The White Hat Melbourne Newsletter

Archived Newsletter No.82 - 3 June 2004

Contents

Lunchtime theatre
City library
Olympic torch relay
Monday forum
Circus history tour
The Alexandra Theatre
Hawthorn craft market
Reader feedback

+----------------------------------------------------+

LUNCHTIME THEATRE
Welcome back to some of the best value lunchtime entertainment in Melbourne. Lunch and a 45 minute theatre performance for $8 at the old Horticultural Hall (opposite Trades Hall in Victoria Street). Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/100GT/Arts/Theatre.asp

+----------------------------------------------------+

CITY LIBRARY
A new lending library has opened in the city. The State Library is a great resource but has no loan facility, while the Athenaeum specialises mainly in light fiction. The new library offers free loans and membership to all, so even if you just come into the city to shop it is worth considering. It offers books, CDs, DVDs and various other things and returns can be made to a selection of inner suburban libraries if desired. The collection is certainly more comprehensive than most suburban libraries. I was able to walk out with a range of CDs and DVDs, a volume of Les Murray poetry, a PERL programming manual, a Medieval Book of Hours and an engineering book on wind turbines – something that would be almost impossible in a suburban library. The library is close to Flinders Street Station in Flinders Lane near Degraves Street.

+----------------------------------------------------+

OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY
This weekend the Olympic torch relay weaves its way through several of the inner suburbs including Smith Street Fitzroy. It is good to see the locals entering into the spirit – the last time I was in Smith Street there were a number of people in track suits who were involved in some sort of fund raising activities. The mainstream newspapers will have details of the itinerary.

+----------------------------------------------------+

MONDAY FORUM
On the first Monday of the month the Mietta Foundation continues the tradition started by Mietta at her restaurant of holding forums on matters of public interest. This Monday, in association with the Fabian Society (dangerous people these Fabians), the topic is the free trade agreement with America. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/100GT/Arts/Workshops.asp

+----------------------------------------------------+

CIRCUS HISTORY TOUR
A show and tour on a double-decker bus following the circus history of Carlton and Princes Hill presented by Little Big Top Circus Theatre Company and students from Princes Hill Secondary College on 11-13 June.

+----------------------------------------------------+

The Alexandra Theatre

It is good to see opera returning to the Alexandra Theatre. That’s what it was built for in 1886 but the Italian opera company didn’t arrive.

Of course we now call it Her Majesty’s. When I attend a show there I like to arrive a little early and stand on the far side of Exhibition Street for a while. You can then take in the original building much as it was in the 1880s and may still hear the sound of horses and carriages making their way down Little Bourke Street. Even though the initial opera season didn’t eventuate, the Alexandra soon gained a reputation for Australian productions by local writers like Fergus Hume, Marcus Clarke and Ralph Boldrewood. Standing on this side of Exhibition Street, you only have to remove the cars and the crowds arriving could be coming to see the 1890s productions involving horseback feats and theatrical effects involving a giant water tank covering much of the stage. You can also imagine the shops, small businesses and organisations (including the Anarchists Society before they decided to pack it in and become Fabians) which occupied the street level shops and quarters above.

My eye is next drawn to the the woman who dominated the place for 30 years. Dame Nellie Melba’s bust is in the centre of the façade, and after J.C. Williamson took over the theatre in 1901 and renamed it His Majesty’s Theatre (not Her Majesty’s as some recent glossy but sloppy books on Melbourne history claim – the name was changed to Her Majesty’s after the coronation of QE2), she had him remodel it to improve the acoustics. She gave her final farewell performance there in 1928.

Now it’s time to wander over the road into the art deco foyer. In 1929 the theatre had spontaneously combusted at the thought of Dame Nellie might giving another farewell concert so J.C. Williamson rebuilt and remodelled the theatre in the style of the time (‘style moderne’ to be precise). The foyer is a reminder of the golden age of J.C.Williamsons and the musical. The press release might state "J.C.Williamson's Theatre Company is pleased to announce the production of a new musical comedy at Her Majesty's Theatre" but the word in the street was much simpler - "The Firm are doing a new show at The Maj". The height of the musical came with My Fair Lady in the 60s, but the Maj has also been home to much opera and ballet including performers such as Pavlova, Dame Joan Sutherland and Pavarotti.

The bells are ringing so it’s time to venture inside the theatre and be relieved that it has moved into the 21st century since Mike Walsh took it over in 2000 and modernised much of the infrastructure. In the 1950s the air conditioning was supplied by tons of melting ice supported ominously above the heads of the audience, but now comfort comes with less danger. And those of us who have experienced the Maj from backstage will no longer sense the same ominous inevitability in the words ‘break a leg’.

Rigoletto opens this weekend at the Maj. And for those who can’t stand opera because of its silly repetitive lyrics there is a daily free exhibition in the foyer of ‘The Beatles in Melbourne’. You can examine the various photographs and ponder the many shades of meaning of “She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah”. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Theatres/HerMajestys.asp

+----------------------------------------------------+

HAWTHORN CRAFT MARKET
Sunday is the winter craft fair at the Hawthorn Town Hall. Just the place to find that knitted thermos cover for the football. Details at: http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/Festivals/Craft.asp

+----------------------------------------------------+

READER FEEDBACK
“Hi there. Your newsletter and your intelligent understated humour . . . touch a part of my brain that doesn't get touched very often.
Thank-you, James”

“Hi, I enjoy your site, what a great job to have! I would like to suggest you include dates of amateur musical theatre performances, they can be really good, and very reasonably priced, and often can use some extra support from the public but don't have the means to promote themselves much.
Diana”
Diana, I’ll try to remember it’s a great job to have next time I am wrestling with PERL at 3 in the morning. I agree with you about suburban musicals and will try to search out some more.