fbpx
Wikipedia

Manning Clark's History of Australia – The Musical

January 01, 1970

Manning Clark's History of Australia – The Musical is an Australian musical by Tim Robertson and Don Watson with John Romeril with music by Martin Armiger and George Dreyfus with David King. Written to coincide with the Australian Bicentenary, the musical interweaves the life of historian Manning Clark from 1915 to 1988 with Australian history from 1788 to 1915, utilising drama, melodrama, music, song, comedy and circus.[1]

Manning Clark's History of Australia – The Musical
MusicMartin Armiger and George Dreyfus with David King
LyricsTim Robertson and Don Watson with John Romeril
BookTim Robertson and Don Watson with John Romeril
Premiere16 January 1988: Princess Theatre, Melbourne
Productions1988 Melbourne

Development edit

Watson, Robertson and Romeril began working on a stage adaptation of Clark's (then) five volume A History of Australia in 1983.[2]

Production history edit

The original production opened at Melbourne's Princess Theatre on 16 January 1988, produced by John Timlin with investors including the Hoyts Corporation and Qantas, as part of Australian Bicentenary celebrations. It was directed by John Bell with choreography by Mark Daly and musical direction by David King.[3]

Negative initial reviews and poor ticket sales resulted in the musical facing closure after three weeks.[4][5] In an effort to continue, the cast agreed to forgo wages, the theatre owner waived the rent and Hoyts provided free publicity.[6][7] History of Australia finally closed in late February 1988, well short of initial expectations and without proceeding to a national tour.

A cast recording was released by Polydor in 1988.[8][9][10]

Cast edit

Critical reception edit

The musical received a mixed critical reaction. In Melbourne newspaper The Age, theatre critic Leonard Radic said the musical gave an overall impression of "patchiness and a failure of imagination".[4] Playwright Jack Hibberd called Radic's review "disrespectful, captious and harsh" and "choked with terrible misjudgements".[11][12][13]

Musical numbers edit

  • "One Story"
  • "We Are They"
  • "Sons of Enlightenment"
  • "Nance the Ferret"
  • "The Wentworth Samba"
  • "The Cricket Song"
  • "There Is No Love" (inc. "Inaugural Orgy of NSW")
  • "We in the Shadows"
  • "Spirit of the Place"
  • "Gold"
  • "Parp Parp"
  • "The Kelly Gang Song"
  • "Reedy River"
  • "Louisa's Song"
  • "Tailoresses" (inc. "Faces in the Street")
  • "The Unknown Soldier"
  • "Gallipolli"
  • "Louisa Underscore"
  • "Song of the Republic"

Musical numbers taken from the cast recording.[9][10]

Orchestrations: Martin Armiger, Sharon Calcraft, Duncan Cameron, Ashley Irwin, David King, Derek Williams. In addition to a rhythm section, the lineup included two Kurzweil K250s that replaced the different orchestral sections with sampled sounds.

References edit

  1. ^ "B[?]CENTENN[?]AL ARTS '88". The Canberra Times. Vol. 62, no. 19, 105. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 26 January 1988. p. 9 (Supplement to the Canberra Times). Retrieved 28 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Dr Watson presents some elementary history". The Age. Melbourne. 8 March 1985. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  3. ^ "AusStage".
  4. ^ a b Shmith, Michael (5 February 1988). "Manning Clark at a loss as musical fades into history". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  5. ^ "History is axed". The Canberra Times. Vol. 62, no. 19, 115. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 5 February 1988. p. 11. Retrieved 28 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "More History help". The Sydney Morning Herald. NSW. 9 February 1988. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Manning Clark's show may go on". The Canberra Times. Vol. 62, no. 19, 117. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 February 1988. p. 1. Retrieved 28 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ Murphy, Jim (30 June 1988). "A flop is preserved". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  9. ^ a b CastAlbums. (1988). Manning Clark's History of Australia: The Musical > Original Australian Cast
  10. ^ a b Manning Clark's History of Australia – The Musical. Discogs
  11. ^ Hibberd, Jack (21 January 1988). "Review of musical is harsh and disrespectful".
  12. ^ Carter, Paul (1 February 1988). "Stage histories". Monthly Review, The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  13. ^ "Contrast to wilful wives who storm off in a huff". The Canberra Times. Vol. 62, no. 19, 117. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 February 1988. p. 2. Retrieved 28 February 2016 – via National Library of Australia.

External links edit

  • Manning Clark's History of Australia at AusStage
  • "We in the Shadows" from History of Australia performed by Geraldine Turner on YouTube
  • "The Unknown Soldier" from History of Australia performed by Philip Quast on YouTube
  • A History of Australia The Musical, A History (website by Tim Robertson about the musical including the libretto)

January 01, 1970
manning, clark, history, australia, musical, australian, musical, robertson, watson, with, john, romeril, with, music, martin, armiger, george, dreyfus, with, david, king, written, coincide, with, australian, bicentenary, musical, interweaves, life, historian,. Manning Clark s History of Australia The Musical is an Australian musical by Tim Robertson and Don Watson with John Romeril with music by Martin Armiger and George Dreyfus with David King Written to coincide with the Australian Bicentenary the musical interweaves the life of historian Manning Clark from 1915 to 1988 with Australian history from 1788 to 1915 utilising drama melodrama music song comedy and circus 1 Manning Clark s History of Australia The MusicalMusicMartin Armiger and George Dreyfus with David KingLyricsTim Robertson and Don Watson with John RomerilBookTim Robertson and Don Watson with John RomerilPremiere16 January 1988 Princess Theatre MelbourneProductions1988 Melbourne Contents 1 Development 2 Production history 3 Cast 4 Critical reception 5 Musical numbers 6 References 7 External linksDevelopment editWatson Robertson and Romeril began working on a stage adaptation of Clark s then five volume A History of Australia in 1983 2 Production history editThe original production opened at Melbourne s Princess Theatre on 16 January 1988 produced by John Timlin with investors including the Hoyts Corporation and Qantas as part of Australian Bicentenary celebrations It was directed by John Bell with choreography by Mark Daly and musical direction by David King 3 Negative initial reviews and poor ticket sales resulted in the musical facing closure after three weeks 4 5 In an effort to continue the cast agreed to forgo wages the theatre owner waived the rent and Hoyts provided free publicity 6 7 History of Australia finally closed in late February 1988 well short of initial expectations and without proceeding to a national tour A cast recording was released by Polydor in 1988 8 9 10 Cast editTerry Bader as de Quiros Jack Ketch Captain Gilbert Jesus Quong Tart Bold Jack Donohue Tom Roberts Jonathan Biggins as Sir Joseph Banks Captain Arthur Phillip D Arcy WC and Billy Wentworth Alfred Deakin the Unknown Soldier Terry Brady as Ensemble chorus and understudy Tina Bursill as Elizabeth Macarthur St Peter Caroline Chisholm Kate Kelly Lady Carrington Darryl Emerson as Ned Ludd Wharfie Edmund Barton understudy Michele Fawdon as Dymphna Clark Rose Miss Macarthur Bob Hornery as Cheng Ho Frank the Poet Bishop Broughton Lord Carrington Archbishop Mannix Geoffrey Jenkins as Lenny the Spoons Joe Byrne Billy Hughes Ivar Kants as Manning Clark Reverend Marsden Judge Barry John McTernan as Captain Cook Peter the Possum William Bligh Henry Parkes Linda Nagle as Nance the Ferret Mrs Wentworth Queen Victoria Helen Noonan as Lara Mrs Cooper Nellie Melba Ingrid Silveus as Ensemble chorus and understudy Greg Stone as Isaac the Judge John Macarthur Lachlan Macquarie Roper Charles Sturt Henry Lawson Carmen Tanti as Hicks Luddite Sheila bandicoot Barmaid and understudy Jenny Vuletic as Chartist John the Baptist Louisa Lawson Mrs Parkes Ross Williams as Abel Tasman George III Marine Satan Wharfie Ned Kelly George Reid Critical reception editThe musical received a mixed critical reaction In Melbourne newspaper The Age theatre critic Leonard Radic said the musical gave an overall impression of patchiness and a failure of imagination 4 Playwright Jack Hibberd called Radic s review disrespectful captious and harsh and choked with terrible misjudgements 11 12 13 Musical numbers edit One Story We Are They Sons of Enlightenment Nance the Ferret The Wentworth Samba The Cricket Song There Is No Love inc Inaugural Orgy of NSW We in the Shadows Spirit of the Place Gold Parp Parp The Kelly Gang Song Reedy River Louisa s Song Tailoresses inc Faces in the Street The Unknown Soldier Gallipolli Louisa Underscore Song of the Republic Musical numbers taken from the cast recording 9 10 Orchestrations Martin Armiger Sharon Calcraft Duncan Cameron Ashley Irwin David King Derek Williams In addition to a rhythm section the lineup included two Kurzweil K250s that replaced the different orchestral sections with sampled sounds References edit B CENTENN AL ARTS 88 The Canberra Times Vol 62 no 19 105 Australian Capital Territory Australia 26 January 1988 p 9 Supplement to the Canberra Times Retrieved 28 February 2016 via National Library of Australia Dr Watson presents some elementary history The Age Melbourne 8 March 1985 Retrieved 27 February 2016 AusStage a b Shmith Michael 5 February 1988 Manning Clark at a loss as musical fades into history The Age Melbourne Retrieved 27 February 2016 History is axed The Canberra Times Vol 62 no 19 115 Australian Capital Territory Australia 5 February 1988 p 11 Retrieved 28 February 2016 via National Library of Australia More History help The Sydney Morning Herald NSW 9 February 1988 Retrieved 27 February 2016 Manning Clark s show may go on The Canberra Times Vol 62 no 19 117 Australian Capital Territory Australia 7 February 1988 p 1 Retrieved 28 February 2016 via National Library of Australia Murphy Jim 30 June 1988 A flop is preserved The Age Melbourne Retrieved 27 February 2016 a b CastAlbums 1988 Manning Clark s History of Australia The Musical gt Original Australian Cast a b Manning Clark s History of Australia The Musical Discogs Hibberd Jack 21 January 1988 Review of musical is harsh and disrespectful Carter Paul 1 February 1988 Stage histories Monthly Review The Age Melbourne Retrieved 27 February 2016 Contrast to wilful wives who storm off in a huff The Canberra Times Vol 62 no 19 117 Australian Capital Territory Australia 7 February 1988 p 2 Retrieved 28 February 2016 via National Library of Australia External links editManning Clark s History of Australia at AusStage We in the Shadows from History of Australia performed by Geraldine Turner on YouTube The Unknown Soldier from History of Australia performed by Philip Quast on YouTube A History of Australia The Musical A History website by Tim Robertson about the musical including the libretto Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Manning Clark 27s History of Australia The Musical amp oldid 1194086710, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.