In January 1915, Lindsay Kemble a 19 year-old man from Burra, South Australia became infamous throughout much of Australia after being arrested in Adelaide dressed as a woman. The incident subsequently led to a three night headline engagement with the Brennan-Fuller Vaudeville Circuit (King’s Theatre) and a simultaneous contract with Lou Powell and Fred Coffey to appear on stage at their Star Theatre as a between-films act. Powell and Coffey also arranged for cinematographer Harry Krischock to film Kemble replicating some of the incidents that occurred during the two months he masqueraded as a woman.
The comedy, which played the Star from 23 January remained a major attraction for several weeks. Largely billed as simply Lindsay Kemble, it later toured some South Australian regional centre.
Much public interest focused on the local men who fell for Kemble's feminine charms, and this aspect appears to have created much of the comedy in the film.
The earliest reference to the title "Lindsay Kemble's Adelaide Escapades" appears to be in Eric Reade's 1970 publication Australian Silent Films. Unfortunately Reade provides no citation for claiming this as the name of the film. A search of newspapers digitised in Trove has so far failed to locate any reference "Adelaide Escapades" in 1915. All advertisements identify the film as simply Lindsay Kemble (or sometimes as Lindsay Kemble Cinematographed).
Powell and Coffey arranged for Kemble to undertake a short tour of regional South Australian cinemas during the first weeks of February 1915. They are believed to have also organised for the film to be later exhibited at many of these same venues. Kemble returned to the Star in late-February as a principle member of the Max Merry Comedy Company.
An historical insight into the background and making of Adelaide's second locally-made moving picture. The film highlights incidents during the two months Lindsay Kemble lived in the city impersonating a young French woman.
An historical insight into the background and making of Adelaide's second locally-made moving picture. The film highlights incidents during the two months Lindsay Kemble lived in the city impersonating a young French woman.
This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive
