When Panimbla Station in the Australian outback becomes the target of a gang of cattle duffers the owner, Stephen Maitland, is unaware that his manager, Sydney Winton, is in league with the gang. Unable to get men to work for him after two of his stockmen are killed in a raid, Maitland's situation looks grim. Things begin to turn around however through the plucky resolve of his daughter Mona (aided by the often hilariously funny Joe Lachlan), who suspects Winton of being involved in the cattle stealing. With the arrival of Dave Goulburn, a stranger who comes 'per boot off the pad' and in search of a job, Mona finally finds an ally ready to take on Winton and his cronies. The situation becomes charged with danger when the cattle duffers' leader, Ironbark Jim, recognises Goulburn as the man who smashed up a gang he had previously ridden with. He then puts into action a plan to kill the station's new boundary rider. This leads to a fight between the two men (at the Sloping Rock) and naturally results in the hero's victory and blossoming romance with the heroine. Reporting on the melodrama's final acts the Age theatre critic writes : 'Deeds of recklessness, deeds of courage and deeds of sentiment follow on rapidly and keep the attention of the audience riveted on scenes enacted amidst surroundings of the most realistic description' (3 May 1909, p11).
The Argus was similarly impressed by The Man from Outback. 'Knowing the patrons of the King's Theatre by, and their love of theatrical excitement,' writes the paper's theatre critic, ' the authors have "forced the note" to its topmost pitch, and given them an orgy of love, revenge, heroism, cowardice, hate and degradation. Comic turns and interesting work of cleverly trained horses and dogs adds a piquant flavouring that roused to enthusiasm the great heart of the King's audience.' Regarding the characters of the play the same critic suggests that although they 'have crept out of the many bush ballads and prose sketches which often have given competent expression to Australian character, humanity and drama, [their] transference to the stage presents obstacles as yet too formidable for their successful materialising, and the personages are little more than picturesque mouthpieces for the authors' ideas' (3 May 1909, p9).
The synopsis of scenery reads : Act 1. Sc 1. - The Muster Camp at Panimbla Station ; Sc 2. Outside the Store at Panimbla ; Sc 3. The Homestead. Act 2 Sc 1. The Boundary Hut ; Sc 2. The Track to the Haunted Bend ; Sc 3. The Haunted Bend. Act 3 Sc 1. Outside the Boundary Hut (Dave rescued from the burning hut by his horse and dog) ; Sc 2. A Room at Panimbla ; Sc 3. The Homestead Track ; Sc 4. The Sloping Rock (Saved by the Stockwhip). Act 4 Sc 1. Never Never's Humpty ; Sc 2. A Room at the Homestead ; Sc 3. The Homestead Track ; Sc 4. The Homestead.
The Argus review indicates that almost every scene bore the hallmark of the bush. 'An immense amount of local detail runs through the four acts,' writes the critic, 'including an aboriginal's burial place up a big gum tree, native fire-making and pretty well every bit of bush slang that could be pressed into service' (3 May 1909, p9).
Following the Melbourne premiere the Age theatre critic wrote : 'The generous response made by the public made it abundantly clear that the sentiment of patriotism which has recently manifested itself throughout the Commonwealth in no uncertain way has embraced the Australian drama as a fit and proper subject for protection by public patronage. It was an Australian play the people crowded to see, toned with Australian colour, full of true Australian incident and written by Australians. The theatre was overcrowded and hundreds were turned away. It took full three hours and a half to unroll the wealth of occurrence - sensational, humorous and serious - that combine to make up Messrs Bailey and Duggan's (Albert Edmunds's) new play. Yet so keen was the appreciation of the house that large numbers took risky chances on the last train. This was made apparent in the "homeward charge" as the curtain dropped precisely at 11.30 on the well-earned happiness of hero, heroine and the other virtuous characters in the play... The new play is a highly credible efforts, and the manner in which is was received should be very gratifying to its authors' (3 May 1909, p11).
The critics were especially impressed with the 'manly and dashing' performance of Roy Redgrave (q.v.) as the hero Dave Goulburn (Argus 3 May 1909, p9). 'He is built for part; he looks it, and he likes it,' furthered the Age. 'The keenness and enthusiasm with which he works out his share in the plot make it plain that he revels in the part. Considering Mr Redgrave's necessarily limited intimacy with bush life of this description the thoroughness with which he is able to identify himself with the character is remarkable; but what adds enormously to his credit in the study is that he had not seen his lines till Wednesday evening and then the "wad" put in his hands consisted of 70 folios of type written material' (3 May 1909, p11).
One of the more theatrically enterprising scenes according to the Argus was the hero's escape from his burning boundary hut after having been knocked senseless and tied to a table by Ironbark Jim and his gang. Goulban is freed, however, by his faithful dog, which 'makes a clean jump from the ground to the roof of the hut, dives down the tall chimney, and with his teeth unfastens the knot that holds his master. At the same time his horse lifts the heavy latch with his nose, and Goulban staggers to the door a freed man.' According to the paper's theatre critic two dogs were specially trained over three months by Bert Bailey to undertake the scene. On opening night the first choice dog, a collie, apparently got stage fright and bolted off stage. The scene was saved, however, when the substitute canine, a black greyhound, bounded from the wings and successfully completed its tasks to 'uproarious appreciation by the audience' (3 May 1909, p9).
1909 : King's Theatre, Melbourne ; 1 May - 5 June. Dir. J. H. Nunn ; Prod. William Anderson (q.v.) ; Music Dir. George Sutch ; Scenic Art Rege Robins ; Cost. Madame Edwards. - Company William Anderson's Famous Dramatic Organisation. - Cast incl. Roy Redgrave (Dave Goulburn, the man from outback), Sterling Whyte (Stephen Maitland), Lawrence Dunbar (Sydney Winton), Bert Bailey (Joe Lachlan, 'I never 'eard yer'), Edmund Duggan (Jim Redmond, alias Ironbark Jim), Kate Gair (Mona Maitland), Walter Dalgleish (Never Never, a bush derelict), Temple Harrison (Possum, a cattle duffer), Fred Kehoe (Bandicoot, a cattle duffer), James McKenzie (Henderson, of Tamworth Downs), Max Clifton (John Littlejohn, alias Deaf Duke), Bernard Slade (Murrumbidgee Bill, a drover), J. H. Nunn (Sergeant Mallon, of the Mounted Police), Frank Rossmore (Murrumburrah, an aborigine), Ernest Kingsley (Harry Hodge, a stockrider), Miss Fitzmaurice Gill (Kate Redmond, nicknamed 'Wild Kate'), Fanny Erris (Daisy Somerville, from the city), Lilly Bryer (Eliza MacWhopper, 'I'm so lonely').
Other characters incl. Sockmen, Aboriginals, Cattle Duffers.
This entry has been sourced from on-going historical research into Australian popular theatre being conducted by Dr Clay Djubal.
Australia on the Popular Stage 1829-1929
Melbourne
:
Oxford University Press
,
1983
Z922827
1983
selected work
Australia on the Popular Stage 1829-1929
Melbourne
:
Oxford University Press
,
1983
Z922827
1983
selected work
