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I realised he had that very, very rare quality that made you watch him. He was absolute magic! He was a natural clown. The inventive bits of comic business woven into the performance of the youngish-looking hypochondriac had the whole lot of us rocking with laughter. Peter didn’t attempt to make him
172:
British film director Harry Watt also saw the performance. Finch left
Australia towards the end of 1948, and later signed under contract to Olivier. He also had an affair with Vivien Leigh and made his first British film for Watt.
125:, to London. It was also an adaptation of the play which cut it down to 50 minutes, enabling it to be performed at workplaces during lunch time; was unusual in Australian theatre at the time.
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look too old. That was where he was clever! He had imagination, an innate sense of comedy, and was able to weave his own original brilliance into
Moliere’s masterpiece. Stunning!
180:
said "Finch’s performance was excellent —the kind of study in voice, gesture and pose that is worth going miles to see. The rest of the cast set the comedy off perfectly."
137:
was established as one of the leading radio actors in Sydney. However he was dissatisfied with the state of
Australian theatre, and so in 1946 he formed a theatre company,
183:
Finch appeared in another lunchtime production of the play at Sydney Town Hall in
September 1948 shortly before leaving Australia. Reviewing the latter the
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that produced a number of touring shows (Finch drew on his experience of touring shows when in the army). These included an adaptation of
413:
156:
Company. He asked to see some local theatre and was constantly recommended to see Peter Finch. Olivier and Leigh saw a production of
396:
160:
held by the
Mercury at O'Brien's Glass Factory at lunchtime on 18 August 1948. Olivier was so impressed he invited Finch to London.
613:
472:
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said it "The performance had pace, style, and some excellent acting, notably from Peter Finch in the central role."
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Sydney John Kay revived the adaptation in 1952, with Alan White replacing Finch in the cast.
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saw a production at O'Brien's Glass
Factory in Sydney, which lead to them inviting its star,
376:. No. 12, 036. New South Wales, Australia. 24 August 1948. p. 9 (Late Final Extra)
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114:
113:. While an adaptation, its production became famous in Australian theatre folklore because
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55:
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476:. Vol. IX, no. 45. New South Wales, Australia. 19 September 1948. p. 6
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440:(3578), Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald (published 1880), 8 Sep 1948,
118:
597:
588:
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The
Mercury then performed the play at Killara Hall on a bill of one act plays.
152:
Laurence
Olivier and Vivien Leigh were touring Australia in 1948 with Olivier's
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122:
551:
467:
367:
269:
Stephen Vagg, 'Finch, fry and factories: a brief history of
Mercury Theatre',
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495:
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320:. No. 34, 553. New South Wales, Australia. 18 September 1948. p. 11
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283:
504:. No. 34, 555. New South Wales, Australia. 21 September 1948. p. 2
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532:. No. 160. New South Wales, Australia. 17 February 1952. p. 9
292:. No. 33, 870. New South Wales, Australia. 13 July 1946. p. 6
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45:
429:
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Jenkinson and the
Mercury tried to repeat the success of
348:. New South Wales, Australia. 15 August 1954. p. 24
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at Peter Finch's papers, National Library of Australia
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76:
61:
51:
36:
26:
21:
436:, John Ryan Comic Collection (Specific issues).,
149:by Australian radio writer Creswick Jenkinson.
552:"Famous Aust. Theatre Stars to Visit Bathurst"
8:
99:is a 1948 Australian stage play adapted by
568:– via National Library of Australia.
560:. Bathurst, NSW. 7 October 1948. p. 5
540:– via National Library of Australia.
512:– via National Library of Australia.
484:– via National Library of Australia.
384:– via National Library of Australia.
356:– via National Library of Australia.
328:– via National Library of Australia.
300:– via National Library of Australia.
18:
589:1948 O'Briens Glass Factory Performance
262:
7:
468:"Actor to Appear in Lunch-Hour Play"
284:"Music and Drama "A Cry of Players""
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598:1948 Sydney Town Hall performance
211:but it was less well received.
80:O'Brien's Glass Factory, Sydney
1:
635:
529:The Sunday Herald (Sydney)
340:"Meeting In Coffee Lounge"
271:Australasian Drama Studies
16:1948 Australian stage play
501:The Sydney Morning Herald
430:""La Malade Imaginaire.""
395:Faulkner, Trader (1979).
317:The Sydney Morning Herald
289:The Sydney Morning Herald
65:August 18, 1948
163:Olivier later recalled:
496:"Moliere At Lunch-time"
215:Cast of 1948 production
614:1940s Australian plays
412:Dundy, Elaine (1979).
170:
557:The National Advocate
273:, 50, Apr 2007, 18–35
185:Sydney Morning Herald
165:
158:The Imaginary Invalid
147:The Imaginary Invalid
106:The Imaginary Invalid
96:The Imaginary Invalid
41:The Imaginary Invalid
22:The Imaginary Invalid
473:The Daily Telegraph
448:, nla.obj-552677577
418:. pp. 126–134.
204:The Pickwick Papers
201:, an adaptation of
199:The Pickwick Papers
415:Finch Bloody Finch
101:Creswick Jenkinson
31:Creswick Jenkinson
619:Theatre in Sydney
524:"Repertory Plans"
456:– via Trove
240:Patricia Harrison
195:Imaginary Invalid
133:By the mid-1940s
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85:Original language
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209:Charles Dickens
143:Sydney John Kay
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77:Place premiered
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583:Copy of script
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401:. p. 163.
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368:"Sydney Diary"
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345:The Sun-herald
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434:The Bulletin
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350:. Retrieved
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237:Franz Folmer
234:Peter Finch'
231:John Faassen
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178:The Bulletin
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119:Vivien Leigh
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600:at Ausstage
536:12 November
508:12 November
480:12 November
452:13 November
398:Peter Finch
380:12 November
352:12 November
324:12 November
296:12 November
252:June Wimblw
228:Elsie Dayne
135:Peter Finch
123:Peter Finch
52:Directed by
608:Categories
257:References
129:Background
69:1948-08-18
27:Written by
446:0007-4039
249:Al Thomas
593:Ausstage
246:Tom Lake
37:Based on
564:25 July
373:The Sun
154:Old Vic
141:, with
139:Mercury
111:Moliere
88:English
67: (
46:Moliere
444:
197:with
103:from
566:2015
538:2023
510:2023
482:2023
454:2023
442:ISSN
382:2023
354:2023
326:2023
298:2023
117:and
591:at
207:by
109:by
44:by
610::
554:.
526:.
498:.
470:.
438:69
432:,
370:.
342:.
314:.
286:.
71:)
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