Frederick Ward (theatre)

Frederick Ward (born 1887) was an English-born actor and theatre manager in Australia. He founded Sydney's first repertory theatre.

History

Ward was born in London and educated at Surry [sic] College,^[where?] followed by London University, graduating B.A. in 1907. He worked in London County Council architect's department for three years. He served as private secretary to C. Birch Crisp, a London financier, for a few years, accompanying him on his various travels. Next he was private secretary to Sir James Mills KCMG, managing director of the Union Steamship Line,^[1] in which capacity Ward came to Sydney around 1912, and remained in Australia, taking whatever acting part he could land.^[2] In England he had been a director of "The Connoisseurs", an English repertory company, a member of the Council of Amateur Dramatic Clubs, and editor of The Prompter, a magazine devoted to amateur theatre.^[3] He had written several plays, including The Legacy which was produced in Manchester by Annie Horniman, and later in Germany.^[1] He helped establish a repertory theatre in Dunedin, New Zealand,^[3] but none of this helped gain a foothold in Australia. He took any on-stage work he could find, from an extra ("extra gentleman") with Lewis Waller's Company to a comedian's "patsy". He wrote a play and recruited a company to produce it, but could not find an "angel" to provide the necessary finance.^[4]

He joined the Sydney Repertory Society,^[5] which took over Federation Hall, Grosvenor Street, Sydney, to become Sydney Repertory Theatre, opened 31 May 1913.

In November 1913 he had a part in Carbasse and Welch's production of the melodrama The Warning at the Little Theatre.^[6] to packed houses. He gained further public acceptance with Muriel Starr's drama company in its 1913–1915 Australian tour. He had only a minor roles, but one night he got to play "Raymond Floriot" in her 1914 production of Madame X, and won the part.^[7]

In May 1914 Ward and G. Kay Souper^[a] opened a Dramatic Academy, at Penzance Chambers, Elizabeth Street, Sydney.^[9] Dubbed "the only bijou theatre in Sydney",^[5] in May 1915 it became the clubrooms for the Arts and Dramatic Club, founded by Ward.^[10]

Later in 1914 he joined Reynolds Denniston's Country Amusements Ltd touring company,^[11] playing in Nobody's Daughter and The Rosary.^[12]

Ward wrote a play, Little Sloe Eyes, which was performed at the Sydney Repertory Society's 1915 A.G.M.^[13] His Little Theatre Company folded in April 1915, and his and Souper's acting academy re-emerged.^[14] The Society staged Hindle Wakes at the Repertory Theatre in June.^[15]

In March 1916 Ward leased the Little Theatre, where he first produced Julia Seton's polemical New Thought play, The Victory.^[16] Pinero's The Second Mrs Tanqueray followed, starring Eily Malyon as Paula and Esther Mitchell as Ellean, to great acclaim.^[17] Hindle Wakes, The Critic, and The New Sin followed, all critical successes but financial failures.^[18]

In 1917 he directed, and played a comic part in, The Rajah of Shivapore for Sydney James^[b] at the Playhouse.^[20]

In 1922 he tried running poultry at Manor Farm,^[21] Carlingford,^[22] but he lost everything in the endeavour.^[23]

For three years he edited Everyone's, a weekly devoted to the entertainment industry, and in 1927 acted as publicity manager for Eva Novak, who was making a picture The Romance of Runnibede in Queensland, then he accepted the position of publicity director for Cinema Art Films Limited, which had dealings with Hoyt's Theatres Limited.^[5]

He was appointed resident manager in Adelaide^[c] for Hoyt's Limited, and was director of publicity at the newly opened Regent Theatre, Adelaide.^[24] During this period, 1928–1935, he was editor of The Regent magazine, another trade paper.^[25]

In 1934 he was partner with John Longden in a company formed to film Highway Romance,^[26]

He was producer for the Hordernian Society, an amateur theatre company associated with the Hordern emporium staff club.^[27]

In 1937 he was engaged by Commonwealth Theatres Pty Ltd, as tour manager for their "Thirty Young Australians" revue.^[28]

Mrs Ward

Ward married a New South Wales girl Beatrice Helene, surname not yet found, sometime before 1918.^[2] Mrs Ward was an occasional producer of plays for charity,^[29] and active in Adelaide's social scene 1928–1930.^[30] While resident in Adelaide, Mrs Ward gave lessons in voice production and stage deportment.^[31] Enigmatically described as "general necromancer, soothsayer, and eccentric dancer", she danced and sang in at least one production of Alfred Hill's The Rajah of Shivapore.^[32]

Notes and references

This page was last edited on 17 November 2022, at 19:40