The Pickled Porter single work   musical theatre   revue/revusical   humour  
First known date: 1922 Issue Details: First known date: 1922... 1922 The Pickled Porter
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

As with a number of George Wallace's other revusicals, The Pickled Porter utilised his capability to perform an outrageous drunk act, complete with side-splitting falls. Everyone's writes of the 1925 production that 'As is usual with these tabloids, there is just the semblance of story, but it serves to introduce the little comedian in another mirth-provoking part - that of the porter' (1 April 1925, p.34). The narrative is set in a modern hotel where 'Billy the porter (Wallace) has been given a week's notice and has decided to do just as he pleases. The things that please him do not please others, however. He flirts with young Milly Hobbs, the daughter of Colonel Hobbs, practices at all hours on the piano, and tosses the guests luggage about' (Brisbane Courier 23 November 1925, p.5).

Songs incorporated into the 1925 Brisbane season included a few of Wallace's own compositions, notably 'The Trumpeter' (sung by Marshall Crosby). Two numbers from 1926 were 'The Porter' (written and sung by George Wallace) and 'The Cook's Parade' (sung by Lulla Fanning). One of the songs presented during the 1928 revivals was a Wallace original: 'Archie and Bertie', performed as a duet by Tom Lincoln and Tom Foggit.

Production Details

  • 1922: Ike Beck's Hunter Valley circuit (New South Wales); ca. June/July

    • Director George Wallace; Producer Harry Clay and Ike Beck
    • Troupe: Harry Clay's Vaudeville Company
    • Cast incl. George Wallace, Marshall Crosby, Check Hayes, Jessie Massey, Nellie Hall, Ethel Rose, Douglas Graham.
    • Itinerary incl. Maitland (Town Hall; 24 June); Raymond Terace (Ambler's Hall; 28 June); Greta (5 July); Aberman (6 July)

    1924: Majestic Theatre, Newtown, Sydney, 6-12 September.

    • Director George Wallace; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe George Wallace Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. George Wallace (Billy Brown), Marshall Crosby, Tom Lincoln, Jack White, George Lloyd, Harry Burgess, Marie Nyman, Nellie Dean, Pat Reid, and the Six Rascals.

    1925: Fullers Theatre, Sydney, 28 March - 3 April.

    • Director George Wallace; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe George Wallace Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. George Wallace, Marshall Crosby, Jack White, Tom Lincoln, Sadie Gale, Marie Nyman, Ivy Moore, Nellie Dean, George Lloyd, and the Six Twinklers.
    • Sadie Gale left the company in late October 1925.

    1925: Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 29 August - 4 September.

    • Director George Wallace; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe George Wallace Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. George Wallace, Marshall Crosby, Sadie Gale, Olga Muir, Tom Lincoln, Jack White, Nellie Dean, sisters Lulu Fanning and Mercia Elliott, George Lloyd, Fred 'Check' Hayes, Ada Scaddan, and the Six Rascals (incl. Alma Stewart).
    • This was the final show of George Wallace's 1925 Bijou Theatre season.

    1925: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 21-27 November.

    • Director George Wallace; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe George Wallace Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. George Wallace, Marshall Crosby (Colonel Hobbs), Nellie Dean, Lulla Fanning, Ada Scaddan, Jack White, Frank Haining, Marie Nyman (Milly), Frederick 'Check' Hayes, Tom Lincoln, and the Six Rascals (Alma Stewart, Eileen Smith, Hilary Salmon, Phyllis Lough, Doris Whimp, Isobel Broadfoot).

    1926: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 6-12 March.

    • Director George Wallace; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe George Wallace Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. George Wallace, Marshall Crosby, Marie Nyman, Nellie Dean, Lulla Fanning, Ada Scaddan, Jack White Frank, Haining, Frederick 'Check' Hayes, Tom Lincoln, and the Six Rascals (Alma Stewart, Eileen Smith, Hilary Salmon, Phyllis Lough, Doris Whimp, Isobel Broadfoot).

    1927: New Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 12-18 February.

    • Director George Wallace; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe George Wallace Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. George Wallace, Marshall Crosby, Marie Nyman, Ada Scaddan, Frank Haining, Tom Lincoln, and the Six Rascals.

    .

  • 1928: Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 29 September - 5 October.

    • Director George Wallace; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
    • Troupe George Wallace Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. George Wallace, Marshall Crosby, Marie Nyman, Maida Jones, Ada Scaddan, Frank Haining, Tom Lincoln, Tom Foggitt, Jack Scott, and the Six Rascals,
    • Musicians Five Flaming Youths.

    1930: Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne, 8-14 March.

    • Director George Wallace; Producer Tivoli Celebrity Vaudeville Pty Ltd; Chorus Maurice Diamond.
    • Troupe George Wallace Revue Company.
    • Cast incl. George Wallace, Marshall Crosby, Keith Connelly, Bert Dudley, Tup Dudley, Jim Romaine, Irene Shamrock, Bebe Scott, Leonard Rich, John V. Dobbie, Jack Grant, and the Eight Rascals.
    • Musicians Five Flaming Youths Jazz Band.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Works about this Work

Novelties at Empire Theatre 1925 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 23 November 1925; (p. 5)

— Review of The Pickled Porter George Wallace , 1922 single work musical theatre
Fullers' Theatre 1925 single work review
— Appears in: Everyone's , 1 April 1925; (p. 34)

— Review of The Pickled Porter George Wallace , 1922 single work musical theatre
Fullers' Theatre 1925 single work review
— Appears in: Everyone's , 1 April 1925; (p. 34)

— Review of The Pickled Porter George Wallace , 1922 single work musical theatre
Novelties at Empire Theatre 1925 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 23 November 1925; (p. 5)

— Review of The Pickled Porter George Wallace , 1922 single work musical theatre

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 19 Jan 2017 16:33:14
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