Australia's Stars
p. 103 · Read in the full issue
Of The Stage
And Screen
A large-sized book at a large-sized price called "Stars of Australian Stage and Screen" is enough to put any non-Australian completely off; to make him ask: Are there any?
Strangely enough there are.
They extend from such luminaries as Diane Cilento, Peter Finch, Cyril Ritchard and Robert Helpmann, back into grandfather's day of Marie Lohr and Nellie Stewart and even beyond.
The book is written by Hal Porter, novelist and playright.
Australian theatre began in the late 18th century when the Colony of New South Wales was a feeble infant. June 4, 1789, is the date fixed for the event —a production of "The Recruiting Offcer" in honour of George Ill's birthday, in which the cast was composed of soldiers of the garrison and convicts, in almost equal parts.
Since then affairs have looked up considerably and although it is still true that youngsters have frequently to go abroad to become famous in their own country, a few expatriates became famous in Australia before they went on to bigger things over seas.
The book is composed mainly of the biographies of the stars them selves, interspersed with the history of the theatre and theatres in Aus tralia, As such it is something that should be enjoyed equally by people of all generations who are interested in the dramatic arts.
(Stars Of Australian Stage
AND SCREEN. Rigby Ltd. 45/-.)