
The Amorous Prawn
About The Amorous Prawn
Lady “Dodo” FitzAdam, the lovely wife of the General Officer Commanding North-Western District, lives in a gracious old country house “Glenmally House” in Scotland, with a small army of servants, military personnel all. The ceremony of her position as wife of a General bores her to distraction, however, and she is more than a little distressed by financial problems, too, despite her husband’s rank.
When the General is called to the Pacific on duty, “Dodo” has a marvellous idea – to run the house (which belongs to the Army, of course) as a high-class hotel! A little gentle blackmail persuades the Staff, led by Corporal Green, to see things her way – and they are all promptly involved in a highly profitable endeavour!
18th to 30th April 1975
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Genre: Drama
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Playwright: Anthony Kimmins
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Director: Jenny Strickland
The first two guests are Americans, the charming Larry Hoffman, and his woman-hunting friend, Sam Goulansky. Larry falls headlong in love with Lady FitzAdam – who has pretended to be a widow – while Sam makes a play for the Corporal’s girl, Private Susie Tidmarsh. For them all, in spite of the minor complications arising out of necessary deceptions, life is absolute bliss … that is to say until the General returns unexpectedly!
Astonishingly, the General, angered by the parsimonious attitude taken by the War Office over his allowances, proves no obstacle – on the contrary, he sees the whole hotel scheme as an admirable one, and agrees to co-operate all down the line, posing as his wife’s brother-in-law…
So far, so good. THEN, two MORE guests arrive – a Mr. and Mrs. Vernon. The lady is tired, and retires, unseen, to bed. The gentleman turns out to be an old friend of Larry’s, known to the boys as “The Amorous Prawn”, and a great fellow with the girls! !
Unknown to the FitzAdams, “Mr.” Vernon is none other than LORD Vernon, the Secretary of State for War. He gradually becomes aware that this charming hostelry and HQ North-Western District are one and the same place … proved conclusively when one of the Staff, Huggins by name, comes home very drunk, and gives the whole game away …
The FitzAdams, utterly appalled by the turn of events, face personal and financial ruin … but high-living Sam saves the day. He has just bumped into the supposed “Mrs. Vernon” in the corridor and finds out much to his amusement that she is none other than Babs, the local barmaid. Suffice it to say, that the Prawn’s silence is assured, and the entire business venture can be notched up for “Dodo” as a roaring success!!
About the Director
Jenny Strickland
To describe Jenny as a “widowed grandmother” would give an entirely false impression of one of the National Theatre’s most prolific producers. She is neither grey-haired nor about to sit down and take a rest! In fact, she shows all the usual characteristics of those born under the sign of Virgo … she is doggedly determined, has unflagging energy, is discriminating to the degree that she knows what people are thinking almost before they think it, and is by nature a deeply creative person.
Her creativity is released on cabinetmaking and gardening, her insatiable curiosity is assuaged by voracious reading, and her deep interest in the human psyche is countered by active participation in yoga. A part-time teacher of Dramatic Art, Jenny has tutored many aspiring actors and actresses in her National Theatre Drama Classes and has enjoyed a long association with theatre for most of her life.
As an actress, she has been featured on 3LO, 3XY, 3DB and 3UZ, with J.C. Williamson, Brett Randall, and the National Theatre movement in Ballarat and Melbourne.
She has produced Night Must Fall, Rookery Nook, Gaslight, The Doll’s House, Therese Raquin and Written for a Lady both of which won in the Annual Drama Contests in Melbourne, Duet for Two Hands, The Late Edwina Black, Fountains Beyond, Black as She’s Painted, Close Quarters, Trap for a Lonely Man, Ransom, Wait Until Dark, The Paragon, Home at Seven, Lady in Danger, and the recent World Premiere of Hal Porter’s Play, Parker.
Jenny has been associated with the Ballarat National Theatre Movement since its inception with Gertrude Johnson, and her productions are always keenly anticipated by local theatregoers. Her experience in both professional and amateur theatre, coupled with her instinctive rapport with her acting colleagues, makes her one of this theatre’s most valuable assets.
Playwrights
Val Sarah
Apart from graphic and set design for Anglia Television in England, Val’s experience in theatre design has been limited to B.N.T’s. highly successful production of “Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary” late last year.
No designer reaches first base without a competent set builder, and Val has had the best, ROY WALKER. A man of great ingenuity, Roy has added another soundly-constructed set to his long list of credits, including that for “The Anniversary” which won the 1974 Best Set Design Award for Maurine Boon.
Assisting Val and Roy is newcomer Ross Barnett, a draughtsman and designer, whose illustrative capabilities have added dimensions to the set by providing a scenic backdrop evocative of the lochs and braes of Bonnie Scotland.
Cast
Phil Hobson
Corporal Sydney Green
Rhonda Keith
Private Biddy O’Hara, W.R.A.C.
Leanne de la Harpe
Private Susie Tidmarsh, W.R.A.C.
Virginia Ronaldson
Lady FitzAdam
David Karmouche
Major-General Sir Hamish FitzAdam, K.B.E., C.B.
Dennis Griffin
Private Albert Huggins
John Curwen-Walker
Private Willie Maltravers
Murray Thomas
Sam Goulansky
Tony Robberechts
Larry Hoffman
John Stuchbery
The Prawn
Trevor O’Donnell
Uncle Joe
Crew
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Producer
Jenny Strickland
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Stage Manager
John Cornthwaite
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Properties
Trevor O’Donnell
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Backstage Crew
Russ Carey, Peter O’Donnell
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Prompt
Terry O’Brien
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Curtain
Debbie O’Donnell
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Set Design
Val Sarah
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Scenic Design
Ross Barnett
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Set Construction
Roy Walker
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Assisted by
Russ Carey
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Sound
Albert Dulfer, Ted Jorna
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Lighting
Geoff. Paddle, Frank Russell
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Wardrobe
Eileen Shannon
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Hairstyling and Make-up
Lucy Newton
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Press Publicity
Joy Smith
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PhotographyBasil Dawson
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Poster DesignVal Sarah
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Programme Design and InformationVal Sarah
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Front of HouseRev. J. Smith and helpers
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StallMarj Drew and helpers