According to the Companion to Theatre in Australia, the National Theatre Movement began in Melbourne on 5 December 1935 as an amateur production company, and a funding and training organisation for the support of other minor companies (John Andrews). In May 1936 Gertrude Johnson, founder of the organisation, set out its goals ('National Theatre Movement: Aims and Ideals Outlined at "Raveloe" Party'):
1. The erection of a new theatre, dedicated to Nellie Melba.
2. The assistance of Australian actors, singers, dancers and composers.
3. The development of theatre for children.
4. Affordability for theatre-goers.
5. Promoting membership with the movement.
Although support for the National Theatre Movement grew quickly after its initial establishment, reception of its aims was often pessimistic. Its leadership was already being called into question and columnists compared the Australian movement to its English model which, after thirty years of work in a country with far more established theatre, had still not raised half of the necessary funds to realise its goal of a dedicated national theatre ('National Theatre: Would it be Practicable?').
The first production was at the Princess Theatre in 1936, and in 1938 the movement succeeded in gaining a venue at St Peter's Hall and after that started producing opera. It began the National Theatre Ballet in 1949. Although a state-subsidised company from 1948, according to John Andrews its dramatic productions remained its most narrow and underdeveloped arm.
Geoffrey Hutton wrote in 1949 of the National Theatre Movement's success in opera, but cautioned against calling it 'the National theatre we have been seeking' until it demonstrated equal success in ballet and drama as well ('To a National Theatre'). Until then, it remained for the company only to continue to prove its claim for limited subsidiary support. Although the movement had rallied its support of amateur drama over this period of the late 1940s and early 50s with annual festivals from 1947 until 1954 (see relevant articles below), including a fourteen-week long jubilee festival in 1951 ('National Theatre Festival'), unfortunately it never reached the necessary professional success. Productions ceased in 1969 but the movement maintained its branches in theatre training and hire.
Having moved venues numerous times over the decades, the National Theatre Movement bought the Victory Theatre at St Kilda in 1971 and opened and opened in 1974 as The National Theatre, Melbourne, as we now know it, with its associated ballet and drama schools ('Brief History of the National Theatre').
Sources:
Andrews, John. 'National Theatre Movement', Companion to Theatre in Australia, Cambridge UP, 1995, p. 395-96.
'National Theatre Movement: Aims and Ideals Outlined at "Raveloe" Party', Table Talk, 28 May 1936, p. 36.
'National Theatre: Would it be Practicable? Melbourne Movement Discussed', The Telegraph, 11 April 1936, p. 12.
Hutton, Geoffrey. 'To a National Theatre', The Argus, 28 April 1949, p. 2.
'Australian Talent is Being Developed by National Theatre Movement', Barrier Daily Truth, 30 July 1953, p.2.
'Festival Artists Assemble', The Age, 21 January 1953, p. 2.
'Festival of Arts', The Age, 4 February 1954, p. 5.
'National Theatre Festival', Advocate, 18 January 1951, p. 18.
'Brief History of the National Theatre', The National Theatre Melbourne
