History
The National Theatre Movement began to advertise an initiative to 'encourage Australian playwrights' in June 1938, with the offer of £20 of prize money spread between the top three entries and the promise of production for the winner ('National Drama Encouraged'). The proceeds from the production, however, would all be directed to the Movement's own fund, which had a goal extending beyond the support of a single Australian playwright.
An article in Table Talk gives some 'hints for intending entrants' that are revealing of the Movement's ambitions for the competition ('National Theatre Movement', Table Talk). The hints require that the playwright have concern for the limitations of amateur theatres in terms of cast size, set design and even actor skill. The National Theatre Movement sought to promote 'legitimate' theatre in Australia through the support of existent minor companies and thus required that Australian writing be constrained to match the state of Australian theatre, at least for the present time, rather than stretching theatres to meet the demands of more risky plays.
Entries for the competition closed 30 September 1938, and in March 1939 the National Theatre Movement was still issuing assurances that adjudication was underway, citing an overwhelming number of entries as the reason for the delay (Prizes For New Plays'). At this point newspaper records of the award appear to cease for a time, until January 1940 'a competition' supported by the Movement was announced as being in the final stages of judging the sixty plays ('National Theatre Movement', The Age). On 1 May the prize were announced ('Victorian Play Competition')
Research has not yet determined whether these are the results of another competition opened in 1939, for which there do not appear to be any records of advertisement, or if in fact these are the results of the original 1938 competition announced nineteen months on.
Sources:
'National Drama Encouraged: Movement's Plans', The Argus, 22 June 1938, p. 6.
'National Theatre Movement', Table Talk, 25 August 1938, p. 38.
'Prizes for New Plays', Weekly Times, 4 March 1939, p. 44.
'National Theatre Movement', The Age, 17 January 1940, p. 10.
'Victorian Play Competition: Tasmanians First and Third', The Mercury, 1 May 1940, p. 5.
Latest Winners / Recipients
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Year: 1940
winner y
Daybreak : A Play in Three Acts
1938
Carlton
:
Melbourne University Press
,
1942
Z32186
1938
single work
drama
Set in the home of Simon Martel at Hobart Town in 1830, the action of the play runs from early spring to Christmas eve. There are 18 characters.
Caroline and Jeanne Martel, the daughters of the harsh dictatorial Christian, Simon Martel, have returned to Hobart after six years in England. En route, Jeanne has fallen in love with Francis Gillan—a liberal reformer who is opposed to the convict system. The harsh treatment accorded to two good-type convicts causes Gillan to plan an escape from the island. Jeanne accompanies the party, but it is interrupted in flight and Gillan is shot. Rufus Bellamy the convict kills Mr Martel in revenge, but the passionate intensity of Jeanne's pleading persuades Caroline to agree to conceal the truth—for Francis's sake.
Abstract adapted from The Campbell Howard Annotated Index of Australian Plays 1920-1955.
DAYBREAK was first produced by Olive Wilton for the Hobart Repertory Theatre Society, at the Theatre Royal, on Saturday, 30 July, 1938, with the following cast:
SIMON MARTEL: James Pratt
CAROLINE MARTEL: Peggy Waterworth
JEANNE MARTEL: Junee Cornell
FRANCIS GILLAN: Henry Moore
MRS. CARMICHAEL: Pearl Burbury
PHOEBE MOON: Beatrice Jordan
RUFUS BELLAMY: Mervyn Wiss
CAPTAIN NORTH: K. W. Nicholson
CAPTAIN BLAINEY: Jack Mitchell
LIEUTENANT PRIDEAUX: Noel Richard
MRS. MOSS: Audrey St. Hill
LAURA MOSS: Erica Gilbert
MRS. TURNER: Dulce Haddon-Cave
SARAH TURNER: Nancy Chapman
LUCY TURNER: Phyl Bailey
ELLEN: Mrs. W. F. Hinman
BEAM: Don Sutherland
MRS. BEAM: Mrs. Alan Burn
Decor and costumes by Robert Montgomery
