Lola Montez (musical): Difference between revisions
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| studio = ABC |
| studio = ABC |
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| released =May 1962<ref>TV Guide May 7 ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 1962</ref> |
| released =7 May 1962 (Sydney)<ref>TV Guide May 7 ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 1962</ref> |
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| runtime = 90 mins |
| runtime = 90 mins |
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| country = Australia |
| country = Australia |
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''Lola Montez'' was adapted for TV by the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] in 1962.<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106251 1962 TV adaptation] at [[Ausstage]]</ref> The TV production was directed by Alan Burke, who had written the book for the musical. |
''Lola Montez'' was adapted for TV by the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] in 1962.<ref>[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106251 1962 TV adaptation] at [[Ausstage]]</ref> The TV production was directed by Alan Burke, who had written the book for the musical. |
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===Cast=== |
===Cast=== |
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*Brigid Lenihan as Lola |
*Brigid Lenihan as Lola |
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*Leslie Sinclair as Mac |
*Leslie Sinclair as Mac |
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*[[Frank Wilson (Australian actor)|Frank Wilson]] as Sam |
*[[Frank Wilson (Australian actor)|Frank Wilson]] as Sam |
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===Production=== |
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| ⚫ | It was filmed in the ABC's Southbank Studios in Melbourne. Choreography was by Rex Reid, and Mary Duchesne danced the Lola in the Bavaria sequence. The dance ensemble included [[Kelvin Coe]] and Barry Moreland. <ref name="janus"/><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|date= April 23, 1962|title=Lola Montez for Sydney|page=14}}</ref> |
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===Reception=== |
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The ''Sydney Morning Herald'' thought the character of Lola remained "the most intractable fact" of the production thinking she was better used to "material for a sensitive play which hardly in with the lusty, simplicity of of a musical that sounds like a marriage of ''Oklahoma'' and ''Paint Your Wagon''... All the same, it was interesting to have the chance of seeing again a. musical that promised so much for the talents that combined to devise it; and also a little saddening to think how little has been heard of these talents since."<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|title="Lola Montez" Televised|date=May 8, 1962|page=10}}</ref> |
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The Sunday Herald said "it was a brilliant piece of work, sizzling in pace from start to finish, with a cast and chorus as perfectly rehearsed and drilled as an Army platoon. "Lola Montez" was good on stage; it emerges on television even better; almost as though it had been originally written with the small screen in mind. The only flaw in the entire 90 minutes so far as I was concerned, and it was a minor one, was [the]... dream sequence flashback to Lola's days as a court beauty. It was competently done, but it dragged a little toward the end."<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|date=May 13, 1962|title=TV Merry Go Round|page=102}}</ref> |
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==Revised Edition== |
==Revised Edition== |
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The musical has been much revived since in amateur and school productions.<ref>[http://www.davidspicer.com.au/shows/lola-montez ''Lola Montez''] at David Spicer Productions</ref> |
The musical has been much revived since in amateur and school productions.<ref>[http://www.davidspicer.com.au/shows/lola-montez ''Lola Montez''] at David Spicer Productions</ref> |
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Revision as of 22:23, 20 February 2019
| Lola Montez | |
|---|---|
 Original cast recording | |
| Music | Peter Stannard |
| Lyrics | Peter Benjamin |
| Book | Alan Burke |
| Productions | 1958 Melbourne 1958 Brisbane/Sydney |
Lola Montez is a 1958 Australian musical. It was written by Alan Burke, Peter Stannard and Peter Benjamin and focuses on four days of Lola Montez visiting the Ballarat Goldfields.
Background
Stannard, Benjamin and Burke were all friends from university who wanted to write a musical together. Alan Burke says he had never heard of Lola Montez until he heard her mentioned in a program on the ABC. He was attracted to the subject because it was Australian but had international appeal - he did not want to make something along the lines of On Our Selection. Also, since the lead was a performer, the songs would come naturally.[1]
Productions
Original production
Hugh Hunt of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust heard several auditions of the work and agreed to fund a trial production at the Union Theatre Repertory Company in Melbourne in early 1958. It was directed by John Sumner. The production was very popular.
Cast
- Justine Rettick as Lola
- Neil Fitzpatrick
- Glen Tomasetti
- Patricia Connoly
- Alan Hopgood
- George Ogilvie
- Robin Ramsay
- Jon Finlayson
- Monica Maughan.
Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust production
The Trust took up their option and launched a professional production. George Carden was brought in to direct.[2][3]
Alan Burke says his dream Lola was Vivien Leigh but that he wanted Moyra Fraser to star.[1] Hugh Hunt wanted a star so they imported 25 year old Mary Preston from the United Kingdom to play the lead.[4] Burke said Preston was hopelessly miscast playing a 37 year old aging beauty.[1]
The show trialled in Brisbane for a short season. Michael Cole, who was playing Daniel, was sacked in Brisbane because of his voice. He was replaced by Eric Thornton who Burke said was too old - a 45 year old man playing a 19 year old. The play moved to Sydney where it opened on 22 October 1958. Burke says it lost £30,000 and "was a show loved by very few people but it went into legend."[1] However the show did run for more than three months.[2] Michael Cole's single recording of "Saturday Girl" became a minor hit.[3]
Cast
- Mary Preston as Lola
- Frank Wilson as Sam
- Michael Cole, then Eric Thornton, as Daniel
1962 TV Play
| Lola Montez | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Alan Burke |
| Written by | Alan Burke |
| Starring | Brigid Lenihan |
Production company | ABC |
Release date | 7 May 1962 (Sydney)[5] |
Running time | 90 mins |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Lola Montez was adapted for TV by the ABC in 1962.[6] The TV production was directed by Alan Burke, who had written the book for the musical.
Cast
- Brigid Lenihan as Lola
- Campbell Copelin as Seekamp
- Mary Duchesne as Mary in Bavaria
- Alida Glasbecek as Gisela
- Patsy Hemingway as Jane
- Alan Hopgood as Smith
- John Kendall as Jocko
- Reginald Newson as Wilson
- Anne Peterson as Nancy
- Ron Pinnell as Crosbie
- Rex Reid as King Ludwig
- Beverley Richards as Ilsa
- Johnny Rohan as Daniel
- Leslie Sinclair as Mac
- Frank Wilson as Sam
Production
Burke says because he directed, things were not misunderstood. Johnny Rohan was cast as Daniel after Burke saw him singing on a pop show.[1]
It was filmed in the ABC's Southbank Studios in Melbourne. Choreography was by Rex Reid, and Mary Duchesne danced the Lola in the Bavaria sequence. The dance ensemble included Kelvin Coe and Barry Moreland. [3][7]
Reception
The Sydney Morning Herald thought the character of Lola remained "the most intractable fact" of the production thinking she was better used to "material for a sensitive play which hardly in with the lusty, simplicity of of a musical that sounds like a marriage of Oklahoma and Paint Your Wagon... All the same, it was interesting to have the chance of seeing again a. musical that promised so much for the talents that combined to devise it; and also a little saddening to think how little has been heard of these talents since."[8]
The Sunday Herald said "it was a brilliant piece of work, sizzling in pace from start to finish, with a cast and chorus as perfectly rehearsed and drilled as an Army platoon. "Lola Montez" was good on stage; it emerges on television even better; almost as though it had been originally written with the small screen in mind. The only flaw in the entire 90 minutes so far as I was concerned, and it was a minor one, was [the]... dream sequence flashback to Lola's days as a court beauty. It was competently done, but it dragged a little toward the end."[9]
Revised Edition
The musical has been much revived since in amateur and school productions.[10]
The musical was heavily revised in 1988 for a production in Canberra.[3][11][12]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "Alan Burke interviewed by Bill Stephens in the Esso Performing Arts collection". National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b Alan Burke obituary at Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ a b c d "Lola Montez the musical". Janus Entertainment.
- ^ "English star is "Lola Montez"". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 26, , no. 21. Australia, Australia. 29 October 1958. p. 39. Retrieved 9 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ TV Guide May 7 Sydney Morning Herald 1962
- ^ 1962 TV adaptation at Ausstage
- ^ "Lola Montez for Sydney". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 April 1962. p. 14.
- ^ ""Lola Montez" Televised". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 May 1962. p. 10.
- ^ "TV Merry Go Round". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 May 1962. p. 102.
- ^ Lola Montez at David Spicer Productions
- ^ "Arts and entertainment Lola Montez inspired Australian musical". The Canberra Times. Vol. 63, , no. 19, 411. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 28 November 1988. p. 17. Retrieved 27 May 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "Goldfield spirit in light, bright 'Lola'". The Canberra Times. Vol. 63, , no. 19, 418. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 5 December 1988. p. 20. Retrieved 27 May 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)