Brett Randall

Randall was born in England, the only son of Henrietta Randall (c. 1870 – 26 April 1939) who, as stage name "Henrietta Cavendish", played in the Leon Gordon Company{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12122175 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=28,917 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=28 April 1939 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}} and Herbert Randall (c. 1858 – 1 February 1942), at one time manager of Daly's Theatre, London and an old Savoyard who, using stage name "Herbert Ralland", appeared in the first production of Utopia, Limited and in several other Gilbert and Sullivan operettas.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17786230 |title=Actor-Manager Dies |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=32,481 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=3 February 1942 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Randall helped his father manage a pantomime company and in 1907 became manager of the Holloway Empire Theatre.{{efn|The Empire Theatre on the corner of Holloway Road and Manor Gardens, London, was designed by W. G. R. Sprague and built in for Oswald Stoll before becoming part of the Moss chain of theatres. Later renamed Empire Theatre of Varieties, it closed in 198 and was demolished in 1953.}}

He was one of the cast members who came to Melbourne from London to appear in Ian Hay's comedy The Sport of Kings at the Athenaeum Theatre in 1926, opened at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, in August 1926, followed at the "Palace" by Eleanor Robson's In the Next Room in December 1929, Channing Pollock's The Enemy in January 1930 and Australian dramatist Isabel Handley's{{efn|Isabel Handley, or I. J. Handley (born c. 1890){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article144627134 |title=Punt Road State School |newspaper=The Prahran Telegraph |volume=XXXIV |issue=654 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=30 November 1895 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} was a Melbourne actress and playwright. Her other plays include A Clue There Was and The Mandarin Coat.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article146184276 |title=Repertory Theatre Society |newspaper=Table Talk |issue=2998 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=22 October 1925 |access-date=27 February 2023 |page=34 |via=National Library of Australia}} Several of her plays were performed by the London Play Society.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article192077147 |title=Woman Playwright |newspaper=The Week (Brisbane) |volume=CX |issue=2,897 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=1 July 1931 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} Later plays included House to Let, The Garden Party, Wedding Belles and The Six Miss Seymours. Her Pretty Sister and The Mystery of Manfred Moon, which won Lyceum Club prizes.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243040878 |title=House To Let |newspaper=The Herald (Melbourne) |issue=17,252 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=30 August 1932 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}} The only references to her between 1930 and 1938 have been as an A-list audience member.}} Handcuffs for One at the Savoy Theatre in March 1930. It was around this time he first noticed deterioration of his eyesight, which worsened with advancing years.{{cite web|url=https://theatreheritage.org.au/on-stage-magazine/general-articles/item/219-melbourne-little-theatre |title=Memories of Irene Mitchell |author=Sandy Graham |publisher=Theatre Heritage Australia |date=1 December 2015|access-date=25 April 2023}}

By this time, the Great Depression was squeezing family incomes, and the "talkies" provided a cheaper form of amusement than live theatre, so many professional actors were forced to supplement their reduced incomes by other forms of employment, but kept their names before the public in repertory theatre. In 1931 Randall and Hal Percy, both "between engagements", founded a "little theatre"{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205199505 |title=Brett Randall Testimonial |newspaper=The Age |issue=26,051 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=15 October 1938 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} to present quality drama to the theatre-loving public at moderate prices. Their first venue was a kiosk at Fawkner Park, South Yarra, and slowly attracted a dedicated audience.

After a few years they lost their lease and Percy left to pursue a career in radio.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73604215 |title=The Melbourne Little Theatre |newspaper=Standard (Frankston) |location=Victoria, Australia |date=27 January 1949 |access-date=27 February 2023 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}} Led by Randall, they changed their name to the Melbourne Little Theatre Company, and took a lease on St Chad's, a small disused church in the same district, and set about converting it to a theatre for an audience of around a hundred. It was not ideal: the stage was too small (4.5 by 3.5 metres), and there was no backstage or fly area, but the talented and hard-working company prospered and for twenty years produced each year eight 3-week seasons of high-class dramatic productions.{{cite web|url=https://resource.acu.edu.au/siryan/Academy/theatres/melb_little.htm |title=Melbourne Theatre History: Melbourne Little Theatre |access-date=27 February 2023}}

A notable new member in 1934 was Irene Mitchell, whose talent and enthusiasm were noted by Randall, who acted as a kind of mentor, encouraging her to take on increasingly responsible roles, until by 1950 she was producing most of the company's more challenging productions.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23045821 |title="Shipwreck" wins Viceregal blessing |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=32,554 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=3 January 1951 |access-date=27 February 2023 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}

In 1948{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73091620 |title=Decentralising the Theatre |newspaper=The Horsham Times |issue=10,213 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=24 September 1948 |access-date=27 February 2023 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} Randall and the (Victorian) Council of Adult Education (CAE) founded "Everyman Theatres", a touring company managed by Max Bruch,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article262972773 |title=Features-Local and Overseas |newspaper=The Australian Jewish News |volume=XXXI |issue=17 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=18 December 1964 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}} which took plays to country centres.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205334334 |title=Theatre Booming in Country Towns |newspaper=The Age |issue=30,062 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=4 September 1951 |access-date=25 April 2023 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Randall was described as tall, usually wearing a beret, and possessing a gruff voice.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article262399649 |title=Brett Randall |newspaper=The Australian Jewish News |volume=XXIX |issue=43 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=12 July 1963 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}

His portrait, by L. Scott Pendlebury, was a finalist for the 1956 Archibald Prize.{{cite web | url = http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/1956/ | title = Archibald Prize Finalists 1956 | publisher = Art Gallery of New South Wales | access-date=26 February 2023}}

Randall had two sisters, Lady Cecil Rodwell of Holbrook, Suffolk, and Betty, Mrs Ian Wilson-Johnstone. Neither is known to have visited Australia. Their parents spent their last years in Melbourne.

His son Peter Randall was associated with St Martin's Theatre,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47120915 |title=Julia opened all those theatre doors |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly |volume=33 |issue=1 |location=Australia, Australia |date=2 June 1965 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}} a later incarnation of St Chad's.{{fact|date=April 2024}}

He is not to be confused with Brett Randall Jr, Brett Randall Snr grandson who manager of Jigsaw Theatre in the 1980s and the CEO of the Victorian Arts CentreState Theatre, Melbourne, from 1994-1996.{{fact|date=April 2024}}

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• See {{cite web|url=https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/233802 |title=Brett Randall |publisher=AusStage}} for a detailed list of Randall's stage appearances.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Randall, Brett}}

Category:1884 births

Category:1963 deaths

Category:Australian stage actors

Category:Australian theatre directors

Category:Australian theatre managers and producers