| The Multi-Coloured Umbrella | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Barbara Vernon |
| Characters | 3 male 3 female |
| Date premiered | 1957 |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | comedy drama social realism |
| Setting | Bondi Beach |
The Multi-Coloured Umbrella is a 1957 Australian stage play written by Barbara Vernon. It was produced professionally, was adapted for television and radio, and inspired two prequels.[1]
Plot
The play is set at a house in Bondi Beach belonging to the Donnellys, an upwardly mobile family who are bookmakers at Randwick Racecourse. The younger son, Joe, has troubles with his bride, Kate, a woman from a "good" family. Joe's brother Ben is in love with Kate. This leads to a fight between Joe and Ben.
Background
Vernon said she was inspired to write it when working as a radio announcer for 2NZ Inverell. She would read out ads for the local bookie which would say "do your punting under the multi-coloured umbrella". She thought about umbrellas and how they protected you from the light - just as some people can't see the light (their own motives) and have trouble clarifying their thought and action. "But don't think it throbs with psychology," said Vernon. "It's a comedy drama - a family play about ordinary people."[2]
The role of Ben was specifically written for the actor Con Fardouly.[2]
Theatre history
The play won second place in a 1957 contest for new plays, coming second to The Shifting Heart.[3]
It was performed by amateur groups in the towns of Inverell, in the 2NZ drama club, which Vernon co-founded. It then had a run at the Little Theatre in Melbourne, before being given a professional production at the Theatre Royal in Sydney starting 9 November 1957.
The Sydney Morning Herald called it "much too slight a piece to keep the critical thunderstorms off... but sections of Saturday's first night audience certainly enjoyed its glossy magazine superficialities."[4]
The production transferred to the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne the following month. The play had a different ending for its Sydney and Melbourne run.[2]
The Passionate Pianist
Vernon later wrote a prequel about the same family, The Passionate Pianist. This screened on the ABC.[2]
1958 TV adaptation
Radio adaptation
A version was also produced for Australian radio during 1958.[5] There were versions in 1962[6] and 1969.[7]
See also
- The Passionate Pianist – 1957 television comedy one-off written by Barbara Vernon.
- List of live television plays broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1950s)
References
- ↑ Jane Connors, 'Vernon, Barbara Mary (1916–1978)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2002, accessed online 5 June 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "A Bookie's Ad Led to a Play", Sydney Morning Herald, 6 November 1957
- ↑ "Literature Is Key To Moral Development", The Age 19 February 1957 p3
- ↑ "'Multi Coloured Umbrella' Opens at Royal". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 November 1957. p. 5.
- ↑ "'Umbrella' adapted for radio presentation". The Age. 14 November 1958.
- ↑ "Advertising". Canberra Times. Vol. 36, no. 10, 229. 19 May 1962. p. 23. Retrieved 4 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "2CN Monday to Sunday". The Canberra Times. Vol. 43, no. 12, 405. 1 September 1969. p. 18. Retrieved 4 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.