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Revusical.
The Brisbane Courier records that Stiffy and Mo appear in this revusical as a Yiddish 'deadbeat and his deadbest friend... equipped with an extremely clever and funny make-up, they gave a delightful impersonation of the affectations popularly attributed to members of the English nobility, while their sudden and unexpected relapse into their own identity caused many a hearty laugh' (20 June 1921, p.4). The 1927 version of The Lords is said to have included within the general story line a sketch called the 'The Eternal Triangle', along with another sketch described as the 'telephone scene' (Just It 18 August 1927, p.28).
A review of the 1926 Whirligig company version (Empire Theatre, Brisbane) records that 'In the amusing revuette, The Lords, Stiffy and 'Erb masquerade as two members of the House of Lords and their adventures on the seashore with a bevy of charming maidens provided a wide field of humour' (Brisbane Courier 6 December 1926, p.15). The other characters included Willie (played by Dan Weldon), the little son of the irascible Major Porter (Dan Dunbar), and a ne'er to well (Eric Masters).
For the 1925 Bijou Theatre production, Phillips included such songs as 'Old Irish Mother' and 'Lazy Daisies.' Songs incorporated into the 1927 production included 'All's Well that Ends Well' and 'Here I Am' (both sung by Amy Rochelle).
Notes
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The 1922 production was described in the Theatre magazine as 'mere padding', with much of Phillips's and Rene's work supposedly 'a repetition of the antics indulged in by them during the recent run of Dick Whittington' (May 1922, p.19).
Production Details
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1918: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 3-9 August.
- Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company.
- Cast incl. Nat Phillips (Stiffy), Roy Rene (Mo), Daisy Merritt, Caddy Franks, Horace Mann, Dan M. Dunbar, Peter Brooks, Belle Pollard, Walter Jackson [aka Walter Whyte], Vince Courtney, Cliff O'Keefe.
- The entertainment during this week also included some scenes from another Stiffy and Mo revusical, Mixed Bathing (aka In the Surf).
1920: Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 19-25 June.
- Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company.
- Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Roy Rene, Amy Rochelle, Daisy Merritt, Caddy Franks, Horace Mann, Dan Dunbar, Will Liddle, Lou Harris.
1921: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 18-24 June.
- Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company ; Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Roy Rene, Daisy Merritt, Dan M. Dunbar, Lola Hunt, Belle Pollard, Gerald Cashman, Walter Jackson, Dot O'Dea.
- This was the opening production for the Brisbane season.
1922: Fullers Theatre, Sydney, ca. April.
- Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Music Director Charles Ryder; Chorus Rosie Bowie; Costumes Ethel Moar; Business Manager George C. Audley; Stage Manager Dan M. Dunbar.
- Troupe Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company.
- Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Roy Rene, Ida Merton, Dot Davis [aka Mrs Roy Rene], Queenie Paul, Mike Connors, Keith Connelly, Gladys Shaw, Dan M. Dunbar, and W. O'Brien; with Gwen Brandon, Rosie Bowie, Thelma Duff, Flo Wilson, Marie McLaughlin, Phyllis Whisken.
1924: Fullers Theatre, Sydney, 13-19 September.
- Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Chorus Rosie Bowie.
- Troupe Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company.
- Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Roy Rene, Dan M. Dunbar, Dot Davis [aka Mrs Roy Rene], Queenie Paul, Mike Connors, Gladys Shaw; and the Six Radio Girls.
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1925: Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 21-27 February.
- Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Chorus Rosie Bowie.
- Troupe Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company.
- Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Roy Rene, Dan M. Dunbar, Queenie Paul, Mike Connors, Dot Davis [aka Mrs Roy Rene], Gladys Shaw, Keith Connolly, Rene Albert, David Lyle; and the Dandy Six.
1925: Majestic Theatre, Adelaide; 4-10 July.
- 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 (Olinda Porter), Mike Connors, June Mills, William Innes; and the Radio Six.
1926: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 4-10 December
- 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), Daisy Merritt, Dan M. Dunbar (Major Porter), Dan Weldon (Willie), Eric Masters (the ne'er do well), Dorothy Manning, Polly Power; and the Radio Six.
- Musicians Charleston Super Six Symphonists, incl. Frank Wilson (trombone/accordion), 'Tiny' Douglas (violin), Art Dewar (banjo), Frank Morton (cornet), and Les Clements (piano).
- Mike Connors and Queenie Paul left the company before this production.
1927: Fullers' Theatre, Sydney, 13-26 August.
- Director Nat Phillips; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Stiffy and Mo Company.
- Cast incl. Nat Phillips, Roy Rene, Amy Rochelle, Harry Ross (Lord Brancaster), Sadie Gale, Daisy Merritt, Statler Sisters, Alec Kellaway (Little Willie), Jack Kellaway (Major Porter), Will Kenny (Lord Snazzle)
- Musicians Charleston Jazz Band.
- Alec Kellaway left the troupe sometime during the two-week run of The Lords. He was replaced by Dan M. Dunbar, previously with the troupe for several years, but who had been forced into temporary retirement due to a long illness.
1927: Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 29 October - 4 November.
- 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).
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Vaudeville
1927
single work
review
— Appears in: Just It , 25 August 1927; (p. 28)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre -
Vaudeville
1927
single work
review
— Appears in: Just It , 18 August 1927; (p. 28)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre -
Fun at the Empire
1926
single work
review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 6 December 1926; (p. 15)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre -
The Month in Vaudeville
1922
single work
review
— Appears in: The Theatre Magazine , May 1922; (p. 19)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre -
The Empire
1921
single work
review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 20 June 1921; (p. 4)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre
-
The Empire
1921
single work
review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 20 June 1921; (p. 4)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre -
Vaudeville
1927
single work
review
— Appears in: Just It , 18 August 1927; (p. 28)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre -
Vaudeville
1927
single work
review
— Appears in: Just It , 25 August 1927; (p. 28)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre -
The Month in Vaudeville
1922
single work
review
— Appears in: The Theatre Magazine , May 1922; (p. 19)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre -
Fun at the Empire
1926
single work
review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 6 December 1926; (p. 15)
— Review of Lords 1918 single work musical theatre
