Theatre Memories

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Norman McVicker was involved in theatre activities as far back as 6^th class at school and later with the Tempe Younger Set. In the years that followed he was part of what was known as the golden years of radio. Later in the theatre he met and was friends with well known personalities. This part of the web site relates some of his memories of this side of his life and stories about those who were his mentors.

In the years following World War II the professional or commercial theatre in Sydney was either in the doldrums or producing revivals of musical comedies or overseas successes.

It was left to the Little Theatres to ensure that new plays, Australian plays and what was known as experimental theatre came to the attention of the theatregoers. The Little Theatres were the breeding grounds for actors, directors (producers as they were then called) and technicians to practise their crafts.

The Pocket Playhouse terrace, Sydenham.

The Pocket Playhouse at Sydenham was such a venture and many practitioners of the various theatrical arts emanated from that small theatre with the big reputation. Some of them are:

Robert Findlay left the theatre to work as Stage Manager at the Mermaid Theatre in London. He achieved a considerable reputation for similar work with the Royal Shakespeare Company both at Stratford and at the Aldwych Theatre in the West End. Later he worked at the Old Vic under Sir Laurence Olivier and with other commercial managements in the United Kingdom and in the USA.

Roger Barratt commenced his career at the Pocket Playhouse when he had just finished school. He designed the ‘lighting’ for many productions. He moved on to work professionally with the Australian Opera Company and other commercial managements designing lighting for many plays, operas and musicals both in Australia and overseas.

Noeline Brown commenced her acting career at the Pocket and played there over a number of years before moving on to a professional career in theatre and television. She wrote her life story in a personal memoir Noeline, and continues her acting career with active duties as Ambassador for the Ageing.

Other actors who appeared at the Pocket were Peter Carroll and Robert McDarra (both became professional actors in stage, films and television); Gerry Duggan, Graham Corry, and Ronald Tunstall all appeared in plays in the West End, London.

In Australia, Kevin Peatfield, after the Pocket closed down went on to non-singing roles with Australian Opera Company, and continued to do so for a number of years before retiring.

Ron Owen, directed theatre plays and films for television and ‘art’ films, John Gillies contributed educational scripts for radio and television, whilst Timothy Bennett continues to act in plays and musicals for different ‘Little Theatres’.

Lionel Long appeared in various productions as an actor and later established a successful television and recording career as a singer of Australian Folk Songs and Music.

Val Smith (Valerie Askew) who played leading roles at the Pocket Playhouse whilst studying make-up became a leading make-up artist for films and television.

David Brown became an executive officer at the Sydney Opera House and was an incumbent there from the beginning until he retired.

Dorothy Duncombe appeared in various Pocket productions as an actor as well as designing costumes before moving on professionally to design costumes and accessories for the Music Hall Theatre Restaurant at Neutral Bay, The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust and Channel 10 (TV – Capital).

Stephen Firkin worked at lighting, music and backstage on many productions. When the Pocket closed he continued professionally with theatre managements, TV and other commercial organisations in various spheres.

There are many other actors, writers, musicians, stage crews who trained at the Pocket Playhouse and because of the quality of their work became professionals in their chosen sphere.

Whilst all this was happening local and overseas theatrical personalities were often in the audience. Many of them became a friend and mentor of the Pocket Playhouse founder and director Norman McVicker and he has written brief biographies of some of them for inclusion on this web site.

Page 1: Pocket Playhouse Personalities

Brendan Dunne

Associate Director, Brendan Dunne.

Brendan Dunne joined St Peters Community Players in 1955. In 1961 he became the Associate Director of the Pocket Playhouse.

Brendan was an actor of considerable ability concentrating on character roles which were his particular forte. He appeared in a number of documentary type plays, such as the one based on the life of Banjo Paterson in which he played ‘Banjo’ the title role.

His special love was the singing, dancing, audience participation, Pocket Children’s Theatre which played Saturday afternoons.

In 1970 he undertook a very successful professional tour of 28 NSW country towns with “Spoon River” undertaken in association with the Arts Council of NSW.

Over the years he was awarded three Pocket Award Statuettes and shared in a fourth. He was the only member of the company to achieve this distinction.

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Page 1: Personalities

During his years in the theatre Norman McVicker was fortunate to meet many theatre personalities from ‘top of the bill’ actors, directors and technicians to those who worked on the sidelines as playwrights, musicians and mechanists. Here are some of their stories:

May Hollinworth

May Hollinworth

I first met May Hollinworth after a performance of ‘Shipwreck’ a verse play by Douglas Stewart, when she produced it for the Metropolitan Theatre. It was the beginning of a long friendship that took us both on a journey through play competitions, being councillors on the British Drama League and finally as the patron of the Pocket Playhouse. She was an icon of Sydney theatre. A full biography may be found my book ‘Tales From Along the Wallaby Track’.

Doris Fitton

Dame Doris Fitton, OBE, CBE, DBE (1897-1985)

I have no idea when I first met Dame Doris Fitton OBE, CBE, DBE. She always seems to have been part of my life in the theatre. I remember her name from the 1930s and I believe the first time I saw her on stage was in 1947 when she played the leading role in ‘Mourning Becomes Electra’. When the Pocket Playhouse opened in 1957 she was there, and on stage after performance to praise, encourage and offer advice. Theatre stories about her are legendary. You can read about her life in ‘Tales from along the Wallaby Track'. She was the grand dame of the Australian Theatre for nearly fifty years.

Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh accepting a gift of orchids from Norman McVicker at Pocket Playhouse, 1961.

Vivien Leigh came to the Pocket Playhouse on Sunday October 22, 1961 escorted by fellow actor John Merivale. Yes, the same stage actress and famous film star who played ‘Scarlett’ in the block buster ‘Gone With the Wind’. She came to a performance of ‘The Sleeping Prince’ (she had created the stage role in London) with Noeline Brown and Edward Lansdowne in the featured roles. We became good friends and I visited her backstage at the old Theatre Royal. The full story of her visit to the Pocket Playhouse is recorded in ‘Encounters With Rainbows’ published privately and presently unavailable.