The Australian Variety Theatre Archive (AVTA) is a research website devoted to popular culture entertainment in the Australasian region between circa 1850 and the mid-1930s. This year, 2020, marks its tenth year of publication.
The website went online on 10 May 2011, the 146th anniversary of the birth of Australian vaudeville entrepreneur Harry Clay. Since then the archive has published more than 3,200 new records. Many of these entries have also been updated since 2016.
Two projects initiated in 2016-17 were continued during past twelve months. These were:
- Replacing all abbreviations in PDF biographies with full citation details; and
- Updating and reformatting all Biograhies (PDFs) and Research Notes (PDFs), while also adding new ones. The rapidly increasing availability of digitised resources – especially the Australian National Library’s digitised newspaper service, Trove – means that the traditional researched biography can now be out of date almost as soon as it is published. The Research Notes alternative therefore provides interim historical insights.
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In addition to the above projects, 80 new entries were published. This involved 46 new agent entries, 28 new works entries, 1 new expanded biography, and 5 new research notes PDFs.
The new expanded biography was: Town Topics [2]
Among the other new entries are: Bobby Helpman (later Sir Robert Helpmann), Julius Grant, Frederick W. Weierter, Bailey and Grant, Robert Roberts, Edward Cahill, and Charlie Fanning’s Concert Co.
64 previously-published biographies (including research lists and chronologies), 25 theatrical works, and 7 research notes pdfs were updated and/or reformatted.
On 10 May 2021 the Australian Variety Theatre Archive comprised 1,554 agent entries (people, organisations, and miscellaneous industry activity); and 1,714 individual works entries (not counting revivals). To put this in perspective, that’s more than double the number of entries (up to and including 1935) currently recorded in AustLit: The Resource for Australian Literature, and at least five times as many Australian-written works identified by AusStage for the same period.* Both AustLit and AusStage are university-operated, multi-million dollar taxpayer-funded databases. The AVTA is a privately-operated resource that hasn’t cost Australian tax-payers a single cent.
* NB: AusStage also records non-Australian-written productions (or events) produced in this country, which makes it very difficult to isolate locally-written works. AustLit, on the other hand, focuses on Australian works only – albeit with some basic records identifying any international sources for Australian adaptations (these are not included in the comparison count as they can be easily identified in the database).
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Dr Clay Djubal would like to thank all those people who have contributed to the archive during the past 12 months. Without their help the AVTA would be much less enlightened.
He would also like to thank the 16,104 people who viewed pages on the site between 10 May 2019 and 10 May 2020. Of these 5,725 people investigated the Archive further, at an average of 2.85 pages per person. The busiest month was May 2020, with 2,190 views and 741 visitors.
While visits from Australia were the most common during 2020/21, the AVTA was also accessed by people from the USA, the UK, New Zealand, China, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.
Entrepreneurs
P.A Howells
Historical Insights
“Memories of Perth’s Early Vaudeville” (1937) • “Vaudeville in England and Australia” (1926)
Industry
Jack Fanning • Julius Grant • William O’Sullivan
International Tourists
Harney & Haynes • Arthur Tinsley
Music Directors & Composers
William Butland • Frederick W. Weierter
Organisations and Partnerships
Bailey & Grant
Practitioners:
Edward Cahill • George P. Carey • Bobby Helpman • Louise Larson • Lee White & Clay Smith • Billee Lockwood • James Martin • Robert Roberts • Frank Stevens • Tracey & Adson • Tracey & Stevens
Theatres/Venues
Arcadia Theatre (Lewisham, Sydney)
Troupes:
Alf Lawton’s All Nations Co • Town Topics [2] • Charlie Fanning’s Concert Co • Dan Tracey’s Vaudeville, Minstrel & Specialty Co • So & So’s [4] • Tracey & Adson’s Vaudeville, Comedy & Specialty Co • World’s Star Gaiety Co Ye • Olde Englyshe Fayre Co (WA, 1896/97)
Works
Farces: Arrival of the California Mail • The Awkward Squad • Brown’s Clothes • Burnt Alive • Communication • Domestic Felicity • A Husband in a Fix • The Little Madcap • The Mischievous Nigger • Nan the No Good • A Night in a Coffee Palace • Patients • P.M. For a Day • The Rifle Brigade • Sim Dipsey’s Arrival • The Tailor of Tamworth • Turning Head • Turning the Tables • Two Jim Crows • What Time Do You Have Lunch?
Published and Unpublished Texts: Billy Gifford (poem, 1912) • “Essie Clay” (poem, 1910) • “Jack Campbell” (poem, 1912) • “Julius Grant” (poem, 1907) • “Late John F. Sheridan, The” (poem, 1909) • “Our Libel Action: Comedian v Journalist (prose, 1913) • [Tis not so long since certain sages wrote…] (Garnet Walch poem, 1887) • “Wail from Fremamntle, A” (poem, 1898)
Research Notes (PDFs)
Julius Grant • Bobby Helpman • Theatre Royal, Coolgardie (WA) • Topics of 1925
Photographs
38 new photographs were also added to the AVTA during the year: Arthur Adams • Arthur Aldridge • Bailey & Grant (incl. Edmund Duggan) • Elton Black • Bill Butland • G.P. Carey • Victor Champion • The Chasers • Cremorne Theatre (Brisbane) • Essie Clay • Jack Fanning • Julius Grant • Bobby Helpman • Francis Hart • P.A. Howells • George A. Jones • Glanmore Jones • Sam Keenan • Alec Kellaway • Jack Kellaway • Sylvia Kellaway • Lee White & Clay Smith • Claire Lloyd • Billee Lockwood • Albert McKisson • Robert McLeish • Billy Maloney • Durham Marcel • Johnny Matlock • D.B. O’Connor • Robert Roberts • Vic Roberts • Ida Tauchert • Town Topics [1] • Town Topics [2] • Lou Weichard
Biographies, Film Production Notes and Research Lists (PDFs)
Practitioners/People/Companies/Troupes/Venues Bios/Industry: Arthur H. Adams • Arthur Aldridge • Apollo Music Hall [2] (Melbourne) • Arcadia Theatre [2] (St Kilda) •Tom Armstrong • Oscar Asche • J.C. Bancks • Elton Black • Fred Bluett • Grosvenor Bunster • The Chasers • Marcus Clarke • Harley Cohen • Walter H. Cooper • W.J. Curtis • Gallipoli Strollers [1] • Francis Hart • Jack Landow • Eva Lee • W.J. Lincoln • J.A. Lipman • Frank Reis • Town Topics [1] • Dan Tracey • Trilby Tourists • James H. White
Research Lists: AVTA Farce List (Genres) • Bibliography • Index 1 • Index 2 • International Tourists Index • Legitimate Music Theatre Index • Legitimate Music Theatre [1900-1935] • Works Index
Works Chronologies: 1833 • 1840 • 1841 • 1842 • 1843 • 1844 • 1845 • 1846 • 1847 • 1848 • 1849 1860 • 1861 • 1862 • 1863 • 1864 • 1865 • 1866 • 1867 • 1868 • 1869 • 1872
Works
Farces: Back Box Justice • Bloodless Duel • Casey the Fiddler • Dissection • A Dreadful Tragedy • Fracas • Hard to Kill • He Carries a Razor Rehearsal • He is Dead • He’s Dead. Who? • He Would be an Actor • Hurrah for Casey • I’ll Get You Something • The Indian Chief • Jack Sheppard Outdone • McGowan the Millionaire • Married Bliss • Oysters • Rehearsal • The Russian Count • Thompson’s Dead • Un Coup Rasoir • The Untamed Savage
Variety: Don Juan (1948) • King Crispen (1847)
Research Notes
Beauford Merrymakers • Hussey, Kelly & Holly’s Celebrated Comedians • Kenna’s Empire Minstrels • Eva Lee • Robert McLeish • Billy Maloney • Frank Weston
Sections & Pages
Film & Vaudeville • Historical Insights • International Tourists: T
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The AVTA is another publication from
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