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ISSN 1039-3498 | no. 47| October 2000


Australian theatrical acquisitions

Lorna & Toots

Lorna and Toots were two popular Australian singers, billed as ‘The Charming Australian Mimics’

In the last few years the National Library has expended much energy in building up its collection of material relating to the performing arts in Australia, especially the material contained in the PROMPT collection of Performing Arts programs and ephemera. Performers who feature in this collection include those who have made their careers in recent years, and also those who were famous in both Australia and overseas in the past, even though they are hardly household names today.

A recent collection purchased from the New York dealer, Karl Levett, on Australian variety performers for the years 1899–1939 illustrates this point perfectly. This collection features programs, music and scrapbook material for Australians who toured the British music hall and variety circuit during these years. Although some of the performers included, such as Florrie Forde and Annette Kellermann, are known today, many have now faded into anonymity and in some cases only their stage names are known. Performers in this category include Saharet, ‘The Famous Australian Dancer’; W. H. Downs, ‘The Coloured Australian Vocalist’; Lorna and Toots, two popular Australian singers who were billed as ‘The Charming Australian Mimics’; and Imito, otherwise known as ‘The Australian Bird Mimic’.

Florie  Forde

In addition to those who earned their fame through vocal ability, there were also some who displayed more physical skills. These included Fred Lindsay who was billed in one program as ‘The Australian Bushman and Stock Whip Expert in an Adaptation of Expert Feats of Swordsmanship as applied to the Stockwhip’; and Harry Jackson and Peter McLaren, ‘The Famous Australian Woodcutters–Champion Axemen of the World’.

For people interested in early Australian theatrical performers, this collection provides a tantalising glimpse of the international careers of some once-famous Australians.
—Helen Wade

Florrie Forde is one of the better-known performers featured in the PROMPT Collection

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