NIDA
A complicated Venue History!
by Robert Taylor BDA NIDA
Wikimedia Commons
The original site of NIDA on the University of NSW campus was off High Street and many have puzzled over the location of The Totaliser Building which is so much a part of NIDA’s history and even gave its name to a professional theatre company from 1963. To some extent some have wondered at the large number of portable buildings located in the vicinity which were NIDA’s home for many years until the new complex was built on Anzac Parade – some have even wondered at the name ANZAC Parade. Let me take you on a sometimes complicated trip through history.
Kensington Racecourse was on High Street from 1893-1942. At the time of this map the current Anzac Parade site appears to have been a tram turning circle. Just off High Street was the Totaliser Building (built 1917) for the Racetrack. Nearby was the St Leger Stand with seating for 1000. The Jockey’s House was built c1897 and is better known now as The White House – during NIDA’s tenancy it was the main admin building. The angle the building is on reflects the Racecourse curve that ran behind it.
Kensington was also used by the NSW Bushmen’s Contingents bound for the Boer War throughout 1899 and 1900. On the 18th October 1914 the ANZAC troops were based there & marched to Sydney to board their ships. Hence the route they took became ANZAC Parade.
Polo appears to have been popular and this group are watching a match in 1902.
Photo by Ted Hood. State Library of New South Wales.
Kensington was also used by the NSW Bushmen’s Contingents bound for the Boer War throughout 1899 and 1900. On the 18th October 1914 the ANZAC troops were based there & marched to Sydney to board their ships. Hence the route they took became ANZAC Parade.
Troops setting up tents on Kensington Racecourse before leaving for Gallipoli.
Wikimedia Commons
From 1945-51 it was a Migrant Hostel. UNSW Archives
The Army was based here from 1939. The Kensington Racecourse was finally abandoned 1942 and the site began to be developed from 1947 as a University of Technology. The inner track at nearby Randwick Racecourse was named Kensington Track to mark its closure. Many Army portable buildings and tin sheds were put on site. The portable next to The White House is still shown on 1974 campus maps.
From 1952-9 the University Army Corp took over the site. UNSW Archives
Meanwhile NIDA was formed by The Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1958 and took over the site from the Army Corps in 1959, using The Tin Shed (an old recreation hut) for early readings, and performances.
NIDA website
UNSW Archives
NIDA in turn created the Old Tote Theatre Company in 1962 and in 1963 the Tin Shed was fitted out and renamed The Old Tote Theatre. Academic and newspaoer reviewer Roger Covell is credited with bestowing the name `Old Tote' on the theatre, on the grounds that it would be a reminder that all theatre is a gamble. The Bald Prima Donna and The Fire Raisers were staged in 1963 and were the first double bill. This was on campus just off High Street next to the former Totaliser Building from the Racecourse. NIDA student productions and Old Tote professional productions shared the venue. NIDA students appeared in and worked on Old Tote productions primarily as ASMs and understudies.
Aubrey Mellor, NIDA graduate of the early Production course (and Artistic Director of Nimrod, QTC and Playbox) says that he “worked on all those shows, as did several of the same actors. but they were just part of the normal Tote season. They played in the tin shed until the Parade was built. Hamlet was in the Science theatre to handle the larger schools’ audiences. NIDA acting students never acted in those productions unless an emergency made an understudy go on. NIDA actors understudied the roles in all old Tote shows, and had their own single in-house performance. However, the production students did work with the professional actors on all shows as ASMs. I hung and lit The Rivals (1969), though Robert Quentin told me what to do. I did props on Hamlet (1969) and operated sound on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (1969). But there was always a professional SM on all shows. when we moved to the Parade, the Tote employed its first professional lighting operator. Professional lighting designers came later: directors lit their own shows, though had crews doing the rigging and focussing.“
“Old Tote was the first company in Sydney to pay actors for both rehearsal and performances. Hamlet was a fully professional production - with not a student on stage”
In 1966 NIDA took on another nearby venue – a converted Church – with a production of Sudden View which became The Jane Street Theatre until closing in 1981 (appropriately) with All’s Well That Ends Well.
The following year the Old Tote company also left The Old Tote Theatre to use a converted lecture hall on Anzac Parade (simply listed as The Lecture Hall in the 1959 University of NSW calendar– built 15/7/57-15/11/57). They were also using the Science Theatre on campus at this time which was built in 1959/60 though its lack of a stage restricted productions to school offerings with large audience requirements.
University of NSW Science Theatre opened 1960. UNSW website
The Rivals is listed as the last Old Tote production in the tin shed theatre which then became The NIDA Theatre. There are comments suggesting that the season (and tours) was organised while The Parade Theatre was converted from the original Lecture Theatre in Anzac Parade 1968/9 which seems to fit the dates. The four shows on tour were:
The Rivals (July 1969) Sydney, then 5/8 Brisbane and 16/9 Canberra
Little Murders (September 1969) Sydney, also Brisbane 29/7 and Canberra 2/9
Hamlet (June 1969) Sydney, Brisbane 16/7, Canberra 25/9 and Hobart November
Rosencranz and Guildenstern (May 1969) Sydney, then Brisbane 19/8, Canberra 9/9. Hobart 11/11 and Perth 18/9.
Parade Theatre, 1972 (no flytower). Souvenir brochure of opening of Sydney Opera House, 1973. Author's collection.
This lecture theatre became the first Parade Theatre. The fly tower was added in 1973 and the Foyer 1971 so this photo is about 1972.
I don't have a date for the venue in High St to change name from The Old Tote Theatre to NIDA Theatre but assume it was from 1968/9 to avoid confusion with the professional company based in Anzac Parade.
From 1973 the NSW Government made The Old Tote responsible for seasons not only at The Parade but also The Drama Theatre at the Opera House and The Seymour Centre - as well as touring. Not surprisingly they had financial difficulties and closed in 1978. At that time The Lady from Maxim’s was at The Drama Theatre, Widower’s Houses was at The Parade Theatre while King Richard was in Brisbane.
Following the collapse the NSW Government commissioned NIDA to create an interim season at The Drama Theatre for 1979 prior to the launch of The Sydney Theatre Company with The Sunny South in 1980. Named as The World Play Season this notable for including guest productions from every other company in Sydney including Nimrod, Ensemble, Q Theatre, The Paris Theatre Company and The Marionette Theatre. NIDA itself produced Caucasian Chalk Circle as a Jane Street production.
From 1979-81 the Parade was used by local amateur groups and the University of NSW Drama Society. In 1982 NIDA began to use it for their public performances (third year actors) with a production of Jonah, while both other non-public productions continued at The NIDA Theatre High Street. This followed the termination of the lease on the Jane Street Theatre in 1981.
Parade Theatre, 1973 (flytower added). NIDA website.
With the loss of Jane Street Theatre (venue) in 1981 a final season “Jane Street at The Parade Theatre” was held in 1982. Interestingly this reverted to an earlier format whereby the professional seasons (Camino Real & The Provok’d Wife) were staffed by NIDA students with NIDA actors playing support roles. In 1988 a single season of the “new” Jane St Theatre was presented at the Parade and from 1990 The NIDA Company continued the attempt to create a professional company although this has also ceased in 2007.
Gregory Map, 1981. Author's collection.
NIDA Newsletter, 1987. Author's collection.
On the 31st of October 1987 the final NIDA production The Man who came to Dinner closed at The NIDA Theatre High Street.
From 1988 NIDA moved from High Street to their new buildings on ANZAC Parade but continued to use the old Parade Theatre until the new one was opened. The last production in the old Parade was The Libertine in October 1999. Its replacement is a totally new building in Shakespearean style and probably should be called Parade 2 to help avoid confusion. The first production in the new Parade Theatre opened on 17 July 2002. Country Music was the Australian premiere of a new play by Nick Enright workshopped with the graduating students and directed by Tony Knight and Julia Cotton, with music composed by Wei Han Liao.
With NIDA gone the Uni of NSW Drama Department renamed the NIDA Theatre High St as The Fig Tree Theatre in 1988 and since 2010 it has been run by a commercial company that runs the student accommodation. While the Old Tote building and White House still stand nearby, all the other portables from the Army and Migrant era are gone – replaced and surrounded by new accommodation for students.
Fig Tree Theatre. Photo by Michael Kai. Stukel Architecture, www.stukel.com.au
Meanwhile NIDA has five venues and studios in their new building on ANZAC Parade which are referred to collectively as The NIDA Theatres.
Acknowledgements
Aubrey Mellor
Robin Perry (University of NSW Archivist)
Ross Bruzzese (NIDA Librarian)
References
University of NSW Calendar 1959
University of NSW Calendar 1974
NIDA Newsletter December 1987
Ausstage
Dictionary of Sydney
Australian Turf Club History (Old Racecourses of Sydney)
https://www.inside.unsw.edu.au/
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