Reedy River (musical)

Reedy River is a 1953 Australian folk musical about the 1891 Australian shearers' strike. The libretto was written by Dick Diamond with songs chosen by John Gray. Two new songs were written for the musical by Diamond with music by Miles Maxwell.

Reedy River
Musicvarious
Lyricsvarious
BookDick Diamond
ProductionsMelbourne New Theatre 1953
Sydney New Theatre 1953

Background

The musical was previewed in 1952 in Melbourne.[1]

Production history

The play premiered at the Melbourne New Theatre on 11 March 1953.[2] The Sydney production featured The Bushwhackers instead of an orchestra.

It played throughout Australia over three years and was toured in England.[3] It was seen by over 450,000 people in Australia during its first run and has been revived several times.[4]

Contemporary reviews were mixed.[5]

Selected songs
  • "Widgeegoweera Joe"
  • "Reedy Lagoon"
  • "Banks of the Condamine"
  • "Old Black Billy"
  • "Reedy River"
  • "Eumerella Shore"
  • "Click Go the Shears"
  • "Four Little Johnny cakes" composed by Louis Lavater

These songs were issued on an Australian 10" LP Diaphon DPR-8 in the mid 1950s. A further song "Ballad of 91" was also included on the record.

References
  1. "Plays, Songs at New Theatre". The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 11 December 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  2. "Reedy River Well Staged & Danced". The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 12 March 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  3. JOhn Thomson, "Will 'The Freak' follow Chu Chin Chow onto the musical stages of Australia", Australian Musicals, accessed 10 January 2013
  4. Angela O'Brien, 'Diamond, Richard Frank (Dick) (1906–1989)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, accessed 10 January 2013.
  5. "THEATRE". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 14 March 1953. p. 14. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
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