Frederick Ward (theatre)

Frederick Ward (born 1887) was an English-born actor and theatre manager in Australia. He founded Sydney's first repertory theatre.

For the (1851–1935) Shakespearean actor in America, see Frederick Warde.

History

Ward was born in London and educated at Surry [sic] College, followed by London University, graduating B.A. in 1907. He worked in London County Council architect's department for three years. He served as private secretary to C. Birch Crisp, a London financier, for a few years, accompanying him on his various travels. Next he was private secretary to Sir James Mills KCMG, managing director of the Union Steamship Line,[1] in which capacity Ward came to Sydney around 1912, and remained in Australia, taking whatever acting part he could land.[2] In England he had been a director of "The Connoisseurs", an English repertory company, a member of the Council of Amateur Dramatic Clubs, and editor of The Prompter, a magazine devoted to amateur theatre.[3] He had written several plays, including The Legacy which was produced in Manchester by Annie Horniman, and later in Germany.[1] He helped establish a repertory theatre in Dunedin, New Zealand,[3] but none of this helped gain a foothold in Australia. He took any on-stage work he could find, from an extra ("extra gentleman") with Lewis Waller's Company to a comedian's "patsy". He wrote a play and recruited a company to produce it, but could not find an "angel" to provide the necessary finance.[4]

He joined the Sydney Repertory Society,[5] which took over Federation Hall, Grosvenor Street, Sydney, to become Sydney Repertory Theatre, opened 31 May 1913.

In November 1913 he had a part in Carbasse and Welch's production of the melodrama The Warning at the Little Theatre.[6] to packed houses. He gained further public acceptance with Muriel Starr's drama company in its 1913–1915 Australian tour. He had only a minor roles, but one night he got to play "Raymond Floriot" in her 1914 production of Madame X, and won the part.[7]

In May 1914 Ward and G. Kay Souper[lower-alpha 1] opened a Dramatic Academy, at Penzance Chambers, Elizabeth Street, Sydney.[9] Dubbed "the only bijou theatre in Sydney",[5] in May 1915 it became the clubrooms for the Arts and Dramatic Club, founded by Ward.[10]

Later in 1914 he joined Reynolds Denniston's Country Amusements Ltd touring company,[11] playing in Nobody's Daughter and The Rosary.[12]

Ward wrote a play, Little Sloe Eyes, which was performed at the Sydney Repertory Society's 1915 A.G.M.[13] His Little Theatre Company folded in April 1915, and his and Souper's acting academy re-emerged.[14] The Society staged Hindle Wakes at the Repertory Theatre in June.[15]

In March 1916 Ward leased the Little Theatre, where he first produced Julia Seton's polemical New Thought play, The Victory.[16] Pinero's The Second Mrs Tanqueray followed, starring Eily Malyon as Paula and Esther Mitchell as Ellean, to great acclaim.[17] Hindle Wakes, The Critic, and The New Sin followed, all critical successes but financial failures.[18]

In 1917 he directed, and played a comic part in, The Rajah of Shivapore for Sydney James[lower-alpha 2] at the Playhouse.[20]

In 1922 he tried running poultry at Manor Farm,[21] Carlingford,[22] but he lost everything in the endeavour.[23]

For three years he edited Everyone's, a weekly devoted to the entertainment industry, and in 1927 acted as publicity manager for Eva Novak, who was making a picture The Romance of Runnibede in Queensland, then he accepted the position of publicity director for Cinema Art Films Limited, which had dealings with Hoyt's Theatres Limited.[5]

He was appointed resident manager in Adelaide[lower-alpha 3] for Hoyt's Limited, and was director of publicity at the newly opened Regent Theatre, Adelaide.[24] During this period, 1928–1935, he was editor of The Regent magazine, another trade paper.[25]

In 1934 he was partner with John Longden in a company formed to film Highway Romance,[26]

He was producer for the Hordernian Society, an amateur theatre company associated with the Hordern emporium staff club.[27]

In 1937 he was engaged by Commonwealth Theatres Pty Ltd, as tour manager for their "Thirty Young Australians" revue.[28]

Mrs Ward

Ward married a New South Wales girl Beatrice Helene, surname not yet found, sometime before 1918.[2] Mrs Ward was an occasional producer of plays for charity,[29] and active in Adelaide's social scene 1928–1930.[30] While resident in Adelaide, Mrs Ward gave lessons in voice production and stage deportment.[31] Enigmatically described as "general necromancer, soothsayer, and eccentric dancer", she danced and sang in at least one production of Alfred Hill's The Rajah of Shivapore.[32]

Notes and references
  1. Gerald Kay Souper (1871–1947) left Australia in August 1930, appeared as Colonel Boisdeffre in the film Dreyfus. His daughter Eileen Kay Souper was in repertory with Gregan McMahon; also went overseas to pursue an acting career.[8]
  2. Sydney James (c. 1879 – 16 July 1919), English actor and ventriloquist (with dummy "Billy"), toured Australia 1914–1918 with his "Royal Strollers"; after some changes renamed "Pierrot Pie" touring Asia, died of peritonitis in Karachi.[19]
  3. While in Adelaide they occupied the 38 Grove Street, Unley Park residence of Otto Schomburgk, who was travelling the world, and entertained lavishly, becoming friends of their neighbour, Tom O'Halloran KC.
  1. "Publicity and Push". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. XCIII, no. 27, 111. South Australia. 6 July 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 18 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia. Several claims in this article are not found elsewhere.
  2. "An Actor who Refused to be Ticketed". The Graphic of Australia. No. 109. Victoria, Australia. 15 February 1918. p. 6. Retrieved 20 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Beyond the Footlights". The Daily News (Perth). Vol. XXXII, no. 11, 793. Western Australia. 11 April 1913. p. 4. Retrieved 16 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Busking". The Sun (Sydney). No. 677. New South Wales, Australia. 19 March 1916. p. 15. Retrieved 16 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Publicity and Poultry". The News (Adelaide). Vol. X, no. 1, 502. South Australia. 8 May 1928. p. 10. Retrieved 23 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Advertising". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 23, 666. New South Wales, Australia. 15 November 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 23 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Advertising". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 21, 115. Victoria, Australia. 28 March 1914. p. 26. Retrieved 16 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Music and Drama". The Week (Brisbane). Vol. CIX, no. 2, 854. Queensland, Australia. 5 September 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 17 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "In the Harbour City". Melbourne Punch. Vol. CXXII, no. 3123. Victoria, Australia. 3 June 1915. p. 31. Retrieved 16 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Theatres and Pictures". The Referee. No. 1492. New South Wales, Australia. 2 June 1915. p. 15. Retrieved 17 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Amusements". The Tamworth Daily Observer. Vol. IV, no. 326. New South Wales, Australia. 4 November 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ""The Rosary"". Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent. New South Wales, Australia. 24 December 1914. p. 2. Retrieved 17 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "Amusements". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). No. 11183. New South Wales, Australia. 26 March 1915. p. 8. Retrieved 17 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. "G. Kay Souper and F. Ward". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 24, 122. New South Wales, Australia. 1 May 1915. p. 16. Retrieved 17 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. "The Repertory Society". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 24, 164. New South Wales, Australia. 19 June 1915. p. 16. Retrieved 17 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. "In the Limelight". The Mirror of Australia. No. 33. New South Wales, Australia. 4 March 1916. p. 13. Retrieved 16 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. "Second Mrs Tanqueray". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). No. 11506. New South Wales, Australia. 27 March 1916. p. 6. Retrieved 18 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. "Greenroom Gossip". Melbourne Punch. Vol. CXXVIII, no. 3266. Victoria, Australia. 28 February 1918. p. 38. Retrieved 18 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. "Film Fancies". The Call and WA Sportsman. No. 278. Western Australia. 12 September 1919. p. 7. Retrieved 20 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ""The Rajah of Shivapore"". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 24, 945. New South Wales, Australia. 17 December 1917. p. 4. Retrieved 20 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ""Tale" of a Horse". The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate. Vol. XXXVI, no. 2899. New South Wales, Australia. 6 January 1923. p. 11. Retrieved 19 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. "The Simple Life". The Richmond Guardian. No. 2363. Victoria, Australia. 11 February 1922. p. 3. Retrieved 19 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. "Number of Plaint, 79 of 1924; number of Writ, 31 of 1924". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. No. 119. New South Wales, Australia. 12 September 1924. p. 4403. Retrieved 19 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. "For Charity". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. XCIII, no. 27, 081. South Australia. 1 June 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 20 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. "The Regent magazine : a weekly journal devoted to the art of moving pictures". Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  26. "Prefers Comedy to Drama". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. II, no. 30. 29 December 1934. p. 18. Retrieved 18 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  27. "The Little Theatre". The Sun (Sydney). No. 1701. New South Wales, Australia. 3 November 1935. p. 3. Retrieved 18 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. "30 Young Australians On Tour". The Proserpine Guardian. Vol. 32, no. 2075. Queensland, Australia. 22 May 1937. p. 2. Retrieved 19 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  29. "Near and Far". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 25, 784. New South Wales, Australia. 25 August 1920. p. 7. Retrieved 20 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  30. "Appearance and Quality will Count". The Mail (Adelaide). Vol. 19, no. 966. South Australia. 29 November 1930. p. 16. Retrieved 20 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  31. "Advertising". The Register News-pictorial. Vol. XCIV, no. 27, 424. South Australia. 8 July 1929. p. 31. Retrieved 20 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  32. "Music and Drama". The Age. No. 19, 621. Victoria, Australia. 11 February 1918. p. 9. Retrieved 20 October 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
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