AN IMPORTANT PERIOD IN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

By the 1850s Melbourne was said to be one of the richest cities in the world. This was due to the discovery of gold in nearby Ballarat. By the 1880s Melbourne was a properous thriving centre and that meant that the city needed entertainment. In 1888 Melbourne boasted no less than five very large auditoriums and smaller performances were also staged at venues like the Masonic Hall, the Town-Hall, the Athenæum Hall, the Victoria Hall and St. George's Hall. These smaller stages were host to a wide variety of comedians, ventriloquists, song recitalists, local dance troupes, bellringers, boxing, wrestling and even a visiting group of Swiss Mountain yodellers. The people of Melbourne were ready to lap up any sort of entertainment and 'Full House' signs were continually posted throughout this period. If audiences began to dwindle then within a matter of days works would be withdrawn, or revamped, in the hope of increasing the box-office. Just as today one is spoilt for choice on the number of movie screens listed in the local paper then in 1880s the same applied to theatrical entertainment.

In 1888 Melbourne's main theatres were the Alexander Theatre (Lesses and Manager, Alfred Dampier), the Theatre Royal (Messrs Williamson, Garner and Musgrove), the Bijou (Mr Brough and Mr Boucloault), the H.M. Opera House (Martin Simonsen) and the spectacular New Princess Theatre (Messrs Williamson, Garner and Musgrove). Electricity was replacing gas and Melbourne theatres were now cooler during summer and pleasant during the winter months. The New Princess even had a dome that could be opened leaving the sky visible to the audience.

During the 1880s every play of any real importance, which had been produced in London or New York, was placed before the Australian theatregoer. Australians were better served than many international cities, and at a far less charge than was made to British or American audiences.

I have spent considerable time accurately researching the exact dates for the various productions in the following pages. Often changes in programme were organised too late for newspaper advertising. Sometimes reviewers never actually sat through an entire performance. With several different works opening on the same day in different theatres reviewers would often just put in a short appearance - enough time to comment on the performers, scenery, costumes, orchestra, etc.

Reviewers would often be known by a pseudonym. References to "Scalfax" in the following pages refers to Harry Wilby Taylor, a freelance journalist who wrote with an unbiased judgement and with a tongue firmly implanted in his cheek.

This period is a very important one for Australian Theatre. However at the start of the Ninties thestre in Melbourne started to suffer. Banks closed and money was difficult to come by. Financial panic causes bankruptcies and mergers. This sorry start of affairs lasted several years. Sydney was not hit so hard and theatre started to prosper in that city. By 1893 Sydney had taken over from Melbourne as the theatrical capital of Australia. Click below for a history of Melbourne theatre in the 1880s and Sydney theatre in the 1890s.