I Remember Mama by John van Druten
This was the entry for the 1969 NSW Arts Council's Drama Festival and opened
in August 1969. The producer was Rene Levenspiel. (The adjudicator
for 1969 was Robert Levis). This is a play in two acts based on the novel
by Katherine Forbes Mama's Bank Account. It had 22 roles, and only one
of these was doubled, so with 21 actors on stage it attracted new people to
Wyong Drama Group as well as the usual stalwarts.
The play opens with Katrin Hanson, a young Norwegian girl living in San
Francisco, reading from the manuscript of her autobiography. Then follow scenes
from an important period of her life giving us glimpses of the career of this
delightful, affectionate, impecunious family of Hansons. Mama, the real
heroine, is responsible ultimately for Katrin's literary career, in which
I Remember Mama is her first success. Period 1910.
Thanks to Marion Romig (nee Gingell) for these recollections about the play
emailed to me in mid-2010:
"The play was quite successful, and was awarded "Best Play" in the Arts
Council Festival for 1969. Ten-year-old Stephen Clarke won the Best Young
Actor in the Arts Council Awards and went to Sydney for a drama workshop.
He played the character Arne and he had to scream and moan in pain because he had a leg
infection. Uncle Chris carried him (the imposing Aubrey Brown) and it was very
convincing. The adjudicator said the next time he returned to see a play at
Wyong a year or so later, that he hadn't gone to the professional production of
I Remember Mama in Sydney because he had already seen such a wonderful production from
Wyong Drama Group.
"I was Dagmar in the play. I was 9 years old. My mother (Beth
Gingell) was in it too. I
remember it very clearly. Actually I remember everything that Bonnie
Bryant acted in as
she was truly moving - she could have been a professional if she had gone to
Sydney. Gwen Clarke was also very talented..."
I Remember Mama
Programme (pdf file, 261,405 bytes)
Picture Gallery
These pictures are thumbnails. To see the full-sized
pictures, simply click on the thumbnail images. Photos taken by Les
Turton.
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From L: Mary Smith, Gwen Clarke, Marion Gingell,
Aubrey Brown, John Werleman and Carlotta Payne |
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Mary Skidmore and Bonnie Bryant |
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Dean Gingell, Beth Gingell, Ted Bryant, Bonnie
Bryant, Vic Bryant, Mary Skidmore, Stephen Clarke |
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The Children: Mary Smith, Dean Gingell, Vic
Bryant, Marion Gingell, Stephen Clarke and Carlotta Payne |
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Gwen Clarke and John Werleman |
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Back: Mary Skidmore and Beth Gingell Front: Bonnie Bryant and Gwen
Clarke |
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Pam Jones and Mareka Scheple |
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The Adjudicator, Mr Robert Levis, from the NSW Arts Council |
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The Adjudication (page 1)
(NB: These articles can be expanded in the browser window they open
in by clicking on the picture and scrolling around) |
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The Adjudication (page 2) |
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The Adjudication (page 3) |
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Tuggerah Lakes News 23 December 1969 |
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Wyong Advocate 13 August 1969 |
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Sydney Morning Herald 21 November 1969 |
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Tuggerah Lakes News 13 August 1969 |
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Article in late November in the Tuggerah Lakes News following
release of the written adjudication by Mr Robert Levis |
