Billed as an Australian farcical comedy, Breakfast with Julia is set in Sydney's King's Cross. The action focuses on a United States lieutenant-commander who does his best to compromise a young married woman while her husband is away on a tropical expedition. When the husband returns he imagines that the mysterious comings and goings in his flat are hallucinations brought on by his recent trip. Complications, and additional humour, are provided by Conchita, a Latin American female intruder.
1963 : St Martin's Theatre, Melbourne ; 27 November - Dir. Irene Mitchell. Cast: Marie Redshaw, Terry Norris, Julia Blake, Ian Boyce.
1964 : Phillip Theatre (q.v), Sydney ; 29 July - 12 September. Dir. Irene Mitchell ; Prod. Phillip Productions in association with Garnet H. Carroll (by arrangement with St Martin's Theatre Co Ltd). Cast: James Condon, Marie Redshaw, Glenna Brydon, James Mellen.
There have been later productions in other Australian states. It was also given an English provincial tour in the mid-1960s, but this did not fare well . A West German production toured extensively in 1966 (Companion to Theatre in Australia, q.v., p97-98).
Review of the 1964 Phillip Theatre, Sydney, production, beginning 29 July.
Review of the 1964 Phillip Theatre, Sydney, production, beginning 29 July.