Chidley

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Event Chidley
Venue Victorian College of Arts, Grant Street Theatre, Southbank, VIC
First Date 15 December 1976
Opening Date 15 December 1976
Last Date 16 January 1977
Dates Estimated No
Status Professional
World Premiere Yes
Description About William James Chidley, whose radical ideas about diet, dress, and sexuality led to him being hounded to death in 1916. Hoopla's publicity for their inaugural production explained that "Chidley was a prophet and martyr to ideas about sexuality and violence, ideas still considered radical today. Persecuted by the authorities he was an early example of victimisation by censorship, incarceration - being unjustly certified insane. The lessons for today are plain - can Australia tolerate eccentricity? or even free thinking? Must individuality be repressed in the name of social order?"
Description Source Flyer/Poster
Primary Genre Theatre - Spoken Word
Secondary Genre Historical
Subjects Australian National Identity
Sexuality
Organisations
Contributors
Name Function Notes
Graeme Blundell Actor Walter Turnbull / Joseph Maiden
Carol Burns Actor Ada Turnbull
Peter Cummins Actor William James Chidley
Carrillo Gantner Actor The Judge / Rutherford
Robert Hewett Actor Inspector Branston / Dr Wilson
Peter Corrigan Designer
Garrie Hutchinson Director
John Beckett Lighting Designer
Elizabeth Drake Musical Arranger
Alma De Groen Playwright
Alan Ingram Stage Manager
Resources
Works
Text Nationality Australia
Production Nationality Australia
Event Status Completed
Data Source
Source Description
Programme Performing Arts Museum Playbox archive
Book John McCallum, Belonging, Currency Press, Sydney, 2009
Programme Advertisement Dennis Wolanski Library collection at UNSW Library
Event Identifier 30107