Jack Beresford Fowler (21 July 1893[lower-alpha 1] – 17 July 1972), generally referred to as Beresford Fowler or J. Beresford Fowler, was an Australian actor and stage director, remembered for his little theatre productions in Melbourne.

History

Fowler was born in Darlinghurst[2] or Ultimo,[3] Sydney, youngest of four sons of musician Frank Harry Fowler (c. 1857 – 9 December 1893)[4] and Fannie Adele Fowler, née Ellard[5] (c. 1861 – 10 August 1928), better known as the actress Ethel Adele,[6] whose sister Ada Kate Ellard married Garnet Walch.

He was only a few months old when his father died, and his mother, though not well provided for,[4] brought up her four boys on her own. In 1896 she took her sons to live in Melbourne, living in various suburbs — Elsternwick, Brighton, Armadale and Hawksburn — taking in boarders and supplementing whatever income by producing Gilbert & Sullivan operettas for high schools. She also appeared on stage for Gregan McMahon, so Jack got to see many stage productions, albeit involuntarily. One of his earliest memories was of Bert Royle's pantomime Djin Djin starring Florrie Young[7] at the Princess Theatre in 1896.[2] He was quite deaf, so had no talents as a singer.[2] He was educated at Hawksburn State School (closed 1993), and after leaving found employment as a dentist's assistant.

Fowler got a start in theatre with Gregan McMahon's amateur company 1911–1914, playing alongside medical student F. Kingsley Norris in various dramas, notably as Foldal in Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman. On one occasion they shared the stage with Nellie Melba.[8] Other notable amateurs with McMahon around that time were Doris Fitton, Jack Cussen, son of Judge Cussen, and Louie Dunn, teacher of Irene Mitchell.

In 1911 Bert Bailey, Edmund Duggan and Julius Grant combined to form the Bert Bailey Dramatic Company, and leased King's Theatre from William Anderson, and Fowler joined the company. He played Billy Bearup in a touring production of On Our Selection and back at King's Theatre in The Squaw Man on 22 April 1916.

He was living with his mother at 94 Hotham Street, East St Kilda, Victoria when he enlisted with the First AIF in April 1916, and served as a private in France, returning to Australia in 1919.[9] He rejoined Bailey. In 1923 he joined Allan Wilkie's company, playing in Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry V, and others.

Meanwhile he assembled an independent amateur company, who performed Darnley's comedy Facing the Music from 8 January 1921 at The Playhouse. Audience included members of the 3rd Battalion Pioneers[10] Ibsen's Ghosts followed on 27 September 1922.

He became associated with the Australian Institute of Arts and Literature (1921–1927), a Melbourne club for the Arts élite[11] whose existence rose and fell with the presidency of Sir Robert Garran.[12] A dramatic group was formed within the organisation which, led by Fowler, presented several dramas, one at the clubroom above[13] or adjacent[14] the Palace Theatre overlooking Bourke Street, and another at The Playhouse. The Institute appears not to have sponsored any further productions after 1922.

In 1925, with no backing and £100 from his own savings, Fowler founded The Little Art Theatre Company, often referred to as the Little Art Company[15] or Little Art Theatre. For four years they kept up a heavy schedule of challenging productions, mostly on the minuscule Queen's Hall stage, to generally warm praise from critics. In 1929 they turned professional, with Fowler and Dudley Riddick (who had been with the company several years) as joint directors, and business manager Laurence Walter, as The Art Theatre Players,[16] and that February opened in Hobart. The travelling cast was four men and four women, with Berta Howden pianist.[17] Despite good reviews the tour was a financial failure.[18]

Opened onTitleAuthorVenueComments
8 Jul 1922John Gabriel BorkmanIbsenThe Playhousefor I.A.L.[19]
7 Dec 1922FuturityAdrian StephenClubroomsfor I.A.L.[20]
16 Sep 1925A Doll's HouseIbsenQueen's Hall
14 Sep 1925CandidaShawQueen's Hall[21]
26 Oct 1925Hedda GablerIbsenQueen's Hall
29 Oct 1925Rutherford and SonGitha SowerbyQueen's Hall
31 Oct 1925CandidaShawQueen's Hall[22]
4 Nov 1925GhostsIbsenQueen's Hall
22 Feb 1926Rutherford and SonSowerbyQueen's Hall"continual improvement"[15]
25 Feb 1926Hindle WakesStanley HoughtonQueen's Hall
1 Mar 1926The Master BuilderIbsenQueen's HallMelbourne premiere[23]
3 Mar 1926A Doll's HouseIbsenQueen's Hall
6 Mar 1926CandidaShawQueen's Hall
11 Mar 1926Man and SupermanShawThe PlayhouseRuth Conabere was singled out for special praise[23]
18 Mar 1926The Master BuilderIbsenQueen's Hall
18 May 1926A Doll's HouseIbsenThe Playhouse
25 May 1926GhostsIbsenThe Playhouse
29 May 1926The Wild DuckIbsenQueen's HallMelbourne premiere
30 May 1926John Gabriel BorkmanIbsenThe Playhouse
17 Jun 1926Hindle WakesHoughtonQueen's Hall[24]
21 Jun 1926Hedda GablerIbsenQueen's Hall
17 Jul 1926Man and SupermanShawThe Playhouse
22 Jul 1926Major BarbaraShawThe Playhouse
21 Nov 1926The Fires of St. JohnSudermannQueen's Hall
6 Jun 1928Miss JulieStrindbergQueen's HallAustralian premiere[25]
6 Jun 1928How He Lied to Her HusbandShawQueen's Hall
16 Dec 1926Windows (1922 play)GalsworthyQueen's HallMelbourne premiere[26]
24 Dec 1926A Doll's HouseIbsenQueen's Hall
1 Jan 1927CasteT. W. RobertsonQueen's Hall
15 Jan 1927WindowsGalsworthyQueen's Hall
10 Feb 1927Fanny's First PlayShawQueen's Hall
17 Mar 1927The SeagullChekhovQueen's Hall
4 Jun 1927PygmalionShawQueen's Hall
10 Aug 1927Mrs Warren's ProfessionShawQueen's Hall
5 Sep 1927The Wild DuckIbsenQueen's Hall
7 Sep 1927WindowsGalsworthyQueen's Hall
21 Nov 1927The Fires of St. JohnSudermannQueen's Hall
1 Dec 1927JoyGalsworthySaint Peter's Hall[lower-alpha 2]
8 Dec 1927Major BarbaraShawSaint Peter's Hall
2 Mar 1928The Family ManGalsworthyQueen's HallMelbourne premiere
20 Mar 1928You Never Can TellShawASH[lower-alpha 3]
4 Apr 1928CandidaShawQueen's Hall
12 Apr 1928Dead TimberLouis EssonQueen's Hall
12 Apr 1928Disturber of PoolsFurnley MauriceQueen's Hallon same bill
18 April 1928Man and SupermanShawQueen's Hall
5 May 1928The Taming of the ShrewShakespeareThe Playhousein modern dress
10 May 1928The Master BuilderIbsenQueen's Hall
15 May 1928The Taming of the ShrewShakespeareThe Playhouse
6 June 1928Miss JulieStrinbergQueen's HallAustralian premiere[27]
20 Jun 1928Fanny's First PlayShawQueen's Hall
7 Jul 1928RosmersholmIbsenQueen's Hall
19 Sep 1928LoyaltiesGalsworthyQueen's Hallproduction criticised[28]
8 Oct 1928Heartbreak HouseShawQueen's HallAustralian premiere[29]
15 Nov 1928The Whiteheaded BoyRobinsonQueen's Hall
22 Nov 1928E. & O. E.Eliot Crawshay-WilliamsQueen's Hall"Grand Guignol farce"
22 Nov 1928The BoonChekhovQueen's Hallon the same bill
20 Dec 1928The VortexNoël CowardQueen's HallAustralian premiere
26 Dec 1928The Rat TrapCowardQueen's Hall
22 Feb 1929PygmalionShawQueen's Hall
27 Feb 1929The Doctor's DilemmaShawQueen's HallTheir 41st play[30]
9 March 1929WindowsGalsworthyTheatre Royal, HobartDebut as a professional company
13 Mar 1929The Rat TrapCowardTheatre Royal, Hobart
16 Mar 1929CandidaShawTheatre Royal, Hobart
21 Mar 1929The Fires of St. JohnSudermannTheatre Royal, Hobart
25 Mar 1929The VortexCowardTheatre Royal, Hobart[31]
28 Mar 1929PygmalionShawTheatre Royal, Hobartwith "extras" from the Hobart Repertory Society
8 Apr 1929CandidaShawNational Theatre, Launcestonaudience reduced due to floods
10 Apr 1929WindowsGalsworthyNational Theatre, Launceston"adequately performed"[32]
22 Apr 1929WindowsGalsworthyQueen's Hall[33]
29 Apr 1929CandidaShawQueen's Hall
8 May 1929The Rat TrapCowardQueen's Hall
22 May 1929LoyaltiesGalsworthyQueen's Hallimprovement noted
7 Aug 1929ChainsElizabeth BakerQueen's Hall
14 Aug 1929Miss JulieStrindbergQueen's Hall
20 Sep 1929The Pincher PinchedFurnley MauriceQueen's Hall
20 Sep 1929Peer Gynt (scene)IbsenQueen's Hallon the same bill
26 Sep 1929The Round TableRobinsonQueen's Hall
31 Oct 1929JusticeGalsworthyQueen's Hall
4 Dec 1929The Round TableRobinsonQueen's Hall
12 Dec 1929StrifeGalsworthyQueen's Hall
4 Jan 1930StrifeGalsworthyQueen's Hall
15 Jan 1930JusticeGalsworthyQueen's Hall
22 Jan 1930The VortexCowardQueen's Hall
1 Feb 1930Heartbreak HouseShawQueen's Hall
19 Feb 1930ChainsElizabeth BakerQueen's Hall
27 Feb 1930Fallen AngelsCowardQueen's HallAustralian premiere
27 Mar 1930Passers ByHaddon ChambersQueen's HallProduction by Victor Wiltshire[34]
5 Apr 1930A Doll's HouseIbsenQueen's Hall
3 May 1930Rutherford and SonSowerbyQueen's Hall
7 May 1930John Gabriel BorkmanIbsenQueen's Hallpraised[35]
31 May 1930PygmalionShawQueen's Hall
4 Jun 1930Man and SupermanShawQueen's Hall
11 Jun 1930Easy VirtueCowardQueen's HallAustralian premiere
23 Jul 1930Mrs Warren's ProfessionShawQueen's Hall
26 Jul 1930The Fires of St. JohnSodermannQueen's Hall
14 Aug 1930Widowers' Houses ShawQueen's HallAustralian premiere
17 Sep 1930Mrs Warren's ProfessionShawQueen's Hall
29 Sep 1930The Affairs of AnatolSchnitzlerQueen's Hall
22 Jan 1931The FugitiveGalsworthyQueen's Hallhugely popular
4 Feb 1931JoyGalsworthyQueen's Hallhugely popular
6 MayCandidaShawQueen's Hall
20 MayThe Rat trapCowardQueen's Hall
27 MayGreater Love[36]FowlerQueen's Hallunder the auspices of Sir John Monash and Albert Jacka VC.
22 Jul 1931A Family ManGalsworthyQueen's Hall
29 Jul 1931The Wild DuckIbsenQueen's Hall
28 Oct 1931Fallen AngelsCowardQueen's Hall
1 Nov 1931The Queen Was in the ParlourCowardQueen's HallMelbourne premiere[37]
8 Nov 1931The Pillars of SocietyIbsenQueen's HallMelbourne premiere[37]
6 Jan 1932Easy VirtueCowardQueen's Hall
13 Jan 1932The VortexCowardQueen's Hall
6 Feb 1932MesallianceShawQueen's Hall
11 Feb 1932The Queen Was in the ParlourCowardQueen's Hall
18 Feb 1932The White BlackbirdRobinsonQueen's Hall
27 Feb 1932The Wild DuckIbsenQueen's Hall
5 Mar 1932WindowsGalsworthyQueen's Hall
25 Jan 1933Home ChatCowardQueen's Hall
26 Jan 1933PygmalionShawQueen's Hall

Other interests

He was a prominent member of the Play Lovers' Club, which read Chekhov's The Seagull in August 1926.[38]

Fowler produced plays for other amateur groups, — Sunset by Jerome K. Jerome for the Old Wesley Collegians' Dramatic Society[39]

He produced W. W. Jacobs' The Warming Pan as a radio play on station 3LO in 1930.[40]

He helped found a repertory theatre in Bendigo 1930.[41]

In 1932 he produced plays at Ballarat.[42]

He has been credited as founder and conductor of the Brisbane Liedertafel.[2]

As playwright

In 1910 Fowler wrote a play about Robert Clive, which he sent to Gerard Coventry, a producer for J. C. Williamson's, which was not accepted, nor was his second, a dramatization of The Count of Monte Cristo. Coventry again returned the manuscript, with the advice to "persevere . . . and never give up or lose heart".[2]

In 1920 he registered his play The Dame of Corbie for copyright purposes.[43]

At an all-Australian programme 12 April 1928 he staged his own A Heroine of Russia (1916)[44]

Greater Love, a "comedy-drama of the war, the stage and school life", loosely adapted from his own novel, The Elusive Ideal.[36]

A Suit of Clothes, play adapted from his own short story.[45]

Assessments

Everyone with a knowledge of the theatre is aware that the producer's skill or the lack of it makes or mars the play. To obtain a right effect at the right moment is part of the producer's job. To obtain a well-balanced ensemble is another . . . How Mr Fowler works his miracles at the Queen's Hall is beyond my comprehension. Almost as well attempt Hamlet in a Punch and Judy theatre.[46]

Notes and references

  1. His army records have his birthdate as 21 June 1893.[1]
  2. St Peters Hall, Eastern Hill, Victoria was on the Collins Street tramline, "three or four minutes from the city"
  3. Allied Society's Hall, Collins Place
  1. "Fowler, Jack Beresford : SERN 2552". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Cheryl Threadgold OAM. "Jack Beresford Fowler: A life well spent (Part 1)". Theatre Heritage Australia. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  3. Barry O. Jones; Peter O'Shaughnessy (1996). "Fowler, Jack Beresford (1893–1972)". Australian Dictionary of Biography: 'Fowler, Jack Beresford (1893–1972)'. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Death of Frank Fowler". The Telegraph (Brisbane). No. 6603. Queensland, Australia. 14 December 1893. p. 2. Retrieved 20 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 14, 872. New South Wales, Australia. 24 November 1885. p. 1. Retrieved 20 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Miss Ethel Adele". The Brisbane Courier. No. 22, 017. Queensland, Australia. 20 August 1928. p. 12. Retrieved 20 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  7. "The Drama". The Sportsman (Melbourne). No. 820. Victoria, Australia. 2 November 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 21 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  8. "The Melba Matinee". The Age. No. 17772. Victoria, Australia. 2 March 1912. p. 15. Retrieved 22 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Fowler Jack Beresford : SERN 2552". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  10. "Playhouse—"Facing the Music"". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 23, 225. Victoria, Australia. 10 January 1921. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Woman's Melbourne Letter". The Western Mail (Perth). Vol. XXXVII, no. 1, 906. Western Australia. 6 July 1922. p. 27. Retrieved 27 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  12. "Items of Interest". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 25, 234. Victoria, Australia. 27 June 1927. p. 16. Retrieved 26 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  13. "Gossip from Melbourne". The Sunday Times. No. 1888. New South Wales, Australia. 2 April 1922. p. 23. Retrieved 27 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  14. "The Institute of Arts and Literature". Table Talk. No. 1889. Victoria, Australia. 13 October 1921. p. 12. Retrieved 27 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  15. 1 2 "Amusements". The Age. No. 22, 118. Victoria, Australia. 23 February 1926. p. 11. Retrieved 24 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  16. "Art Theatre Players". The Age. No. 23041. Victoria, Australia. 11 February 1929. p. 13. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  17. "Plays for Hobart". The Mercury (Hobart). Vol. CXXX, no. 19, 129. Tasmania, Australia. 27 February 1929. p. 6. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  18. "Art Theatre Players". The Mercury (Hobart). Vol. CXXX, no. 19, 155. Tasmania, Australia. 29 March 1929. p. 7. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  19. "Ibsen Drama at the Playhouse". The Age. No. 20, 991. Victoria, Australia. 11 July 1922. p. 9. Retrieved 27 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  20. "Problem Play By Australian Author". The Age. No. 21, 122. Victoria, Australia. 11 December 1922. p. 12. Retrieved 27 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  21. "Ibsen's Famous Play". The Age. No. 21, 968. Victoria, Australia. 31 August 1925. p. 13. Retrieved 23 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  22. "No, No, Nanette's 125th Performance". The Age. No. 22, 004. Victoria, Australia. 12 October 1925. p. 12. Retrieved 23 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  23. 1 2 "Barrie Plays for Melbourne". The Weekly Times. No. 2946. Victoria, Australia. 13 February 1926. p. 16. Retrieved 24 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  24. "Queen's Hall—"Hindle Wakes"". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 24, 916. Victoria, Australia. 18 June 1926. p. 7. Retrieved 23 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  25. "Music and Drama". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 25, 514. Victoria, Australia. 21 May 1928. p. 18. Retrieved 24 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  26. "Music and Drama". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 25, 056. Victoria, Australia. 29 November 1926. p. 14. Retrieved 24 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  27. "Miss Julie". The Age. No. 22829. Victoria, Australia. 7 June 1928. p. 15. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  28. "The Little Art Theatre". The Age. No. 22, 919. Victoria, Australia. 20 September 1928. p. 17. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  29. "A Shaw Comedy". The Age. No. 22, 935. Victoria, Australia. 9 October 1928. p. 10. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  30. "The Doctor's Dilemma". The Age. No. 23053. Victoria, Australia. 25 February 1929. p. 11. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  31. "Art Theatre Players". The Mercury (Hobart). Vol. CXXX, no. 19, 152. Tasmania, Australia. 26 March 1929. p. 7. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  32. "Amusements". The Examiner (Tasmania). Vol. LXXXVII, no. 84. Tasmania, Australia. 11 April 1929. p. 5 (DAILY). Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  33. "Stage Screen". The Australasian. Vol. CXXVI, no. 4, 190. Victoria, Australia. 27 April 1929. p. 19. Retrieved 23 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  34. "The Woman's World". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 16, 492. Victoria, Australia. 26 March 1930. p. 18. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  35. "Amusements". The Age. No. 23425. Victoria, Australia. 8 May 1930. p. 13. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  36. 1 2 "New Australian Play". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 16, 857. Victoria, Australia. 28 May 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  37. 1 2 "The Art Theatre Players". The Age. No. 23, 864. Victoria, Australia. 5 October 1931. p. 13. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  38. ""The Seagull"". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 24, 962. Victoria, Australia. 11 August 1926. p. 27. Retrieved 24 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  39. "The Schools". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 24, 855. Victoria, Australia. 8 April 1926. p. 8. Retrieved 24 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  40. "A Clever Comedy". The Daily Standard (Brisbane). No. 5402. Queensland, Australia. 10 January 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  41. "Bendigo". The Age. No. 23, 570. Victoria, Australia. 24 October 1930. p. 7. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  42. "Music, Drama & Films". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 26, 951. Victoria, Australia. 2 January 1933. p. 2. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  43. "Registration of Dramatic Work". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  44. "An Australian Playlet". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXI, no. 21, 760. South Australia. 5 August 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 24 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  45. "Entertainments". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 26, 694. Victoria, Australia. 5 March 1932. p. 24. Retrieved 25 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
  46. Thespia (27 August 1927). "The Little Art Theatre". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 15, 686. Victoria, Australia. p. 17. Retrieved 24 September 2022 via National Library of Australia.
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