robertson Dimboola 1978 Melbourne Sun Books ISBN 0 7251 0295 0 from a widely publicised programme note town bike a promiscuous woman from the local district A Dictionary of Slang The remarkably even hand of Leonard Radic The Age s theatre critic for nearly 30 years by Peter Craven The Sydney Morning Herald 16 January 2018 What s On Theatre Alive 2008 Archived from the original on 21 April 2008 Retrieved 25 March 2008 External links EditThe APG s Dimboola at Ozmovies Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dimboola play amp oldid 1074107421, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
