kenna's empire minstrels - wordpress.com · 1901 • personnel incl ... jessie dell, bob...

KENNA'S EMPIRE MINSTRELS

AUSTRALIAN VARIETY THEATRE ARCHIVE: RESEARCH NOTES

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(1900-1902) Richard Kenna's Empire Minstrels undertook three tours through regional New South Wales, each lasting approximately four months (April-July). In some instances its presence in a town coincided with the annual Show Week. Kenna's circuit encompassed the south-west, western and north-western regions (including Tumut, Cootamundra, Goulburn, Gundagai, Wellington, Parkes, Nyngan, Mudgee and Bourke). The shows were presented in a minstrel show format. Although not a big time showman, and indeed Kenna's name has never been mentioned in any histories of Australian theatre he was nevertheless able to engage such high profile performers as Priscilla Verne,

Steve Adson, Ted Holland, James Craydon, Fred Davys, Emil Lazern, Amy Blackie, Wal Cottier and Albert McKisson.

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

1900

• Personnel incl. Steve Adson, Albert McKisson, Miss V. Rosser, Priscilla Verne, Ted Holland, Amy Blackie, James Craydon, Miss St George, Wal Cottier, Jessie Thorne, Jessie Dell.

• Itinerary incl. Bathurst (Masonic Hall; 23 Apr.-) • Mudgee (30 Apr. -) • Nyngan (15 May-) • Bourke (Union Hall; 24-26 May)

1901

• Personnel incl. Gertie Mason, Emile Lazern, Steve Adson, Cora Carlton, Jack Williams, Professor Godfrey and his Trained Animals, Dorota and Hermoine, Jessie Thorne, Jessie Dell, Bob Metson, Henry Davis, Della Ross, Lena McDonald, The Two Ks, Mdlle Lazern (pianist), Joe Woods, Florrie Merton, Flora Moore, John Lindsay, Valerie Ellesmere, Fred Davys , Master Freddy Davys, Blanche Evans, Phillips Vernard, Flora Moore

• Itinerary incl. Bathurst (S of A; 15 Apr. -) • Wellington (Protestant Hall; 22-23 Apr.) • Dubbo (Masonic Hall; 6 May-) • Cobar (Masonic Hall; 18, 20 May) • Gundagai (Walker's Hall; 6-7 June) • Tumut (Oddfellows Hall; 12 June -) • Gundagai (Walker's Hall; 14-15 June > return season) • Cootamundra (Assembly Hall; 26 June -) • Goulburn (Oddfellows' Hall; 19-20 July).

• M. A. Anderson (representative) • Charles L. Devereux (representative) • Company reportedly comprised 25 artists.

1902

• Personnel incl. Ted E. Box, Baby Irene, Harry Hamilton, Bertha Sutton, Ellie Davis Hermoine, Sisters Phillips, Dazzy Martin, Jim Loander, Alf McDermott, Frank Melville, Bert Gleeson, Rosie Preston, Empire Sketch Team, Violet Daly, Burton (facial mimic), Zelena and Dan Le Monts and their performing dogs, Lilly Lynn, Charles

Stober, Levin and McDermott.

• Itinerary incl. Bathurst (Masonic Hall; 7-12 Apr. > Show Week) • Wellington (Oddfellows' Hall; 21-26 Apr. > Show

Week) • Parkes (Royal Hall; 9-10 May) • Molong (S of A; 17 May) • Gundagai (Assembly Hall; 27-28 May) • Adelong (Oddfellows Hall; 31 May, 2 June) • Cootamundra (Assembly Hall; ca. June > "Race Nights - return season)

• Charles L. Devereux (representative)

1900

Bathurst

National Advocate 21 Apr. (1900), 2.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/16970451

Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative

27 Apr. (1900), 13. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/16239370

Mudgee

Nyngan

Bourke

Referee (Syd) 30 May (1900), 10.

►



Western Herald 26 May (1900), 2.



1901

Bathurst

Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal 13 Apr. (1901), 2.





►



Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal 16 Apr. (190-1), 2.




Dubbo

Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate 8 May (1901), 2.


Cobar

Gundagai

Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee

District Advertiser 4 June (1901), 2.


Tumut

"Political." Tumut and Adelong Times 14 June (1901), 2.





Cootamundra

Goulburn

Goulburn Evening Penny Post 18 July (1901), 3.

1902

Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal 7 Apr.

(1902), 3.

Bathhurst


http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/64336857



http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/64336857


Molong Express and Western District Advertiser

24 May (1902), 10.



Adelong

Adelong and Tumut Express and Tumbarumba Post 30 May (1902), 2.


Cootamundra

Australian Variety Theatre Archive: Research Notes

Published by Clay Djubal: 22/11/2014

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kenna's empire minstrels - wordpress.com · 1901 • personnel incl ... jessie dell, bob...

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