Once again we are indebted to Les Thorp, whose unique colour home cine-films allow us a privileged glimpse into a vanished era of post-war glamour and the hey-day of J.C. Williamson’s in (pre-television) 1954.
The film footage commences with night-time shots of the illuminated neon signage on the façade of the old Theatre Royal in Castlereagh Street, Sydney (built in 1875, re-modelled in 1921 and demolished in 1972) with the addition of garlands of coloured lights and the Royal insignia EIIR proclaiming the imminent Royal visit.
The film then continues with scenes from Call Me Madam shot from the vantage point of the prompt-side first-floor flies gallery (which was traditionally the location for the operation of the theatre’s stage-lighting circuit board) beginning with Act 1 scene 2, set in Sally’s Living-room in Washington, with the arrival of Henry Gibson (played by Charles Crawford) and his son, Kenneth Gibson (Sid Lawson) who are greeted by Congressman Wilkins (Alec Kellaway). Wilkins, having donned glasses and a cigar, then exits with hands clasped behind his back in response to a request to give his impersonation of Winston Churchill to guests in the (off-stage) drawing-room. Mrs. Sally Adams (Evie Hayes) then makes her entrance to welcome the assembled guests to her farewell party and is handed the telephone handset by her secretary (Evelyn Godly). She then seats herself on a chaise lounge to chat on the telephone with President Harry S. Truman. The film then cuts to Sally, arm in arm with Congressman Wilkins and Senator Brockbank (Bobby Mack) as she leads them down to the footlights and endeavours to make peace between their opposing political parties by leading the ensemble in performing ‘The Washington Square Dance’.
Behind the scenes, an unidentified grey-haired lady wearing a red cardigan crosses the stage (a dresser, perhaps, on her way to assist with a quick costume change for Evie?) while the industrious stage crew move the scenery for the living-room set out of the way and set up for scene 4, the Reception room in the American Embassy. Meanwhile, against a painted backcloth “in one” depicting scene 3—the Public Square in Lichtenburg, Cosmo Constantine (Rene Paul) and the singing ensemble perform ‘Lichtenburg’ at the front of the stage.
Sally makes a quick entrance into the Reception room to ask whether she is (in fact) in Lichtenburg and then quickly exits again to resume an (off-stage) speech that she is giving to the Lichtenburgers. Re-entering the Reception room, she is greeted by Pemberton Maxwell (Graeme Bent) the embassy's snobbish charge d'affaires. Noting his dismissive attitude towards her, Sally soon puts him in his place and insists that he ‘Call Me Madam’.
Scene 6 set at the Lichtenburg Fair follows, at which ‘The Ocarina’ is performed by the singing and dancing ensemble, with Princess Maria (Coral Deague) as the featured dancer; while the featured male dancers included Garth Welch, Kevan Johnston and Ian Burgis.
Sally has arrived at the Fair escorted by Cosmo and is introduced to the Prime Minister, Sebastian Sebastian (William Rees) followed by a quick cut to the re-entry of Princess Maria (followed by the Court Chamberlain: Harry Hambleton) who greets and chats with Sally.
A reprise of ‘It’s a Lovely Day Today’ follows, featuring principal dancers, Shirley Sunners and Kevan Johnston, while the refrain is sung by Kenneth Gibson (Sid Lawson) briefly glimpsed with his hands in his pockets standing at stage right, and the ensemble.
Sally is then seen practising her curtseys in another ‘in one’ set depicting scene 7—A corridor in the Palace, at the front of the stage in preparation for her Presentation to the Grand Duke and Duchess of Lichtenburg.
In Sally’s sitting-room at the Embassy (Scene 8) Sally is briefly seen singing ‘The Best Thing For You (is Me)’ while Cosmo wraps his arms around her.
The footage ends with the Act 2 Finale set in Sally’s living-room in Washington, with Sally hosting a welcome home party for herself (at which she is reunited with Cosmo, who has been appointed as Lichtenburg’s ambassador to the US—not filmed). The company then take their curtain calls to an orchestral reprise of ‘The Washington Square Dance’.
The second of Les’s colour films takes us off-stage to view the Call Me Madam company members during their three-week stay in Brisbane in early-September into mid-October 1954 and commences with footage of a boat ride on the Brisbane River with ensemble member, Jill Perryman (given a turn at the rudder); Ballet Mistress, Betty Pounder; ingenue, Faye Agnew (who had taken over the role of Princess Maria during the Sydney season); and character actor, Charles Crawford, among the passengers (in addition to Les himself as camera-man), plus an unidentified boatman wearing shorts.
The remaining footage shows the arrival of the backstage crew and cast members at the alley leading to the stage door of Her Majesty’s Theatre, Brisbane located at 193 Queens Street (most likely on a matinee day) including Alec Kellaway (reading newspaper) Musical Director, Leo Packer (walking along the pavement in Queens Street) Graeme Bent (wearing spectacles) and Evie Hayes (who chats with Alec, waves at Les and poses for photographs in the street).
