MUSICAL COMEDY.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17220, 1 October 1927, Page 17 (Supplement)

MUSICAL COMEDY.

IN N.S. WALES GAOL. "GOING UP!" STAGED. Whatever may be the state of affairs at other N.S.W. gaols, life is not all hominy and acrimony at Bathurst (says Smith’s Weekly). Under a governor with humanitarian ideas prisoners there are allowed a fair amount of recreation; occasionally they stage theatrical entertainments. Not long ago “Going Up,” the musical comedy in which Alfred Frith scored a hit, was put on at the gaol by eight prisoners. J.G.W. Ltd. lent the musical score and libretto and rehearsals lasted several weeks.

Frith’s part of Street, the aviator, was in the hands of “Sid," the gaol comedian, and the women characters were,of course, played by men. A former music teacher combined the jobs of leader of the orchestra and stage- manager. The orchestra consisted of piano, violin, ukulele, and steel guitar. Great attention was paid to detail. The tailor's shop supplied material for costumes, and the tailors themselves made them. The scenery was painted by a signwriter and a mcclitnio designed the cardboard aeroplane. Among the Audience. Governor Smith came along with about 40 guests, and prisoners in the audience numbered 300. From an amateur standpoint the show was well done and. the crowd showed its appreciation. The only hitch that occurred was the breakage of the piece of cotton which was to work the plane propeller. The programmes were works of art. About 100 were done with pen and ink, and decorated with scrolls and sketches. In the cast of characters the actors were designated by their prison numbers. For instance, the part of Blobbs or Dobbs would be played by No. 123 or 79, or some such number, and if the facts warranted it the usual theatrical intimation would be added in parenthesis—-“( First appearance at Bathurst Gaol.)” The Prisoner's Song. Other shows put on were “The Skipper’s Wooing," a dramatisation of W. W. Jacobs’ hook, and the evergreen “Charley’s Aunt,’ in which the redoubtable “Sid" played the Aunt. Inside the gaol walls of N.S. Wales there are musical composers, novelists and artists, as well as actors. The present organist at Parramatta composed various jazz and sentimental numbers while he was at Bathurst. One song in praise of “Bathurst Town" was - published with the help of the Presbyterian minister and realised £lO for the composer. A prisoner at Maitland has written a novel in which the lied Plague is dealt with. This was edited by a Church of England canon two months ago, but it has not yet been published. The author is now' busy on another book. He is allowed pen and ink and does his writing in an exercise book. The windows and walls of Bathurst Gaol are decorated with religious and other pictures, the work of one of the prisoners. Among the pictures, which are quite well done, are “Jesus Templed by the Devil,” “The Pyramids,” and a showy representation of the Nile.