As an 'under-the-weather husband returning home to face an irate wife', George Wallace performs a number of comedy drunk routines in the staged version of this sketch. An argument eventually ensues (after the pair retire to bed), when the wife thinks she hears a burglar.
In a review of the the April 1931 staging at Brisbane's Theatre Royal, the Telegraph's theatre critic wrote: 'A sketch entitled "Oh! What a Night," reveals George Wallace as a drunken husband, who gels into complications by hitting his neighbour's wife on the head in mistake for a burglar. Phil Baker makes an attractive wife and Jack Ashworth a ludicrously foolish policeman' (p.3)
Oh What A Night
1932
( dir. F. W. Thring
)
Melbourne
:
Efftee Film Productions
,
1932
9519067
1932
single work
film/TV
humour
A short film adaptation of George Wallace's 1930 sketch, Oh What a Night sees a married couple John and Mary bicker as they prepare for bed. Then the wife thinks she hears a burglar. In the ensuing mayhem their neighbour, Mrs Malone, comes to investigate and is mistaken for the burglar by John who knocks her out. They put her in to bed but when her husband Mike turns up John jumps under the covers to hide thinking it’s the burglar. Malone discovers them in bed together and the riotous shenanigans continue.
In a review of the the April 1931 live staging at Brisbane's Theatre Royal, the Telegraph's theatre critic wrote: 'A sketch entitled "Oh! What a Night," reveals George Wallace as a drunken husband, who gels into complications by hitting his neighbour's wife on the head in mistake for a burglar. Phil Baker makes an attractive wife and Jack Ashworth a ludicrously foolish policeman' ('Theatre Royal.' 13 April 1932, p.3). In the Efftee Film Productions script Wallace's character does not appear to be intoxicated, however. Much of the humour in the opening segment is, however, developed through the husband and wife's. At 14 minutes duration, the filmed version appears to have remained largely faithful to the theatrical sketch in most other respects.
First known to have been staged by George Wallace and his company at the New Opera House, Christchurch, New Zealand on 16 January (as one of the support entertainments to Wallace's Dangerous Dan revusical).
The earliest known staging of the sketch in Australia was at the Theatre Royal, Perth, on 9 August 1930. Wallace played the husband and Nell Stirling the wife. The feature entertainmen t was The Pickled Porter.
