Cirrus@Austlit

A Bunch of Ratbags broke new ground for musical theatre in Australia, with its rock band ensemble, for example, pre-dating the American tribal rock musical Hair by several years. The musical also caused an outrage after when some scenes were screened on an ABC current affairs programs - one sequence being deemed offensive because a character said 'get stuffed.' While this utterance was the strongest used in the show, in 1966 there was little tolerance in some quarters of the public for such language being used on the stage, let alone on television. The outcry led to the show being visited from the Victorian Vice Sqaud.No action was taken by the police, but they did report that 'the play was coarse and based on a course book, and there was much crude language.' The subsequent publicity helped the musical became one of the most successful productions Emerald Theatre's history. EMI also recorded the show's theme, making it the first single to be released from an Australian musical in almost a decade.

The premiere production was generally well received by critics, who seem to have all found something to like in it. Leonard Radic, for example, writes in State of Play that 'while it had its weak spots, [A Bunch of Ratbags] also had the virtues of vitality, colour and a measure of authenticity... the parts were better than the whole' (p41).

Since its 1966 premiere, A Bunch if Ratbags has been revived on numerous occasions by amateur companies. Known productions are :

• Viaduct Theatre, Melbourne ; 9 November 1973.
• Australian Theatre, Sydney ; February 1975.
• Monash Players, Melbourne ; 29 July 1975.
• Burwood State College, Melbourne ; 17 September 1975.
• Williamstown Little Theatre, Melbourne ; 21 September 1975.
• Highett High School, Melbourne ; 7 August 1979.
• A production was also staged in April 1985 as part of the Sydney Youth Festival.

A soundtrack recording was originally produced in 1966 by W and G Custom Pressing.

The 2005 revival was recorded at Box Hill Institute, Victoria in July 2005. It was subsequently released by Bayview Recording Co, Los Angeles, California, and distributed in Australia by Middle 8 Music (RNBW033).

• Contents of the 2005 Australian cast recording are : 1. 'Terry Cooke' (company) ; 2. 'Goodway' (Abi Richardson, Gregory Ross, Liam Pederson) ; 3. 'A Mason or a Mick' (Gregory Ross, Lyall Brooks) ; 4. 'Make a Quid' (Liam Pederson, Ben Nicholas) ; 5 'A House with Carpet on the Floor' (Abi Richardson) ; 6. 'He's a Prawn' (Liam Pederson, Ben Nicolas, Steve Simmons, Zen Ledden) ; 7. 'It's His Widgie' (Jessica Enes, Louise Van Veenendaal) ; 8. 'Sat'dee Night (Bashing Poofters in the Park)' (Liam Pederson, Ben Nicholas, Steve Simmons, Zen Ledden) ; 9. 'Wake Up Little Boy' (Nikki Minster) ; 10. 'There Ain't a Thing in the World' (Liam Pederson) ; 11. 'Cold World' (Liam Pederson) ; 12. 'We'er Goin' Out Tonight' (Liam Pederson, Ben Nicholas, Steve Simmons, Zen Ledden) ; 13. 'Old Times' (Abi Richardson, Gregory Ross) ; 14. 'The Moment I Saw Her' (Liam Pederson, Nikki Minster) ; 15. 'The Wedding Song (I've Been and Gone and Got Her up the Duff)' (Ben Nicholas) ; 16. 'Where Do I Go From Here?' (Liam Pederson) ; 17. 'Kenny Black' (finale) ; 18. 'We're Goin' Out Tonight' (reprise).