Seven Little Australians (musical)
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox Musical
|name = Seven Little Australians
|subtitle =
|image = Seven_Little_Australians_musical_program_cover.jpg
|caption = Program cover of original Australian production
|music = David Reeves
|lyrics = John Palmer and David Reeves
|book = David Reeves, John Palmer and Peter Yeldham
|basis = Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner
|productions = 1988-89 Melbourne/national tour
1991 Brisbane
}}
Seven Little Australians is an Australian musical with music by David Reeves, lyrics by John Palmer and Reeves and book by Reeves, Palmer and Peter Yeldham. It is based on the classic Australian children's 1894 novel Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner.
Development
David Reeves and Jim Graham, teachers from The Armidale School, first conceived a musical based on the children's novel Seven Little Australians in the late 1970s.{{cite news |date=26 May 1978 |title=Aust classic becomes a stage musical |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DQhkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9uYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2509%2C7635615 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney |access-date=1 March 2016}}
Production history
The original production of Seven Little Australians opened in Melbourne at the Comedy Theatre on 22 June 1988. It was directed by John O'May and choreographed by Pamela French with musical direction by Reeves. The cast included John O'May, Melissa Bickerton, Alyce Platt, John Murphy, Judith McGrath, Judith Roberts and Noel Mitchell.{{cite web |url=https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/614 |title=AusStage |website=AusStage |access-date=1 March 2016 }}
The production moved to the Adelaide Festival Centre from 20 November 1988,{{cite web |url=https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/1563 |title=AusStage |website=AusStage |access-date=1 March 2016 }}
and also played in Tasmania. A remount at the Footbridge Theatre in Sydney played from 16 September 1989.{{cite web |url=https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/1969 |title=AusStage |website=AusStage |access-date=1 March 2016 }}{{cite news |date=30 December 1989 |title=All the excitement came from without |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d6BWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dOcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4636%2C4244344 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney |access-date=1 March 2016}}
A second production by the Royal Queensland Theatre Company played in Brisbane from 21 February to 16 March 1991 at the Suncorp Theatre.{{cite web |url=https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/14297 |title=AusStage |website=AusStage |access-date=1 March 2016 }}
Reception
Seven Little Australians received generally positive reviews. Leonard Radic in The Age called it "a comfortable family-style show: warmhearted, sentimental and ever so wholesome", with the music "bright, conventional and homogenised" while "the book and lyrics follow a familiar pattern too".{{cite news |last=Radic |first=Leonard |date=24 June 1988 |title=The winning ways of little Australians |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AzopAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9JYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2301%2C1978397 |work=The Age |location=Melbourne |access-date=1 March 2016}}
The cast recording was nominated for an ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack or Cast Recording in 1989.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.origintheatrical.com.au/work/8642 Seven Little Australians] at Origin Theatrical (performance rights)
Category:1980s Australian musicals
Category:Musicals based on novels
Category:Musicals set in Australia