y separately published work icon At the Grand single work   musical theatre   revue/revusical   humour  
Alternative title: The Bell Boys
Issue Details: First known date: 1923... 1923 At the Grand
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Revusical.

Stiffy and Mo are a couple of bell-boys at a hotel, who find themselves mixed up in the troubles of two young lovers, Helen and Frank, and Helen's father, Hiam Plaster. When the father arrives at the hotel, he is suspicious and demands to see his daughter. Stiffy and Mo help keep Frank hidden and then devise a plan to trick Mr Plaster into accepting Helen's relationship with Frank. As usual, however, the two larrikins manage to turn the situation upside down with their shenanigans. An Age review from 1925 proposes that the 'title could easily have been changed to "The Hotel Impossible" without altering the significance of the entertainment' (16 February 1925, p.11).

Songs known to have been incorporated into the 1924 production include 'I am the Manager,' 'We are a Couple of Bellboys,' and 'At the Grand.' The 1925 Bijou Theatre production included 'What'll I Do?' and 'Rose of the Rio Grande.'

The 1932 revival saw Joe Lawman take over the role previously played by Roy Rene (Mo) and Jack Kellaway ('Erb).

Notes

  • The Nat Phillips Collection manuscript is subtitled 'A Tabloid Musical Comedy Revue in One Act.' The cast of original characters comprised Stiffy, Mo, Mr Bings, Frank, Helen, Eddie, Estelle, Harry, Mrs Tutankaman, Hiam Plaster (Helen's father), and girls. Reviews from 1927 indicate that, by then, the production included the additional characters Cuthbert and Miss Pancakes.

  • A note typed on the Nat Phillips manuscript indicates that it was completed in Dunedin, New Zealand, on 14 December 1923 (during the company's eighteen-month tour of the Fullers' Dominion circuit). It is believed, however, that the text was by adapted by Phillips from one of his earlier revusicals. Just It critic, M. A. Keup, writes in relation to this that 'If we are not mistaken, The Bellboys was one of the earliest and most successful of the revues produced by the classic firm of Stiffy and Mo' (11 August 1927, p.28). An advertisement for the 1924 Fuller's Theatre (Sydney) season of At the Grand suggests, however, that they are the same: 'Stiffy and Mo as Bellboys in their sparkling new revue At the Grand' (Sydney Morning Herald 6 Sept. 1924, p.2).

  • A similarly titled revusical, The Grand Hotel was staged by the Walter George Smart Set ca. 1918. It is not yet clear if Phillips adapted or utilised any material from the Smart Set company's version, or if both revusicals are based on another work.

  • An edited version appears in 'What Oh Tonight: The Methodology Factor and Pre-1930s Australian Variety Theatre - Appendices.' Clay Djubal, Ph D Thesis, 2005, pp.76-87.

Production Details

  • 1924: Fullers' Theatre, Sydney, 6-12 September.

    • Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company.
    • Cast incl. Nat Phillips (Stiffy), Roy Rene (Mo), Mike Connors, Queenie Paul, Peter Brooks.

    1925: Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 14-20 February.

    • Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company.
    • Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Roy Rene, Mike Connors, Queenie Paul, Dan M. Dunbar, Dot Davis [aka Mrs Roy Rene], Gladys Shaw, Keith Connolly, Rene Albert, David Lyle, and the Radio Six.

    1925: Majestic Theatre, Adelaide; 20-26 June [as The Grand Hotel].

    • Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe: Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company.
    • Cast incl. Nat Phillips (Stiffy), Roy Rene (Mo), Dan M. Dunbar, Dot Davis, Queenie Paul, Mike Connors, June Mills, William Innes; and the Radio Six.

    1926: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 16-22 October.

    • Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers Theatres Ltd; Music Director Frank Wilson.
    • Troupe Nat Phillips' Whirligigs [aka Stiffy and 'Erb].
    • Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Jack Kellaway ('Erb), Mike Connors, Daisy Merritt, Queenie Paul, Dan M. Dunbar, Dan Weldon, Irene Vando, Elsie Hoskins, and the Radio Six ; Musicians Charleston Super Six Symphonists, incl. Frank Wilson (trombone/accordion), 'Tiny' Douglas (violin), Art Dewar, Frank Morton (cornet), and Les Clements (piano).
    • Phillips also incorporated Apdales' Animal Circus into this particular performance. The Brisbane Courier critic writes of the involvement of the animals, which included dogs, monkeys and a baboon, that 'It is difficult to imagine that diminutive dogs and monkeys could be trained to reveal such high intelligence, for they do the most amazing things at the behest of their trainer. Indeed the performance of some... was scarcely short of uncanny' (18 October 1926, p.17).
    • Members of the company presented a series of vaudeville turns during the first half of the show, with Phillips and Kellaway (as Stiffy and 'Erb) appearing in two sketches: 'Two in a Bar' and 'The Gasman.'

    .

  • 1927: Fullers' Theatre, Sydney, 6-12 August (as Bellboys).


    1927: Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 5-11 November (as The Bell Boys).

    • Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Music Director Les Clements.
    • Troupe Stiffy and Mo Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Roy Rene, Amy Rochelle, Sadie Gale, Daisy Merritt, Dan M. Dunbar, The Stattler Sisters, Will Kenny, Dan Weldon, Marie Nyman, Alec McKinnon, and the Radio Ballet ; Musicians Charleston Symphonists (incl. Les Clements).

    1928: Fullers' Theatre, Sydney, 1-7 December.

    • Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe Stiffy and Mo Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Roy Rene, Sadie Gale, Terry Sisters, Jack Kellaway, Peter Brooks, Dan M. Dunbar, Dan Weldon, Daisy Merritt, Al Mack, Ces Scott, Tom Collins, Catherine Stewart.
    • Musicians Meredith's Jazz Band.

    1932: Grand Opera House, Sydney, 13-19 February.

    • Director Nat Phillips; Producer George Marlowe; Music Director Will Osborne.
    • Troupe Nat Phillips Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Joe Lawman, Dan Weldon, Keith Connelly, Stella Lamond, Les Warton, Angela Parselles, Elsie Hoskins, Nita Carr, Marie Marlow, Master Dick Ryan, Betty Lambert, The Lewola Brothers.
    • Musicians Will Osborne Orchestra.
    • Although English variety performer/actress Betty Weldon and the La Fredas (three female acrobats) joined the troupe the previous week, it is unclear how long their engagements lasted.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1923
      .
      Link: U3636Full text resource Digital copy of original manuscript Link: U3637Full text resource Digital copy of edited version by Dr Clay Djubal
      Extent: 9p+p.
      Description: Typed with handwritten notes. Includes some lyrics and song titles.
      (Manuscript) assertion
      Note/s:

      • Complete: Three manuscripts. One is the full text. The other two are text fragments and lyrics to the songs 'The Bellboys' (aka 'We are a Couple of Bellboys'), 'Moonlight', 'I am the Manager', and 'At the Grand'.

        Note on cover page of MS 2 reads 'Written in Dunedin on 14 December 1923.'

      Holdings

      Held at: University of Queensland University of Queensland Library Fryer Library
      Local Id: UQFL9
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()

Works about this Work

Vaudeville M. A. Keup , 1927 single work review
— Appears in: Just It , 11 August 1927; (p. 28)
— Review of At the Grand Nat Phillips , 1923 single work musical theatre
The Empire - Whirlgigs Revue Co 1926 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 18 October 1926; (p. 17)
— Review of At the Grand Nat Phillips , 1923 single work musical theatre
Vaudeville M. A. Keup , 1927 single work review
— Appears in: Just It , 11 August 1927; (p. 28)
— Review of At the Grand Nat Phillips , 1923 single work musical theatre
The Empire - Whirlgigs Revue Co 1926 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 18 October 1926; (p. 17)
— Review of At the Grand Nat Phillips , 1923 single work musical theatre
VIEW ALL WORKS ABOUT (2)

PeriodicalNewspaper Details

Note:
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
Last amended 25 Aug 2014 08:11:40
Subjects:
  • ca. 1924-1928
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