Pocket Playhouse Productions 1957–1973

The “Pocket Awards”, presented annually for worthwhile achievements in the crafts of theatre, were inaugurated in 1963 under the Trust Fund established by Miss Beatrice Tildesley. The Award, designed by Arthur Murch, an Archibald Prize Winner and the distinguished sculptor, is in the form of a statuette depicting a classical Greek actor, standing on a laurel wreath of victory, holding the mask of comedy and tragedy.
The “Pocket Awards”, presented annually for worthwhile achievements in the crafts of theatre, were inaugurated in 1963 under the Trust Fund established by Miss Beatrice Tildesley. The Award, designed by Arthur Murch, an Archibald Prize Winner and the distinguished sculptor, is in the form of a statuette depicting a classical Greek actor, standing on a laurel wreath of victory, holding the mask of comedy and tragedy.
The “Pocket Awards”, presented annually for worthwhile achievements in the crafts of theatre, were inaugurated in 1963 under the Trust Fund established by Miss Beatrice Tildesley. The Award, designed by Arthur Murch, an Archibald Prize Winner and the distinguished sculptor, is in the form of a statuette depicting a classical Greek actor, standing on a laurel wreath of victory, holding the mask of comedy and tragedy.
The “Pocket Awards”, presented annually for worthwhile achievements in the crafts of theatre, were inaugurated in 1963 under the Trust Fund established by Miss Beatrice Tildesley. The Award, designed by Arthur Murch, an Archibald Prize Winner and the distinguished sculptor, is in the form of a statuette depicting a classical Greek actor, standing on a laurel wreath of victory, holding the mask of comedy and tragedy.
Opening Date Play Producer
1957
1st February I Remember Mama Norman McVicker
9th March (Happy and Glorious)
(Lord Byron’s Love Letter) Colin Kenny
6th April The Male Animal John Craig
1st June The Wooden Dish Norman McVicker
6th July Antigone Robert Findlay
22nd August Theatre Workshop 1957
(Mr Hunter) Paul Bland
(Murder Without Malice) Seamus Rothsey
(The Bones of My Big Toe) Brendan Dunne
31st August Bonaventure Norman McVicker
26th October Candida John Craig
1958
25th January The Lady’s Not For Burning Robert Findlay
22nd March The Desperate Hours Norman McVicker
25th May Theatre Workshop 1958
(The Stolen Prince) Edna Spilsbury
(Anti Clockwise) Norman McVicker
(The Valiant) Barry Zietsch
14th June Marching Song Robert Findlay
7th August A Spring Song Norman McVicker
25th October The Happy Time Barry Zietsch
20th December The Clown and His Circus Edna Spilsbury
1959
14th February Moby Dick Norman McVicker
9th May The Heiress Robert Findlay
11th July The Tender Trap Seamus Rothsey
26th September A Hatful of Rain Norman McVicker
27th November Marien Dreyer’s World 1959
(Charles was There) Ben Boyd
(The Power of A Woman) Norman McVicker
(Two of A Kind) Seamus Rothsey
28th November The Clown And His Circus Edna Spilsbury
1960
5th February Kiss and Tell Seamus Rothsey
12th May Image In the Clay Norman McVicker
16th July The Importance Of Being Earnest Robert Findlay
15th October Mrs Gibbons’ Boys Norman McVicker
1961
16th February Bridge Of Sighs Norman McVicker
29th April Dinner With The Family Robert Findlay
14th July The Play’s The Thing Robert Findlay
15th September The Sleeping Prince Norman McVicker
19th September Our Town Brendan Dunne
9th December Roundup On The Moon Norman McVicker
1962
11th January Major Barbara Robert Findlay
3rd March Simple Simon Ben Boyd
15th March My Sister Eileen Norman McVicker
19th May The Beast In View Norman McVicker
1st June Dial M for Murder Brendan Dunne
23rd June The Wizard of Oz Norman McVicker
9th August The Torrents Robert Findlay
25th August Amphitryon 38 Norman McVicker
10th October Anchor Nugget Keith Potten
8th November The Confidential Clerk Robert Findlay
1963
10th January An Ideal Husband Keith Potten
2nd March Hansel and Gretel Norman McVicker
18th March Bell Book and Candle Norman McVicker
4th July Colombe Norman McVicker
17th October The Winslow Boy Keith Potten
7th November Out of the Frying Pan Norman McVicker
1964
16th January The Teahouse Of The August Moon Norman McVicker
18th April The Pied Piper Norman McVicker
28th May A Murder Has Been Arranged John Fleming
30th July The Brass Butterfly Norman McVicker
10th September Doctor In the House Dorothy Duncombe
5th November Black Chiffon John Fleming
1965
4th February Critic’s Choice Norman McVicker
14th April The Chalk Garden Norman McVicker
24th April Old King Cole Norman McVicker
12th August The Hollow Crown Norman McVicker
1966
19th February Five Finger Exercise Norman McVicker
14th May The Barretts of Wimpole Street Norman McVicker
3rd September Blithe Spirit Norman McVicker
1st October Simple Simon Norman McVicker
1967
18th February A Thurber Carnival Norman McVicker
27th May Our Town Norman McVicker
17th August Rashomon Norman McVicker
19th December The Business of Good Government Norman McVicker
1968
17th February The Killing of Sister George Norman McVicker
4th May Pinocchio Norman McVicker
22nd June The Little Foxes Norman McVicker
21st September Exit the King Norman McVicker
19th December No Room At The Inn Norman McVicker
1969
6th February The Love Drug Norman McVicker
19th April They Came To A City Norman McVicker
26th April Rumpelstiltskin Norman McVicker
9th August The Marriage-Go-Round Norman McVicker
7th November Spoon River Norman McVicker
1970
13th March Spoon River (Professional Tour) Norman McVicker
25th March Little Women Norman McVicker
11th June The Limelighters Norman McVicker
3rd October The Limelighters
(Return Season) Norman McVicker
31st October Thea Thea Rowe
16th December The Red Shoes Norman McVicker
1971
27th March Heloise Norman McVicker
17th July Dream World Norman McVicker
22nd October Gods and Warriors Norman McVicker
1972
26th February Fresh Fields Norman McVicker
6th May Beauty and the Beast Norman McVicker
1st July Portrait of a Queen Norman McVicker
9th September The Lark John Gillies
5th October A Mass for the Theatre Norman McVicker
4th December Banjo Norman McVicker
1973
31st March Shakespeare in Focus Norman McVicker
14th July Fairy Tale Theatre Norman McVicker
17th October Damper and Tea Norman McVicker

Pocket Playhouse closed permanently 17th November 1973 at the conclusion of the performance of Damper and Tea (the 89th Season).

Vivien Leigh and Norman McVicker at the reception after the performance of ‘The Sleeping Prince’ on Sunday 22nd October 1961.
Vivien Leigh and Norman McVicker at the reception after the performance of ‘The Sleeping Prince’ on Sunday 22nd October 1961.
Signing autographs for local children gathered in their pyjamas.
Signing autographs for local children gathered in their pyjamas.

 

A scene from the ‘Sleeping Prince’. L to R Noeline Brown, Edward Lansdowne, Hugh Richardson, Maralyne Allen, Nance Foxley, Marie Byron.
A scene from the ‘Sleeping Prince’. L to R Noeline Brown, Edward Lansdowne, Hugh Richardson, Maralyne Allen, Nance Foxley, Marie Byron.
The cast of Rumpelstilskin in 1969. L to R, James Langdon (Rumplestilskin), Valerie Roye, Alan Kingsford-Smith, Kelly McPhillips, Donald Warner and Wayne Swadling.
The cast of Rumpelstilskin in 1969. L to R, James Langdon (Rumplestilskin), Valerie Roye, Alan Kingsford-Smith, Kelly McPhillips, Donald Warner and Wayne Swadling.

 

Original cast of Spoon River. L to R, Peta Burns, Colin Kenny, Kevin Peatfield, Steven Riley, Lyn de Voil, Brendan Dunne and Noella Masson.
Original cast of Spoon River. L to R, Peta Burns, Colin Kenny, Kevin Peatfield, Steven Riley, Lyn de Voil, Brendan Dunne and Noella Masson.

 

 

History and locality of Budgee Budgee, The life and work of Norman McVicker, Pocket Playhouse, Theatre memories, and Tales from along the Wallaby Track