Joy Lewis

Joy Lewis c1947

Joy Lewis commenced her professional acting career with Kathleen Robinson and Whitehall Productions at the Minerva Theatre, Kings Cross in Sydney.

In 1946 she appeared in “Life With Father” at the Minerva Theatre. This production toured to Adelaide in 1947 and returned for a further season at the Minerva in 1948.

In 1947 Joy appeared on stage in “O Mistress Mine” at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne and in June 1948 at the Majestic Theatre in Adelaide.

Back in Sydney in May 1948 she was in the cast of “Pride and Prejudice” at the Minerva Theatre and in September 1948 in “The Winslow Boy” again at The Majestic Theatre in Adelaide.

Joy Lewis was also a court reporter and stenographer for many years. She first came in contact with Norman McVicker when she brought her young nephew Brett Johnson to the Pocket Children’s Theatre. Years later he was to be an Arts Adviser to NSW Premier, Bob Carr.

In May 1966, Norman enticed Joy out of theatrical retirement to play in his production of “Barretts of Wimpole Street” which opened at the Pocket Playhouse, Sydenham, on May 14th 1966. That was her last performance in a theatre.

In the years that followed it was Joy who turned Norman’s often illegible handwritten drafts of plays into intelligent play scripts. At the age of 90 she now lives in retirement on the Central Coast but retains an interest in theatre as a member of Charles Little’s Theatre Appreciation Group. Joy and Norman remain in constant contact with each other.