Chamber Musical.
Sweet Fanny Adams tells the story of two rival whorehouse madams, Kitty Lang and Fanny Adams, and their battle to win control over Sydney's Palmer Street beat in 1934. Described by Tony Sheldon (record cover notes) as 'rude and raucous' the production was very much a pub theatre show, with whole scenes composed of double entendres and the 'tone of the evening... unabashedly wicked.' The narrative is set in three locations : Act 1. The Court ; Act 2. Fanny's Place ; and Act 3. Kitty's Place. The other characters include : Dick Adams, Nellie, Charlie and the Judge.
The songs incorporated into the story were : 'Every Monday Morning' (Fanny, Kitty and Judge), 'High Class' (Fanny and company), 'Sweet Fanny Adams' (Dick and company), 'Nellie' (Nellie and Judge), 'Puttin' on the Hard Word' (Dick), 'You've Gotta Prove You're a Man' (Kitty), 'Our House' (Fanny and company), 'The Big Sting' (company), 'It's My Street Now' (Kitty and company), 'Graft and Corruption Game' (Fanny and company), 'Give it a Go' (Nellie, Charlie and company), 'Our Brawl' (company), 'Those Girls' (company), 'I Love You' (Charlie), 'Just So Long as He is There' (Fanny) and 'From Now On' (Fanny and Kitty).
A sound recording was released in 1983 on the Trigpoint label. The performers are Robyn Arthur and Lance Strauss, with piano accompaniment by Peter Casey.
1974 : Le Chat Noir Theatre Restaurant, Melbourne ; 27 June -* Cast incl. Laine Lamont (Fanny), Jilliam Archer (Nellie), Ann Phelan (Kitty), Hamish Hughes, Frank Wilson, Bobby Bright.
This entry has been sourced from on-going historical research into Australian-written music theatre being conducted by Dr Clay Djubal.
