Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1975 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
29 leaves ; 33 cm and smaller.
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Popular Theatre Troupe formed in 1974 during the Queensland Festival of the Arts. Albert Hunt, a significant figure in England's alternative theatre scene, was brought from Bradford College of Art to Brisbane by the University of Queensland's Department of English to coach the troupe. By 1975, it had evolved into a professional theatre company, performing at various venues around Brisbane, including The Music Box on Dornoch Terrace in West End, the Cement Box Theatre at the University of Queensland, and Mt Nebo Hall. In 1978 the troupe found a permanent home in the Red Hill Community Arts Centre, formerly the St Barnabas Church Hall, at 60 Waterworks Road in Red Hill.
During its nearly ten-year existence, the Popular Theatre Troupe toured Australia with 25 original shows, organised ten large community events, and spearheaded numerous community arts projects. It positioned itself as a vanguard theatre of ideas, targeting conservative government, the corporate sector and the military establishment. The troupe received funding from the Community Arts and Theatre Boards of the Australia Council. The Troupe disbanded in 1983 due to lack of funding.
Members of the troupe include Richard Fotheringham, Roslyn Atkinson, Duncan Campbell, Nick Hughes, Margaret Moore, Kathryn Porrill and Paul Richards.
Repository
Archival history
Previously catalogued in the Fryer Library general collection: PN3016.B7 P63 1975
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Typed report by the Popular Theatre Troupe on the Orana Region Project, dated October 1975. The first page describes the project as a community theatre project in association with the Queensland Festival of the Arts, assisted by the Australia Council (now known as Creative Australia) and the Queensland Government. The project was undertaken over three weeks from 1 September 1975 to 21 September 1975, and centred on three towns: Dubbo, Narromine and Wellington.
The report is organised into four sections titled consecutively as Sections A through D. Section A comprises a general report, which includes a program of activities, an evaluation of the project approach, a statistical summary, a preliminary statement of income and expenditure, and a project planning paper. Section B contains an individual activities report, detailing various performances held in different community venues, youth workshops, a workshop with the Dubbo Amateur Theatrical Society, video workshops with South Dubbo High School, and a training session for school teachers. The performances delivered were 'The Puny Little Life Show', adapted from a play by Roger McGough and directed by Brent McGregor, starring Duncan Campbell, Nick Hughes and Kathryn Porrill; and 'The White Man's Mission', written by Richard Fotheringham and Albert Hunt, and directed by Albert Hunt. Section C comprises photocopied and original newspaper cuttings relating to the Orana Project. The final section, Section D, contains photocopies of ephemera distributed by the Popular Theatre Troupe, including typed and hand-drawn flyers and leaflets advertising activities and performances; two of the flyers have hand-drawn black-and-white illustrations.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Orphan work. The rightsholder for this work cannot be identified, or is identifiable but cannot be found, after a reasonably diligent search. If you believe you are a rightsholder for this material, please contact Fryer Library directly at fryer@library.uq.edu.au.
Can be reproduced for personal research and study. For other uses see About copyright. Please attribute the Fryer Library.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
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Finding aids
Allied materials area
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Existence and location of copies
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Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Invalid MMS ID
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Alma MMS ID
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Popular Theatre Troupe (Brisbane, Qld.) (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
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Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Full
Dates of creation revision deletion
Created, Kymberley Bax, 24-Jun-2024.