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Revusical.
Billed as 'the musical comedy revue of the season [with] delightful novelties, tuneful melodies, new spectacular scenery, exquisite costumes, hilarious situations [and] beautiful concerted numbers' (Truth 26 March 1916, p.7), this revusical sees Bert Le Blanc as Ike Cohen (a man of money) and Jake Mack as Morris Levi (after the money). Complications and much hilarity arise, however, as Mrs Cohen sees to it that she spends the money. The Truth theatre critic wrote of the 1916 Brisbane production:
Full of real humour, [The Gay Mrs Cohen] introduces many novelties and abounding as it is in tuneful melodies and sparkling songs, gives ample scope for the leading lights to show their abilities (26 Mar. 1916, p.7).
For the 1915 Perth season, Glenville Jones and Jack Quinlan, of the New York Comedy Four, impersonated well-known theatrical personalities Martin Brennan (Australian Variety editor) and Sid Russell. Australian Variety records that one of the 'absolute screams' of the 1916 Adelaide production was the Le Blanc/Mack sketch 'The Dying Gladiator' (5 January 1916, n. pag.).
Production Details
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1915: Melrose Theatre, Perth, 6-12 November.
- Director Bert Le Blanc; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Bert Le Blanc Revue Company.
- Cast incl. Bert Le Blanc (Ike Cohen), Jake Mack (Morris Levi), Carlton Chase, Maud Miles, Durham Marcel, Nellie Fallon, the New York Comedy Four (Jack Quinlan, Glenmore Jones, Clym Edgares, and Holly Leslie), and the Pony Ballet.
1916: Kings Theatre, Adelaide, 1-7 January.
- Director Bert Le Blanc; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Bert Le Blanc's Musical Travesty Stars.
- Cast incl. Bert Le Blanc, Jake Mack, Carlton Chase, Maud Miles, Nellie Fallon, Durham Marcel, the New York Comedy Four (Jack Quinlan, Glenmore Jones, Clym Edgares, and Holly Leslie), and the Pony Ballet (Gladys Nyhoym, Marie Lannan, Dot Bellion, Letty Patten, Violet De Lacy, Lily Clark).
1916: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 25-31 March.
- Director Bert Le Blanc; Producer Holland and St John/Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Proprietor Holland and St John.
- Troupe Bert Le Blanc's Musical Travesty Stars.
- Cast incl. Bert Le Blanc, Jake Mack, Carlton Chase, Maud Miles, Nellie Fallon, Durham Marcel, the New York Comedy Four (Jack Quinlan, Glenmore Jones, Clym Edgares, and Holly Leslie), and the Pony Ballet (Gladys Nyhoym, Marie Lannan, Dot Bellion, Letty Patten, Violet De Lacy, Lily Clark).
- Although The Gay Mrs Cohen was very likely staged in Adelaide (ca. April/May 1917) and in Sydney at the National Theatre (ca. August/September 1917), these seasons are yet to be confirmed.
1917: Majestic Theatre, Sydney, 16-22 June.
- Director Bert Le Blanc; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Bert Le Blanc's Travesty Stars.
- Cast incl. Bert Le Blanc, Jake Mack, Carlton Chase, Winnie Knight [aka Mrs Bert Le Blanc], Mike Connors, Queenie Paul, Ivy Moore, Clym Edgares, and the Pony Ballet (Kitty McGuire, Trixie Wilson, Marie Lannan, Dot Bellion, Lily Clarke, Annie Henry).
1917: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 29 December 1917-4 January 1918.
- Director Bert Le Blanc; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Proprietor Holland and St John.
- Troupe Bert Le Blanc's Travesty Stars.
- Cast incl. Bert Le Blanc, Jake Mack, Queenie Paul (Mrs Cohen), Ivy Moore, Clym Edgares, Carlton Chase, Mike Connors, Fred Witt, Winnie Knight [aka Mrs Bert Le Blanc], and the Pony Ballet.
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1918: Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, 12-18 October.
- Director Bert Le Blanc; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Bert Le Blanc's Travesty Stars.
- Cast incl. Bert Le Blanc, Jake Mack, Mike Connors, Queenie Paul, Lillian Colenzo, Winnie Knight [aka Mrs Bert Le Blanc], Sid Garti, Harry McDonna, Leslie Jephcott, and the Pony Ballet (Violet Penson, Rita Penson, Vera Tandy, Rose Brennan, Hilda Lynn, Annie Henry).
1918: Empire Theatre, Brisbane, 2-8 November.
- Director Bert Le Blanc; Producer Fullers' Theatres Ltd.
- Troupe Bert Le Blanc's Travesty Stars.
- Cast incl. Bert Le Blanc, Jake Mack, Mike Connors, Queenie Paul, Lillian Colenzo, Winnie Knight [aka Mrs Bert Le Blanc], Lance Vane, Will Raynor, and the Pony Ballet (Violet Penson, Rita Penson, Vera Tandy, Rose Brennan, Hilda Lynn, Annie Henry).
- This was the opening production of the Le Blanc season.
1921: Lyric Theatre, St Kilda (Melbourne), 5-11 November.
- Director Bert Le Blanc; Producer William Anderson; Lessee Fullers' Theatres Ltd; Music Director George Powell.
- Troupe The Who's Who Costume Revue Entertainers (aka Travesty Stars).
- Cast incl. Bert Le Blanc, Jake Mack, Sydney Hollister, Dan Weldon, Frank Graham, Clarice Norman, Jean Maynard, Alice Walton, Winnie Knight, Fred Deal, Harry Vernon, Mary Anderson, Nora Marrs, Sylvie Millers, May Down.
