We currently have very little information about Ballarat National Theatre's staging of this production in 1940, but we do have some information about the play's original staging in 1911.
The following appeared in the New York Illustrated Monthly Magazine of Dramatic and Musical Art in 1912:
"TAKE MY ADVICE." Play in three acts by William Collier and James Montgomery.
Produced December 11 with this cast:
William Ogden, William Collier; Jack Cornish, William Lamp; Professor Hugo Kardly, Chas. Dow Clark Thomas Brooks, Thomas Garrick; Robert Brooks, John Junior; I'aula Brooks, Paula Marr; Mrs. Clark, Helena Collier darrick; "Buster" Clark. William Collier, Jr.; Diana Kardly. Dorothy Linger; Sing Foo. John Atrhur' Lew. John Adams; VVest, Thomas Stuart; Miss Under wood, Regina Connelli.
There is nothing dramatic about the William Collier kind of stage entertainment; but it is as full of quaint and catchy verbal humor as a plum pudding is of currants, and of lines, which when smartly delivered make the piece seem much better than it is. And this smart delivery, especially in the case of the star, 'Mr. Collier
himself, is in reality much better acting than it casually appears to be. The sum of the whole matter is, that the playgoer of the Collier clienttele gets a fair $2.00 worth of nothing.
"Take My Advice" may as well be called by that title as by any other. It is a Collierization of a little fable by James Montgomery, once used for a brief period by Nat Goodwin, and then known as "A Native Son," if we remember rightly. This native son is a California product, president of the Pacific Lemon Company, and a near-millionaire. The latter estate is contingent upon his "cutting out" strong drink and tobacco, making the lemon business show a certain profit per annum, and marrying Diana Kardly. He comes out badly in each and all of these propositions, and so paradoxically achieves
a happy ending — for the million had brought him false advisers, the profit was only on paper, and Diana was — well, the sort of girl of whom her fiance gallantly remarked, "1 wish she'd get well, or— or something." Besides, he wanted to — and finally did — marry Paula Brooks.
No moral, no ethics, no uplift of any kind whatsoever, is noticeable in this rather sprightly offering. Some things in it are in dubious taste, when you think them over in cold blood after the show; but this criticism does not occur to you while Mr. Collier and his relatives are
romping through the piece.
