To illustrate this history of Phillip St Theatre are production photos of The Anniversary starring June Salter, John Hamblin, Zoe Bertram, Alan Wilson, Malcolm Thompson and Rebecca Giblin; and God’s Favourite, starring Ron Frazer and Elaine Lee. Words and photos © Mark Anning.
A history of Phillip St Theatre
Located in the heart of Sydney CBD, Phillip Street Theatre became synonymous with satirical revues, musical comedies, variety shows and vaudeville, pantomimes and light-hearted performances that captured the spirit of the times.
Australia has a proud history of theatre and performing arts. The huge international success of the Australian film industry of the 1980s and beyond has its roots in the foundational work done by these people and companies.
In Sydney, theatre houses entertained the masses in the days before television. The Tivoli, Old Tote, Ensemble Theatre, and the Genesian Theatre were filled with laughing and happy patrons in the 1970s and earlier.
The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) at the University of New South Wales, was established in 1958, ensuring a vibrant theatre scene in Sydney and Australia.
Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, Jane Street Theatre, Griffin, The Nimrod which became the Belvoir St Theatre, Theatre Royal, and then the Wharf Theatre and Sydney Opera House. The Phillip St Theatre has a proud place in this list.
The St James Hall at 169-171 Phillip Street, was a three-storey brick building owned by St James Anglican Church at Queens Square near King Street. It housed church offices in the basement, a concert hall on the middle level, and a school on the top floor.
The venue had various tenants over the years, operating under different names: Sydney Players’ Club (1923 – 1939), Independent Theatre (1930 – 1931); Workers’ Educational Association Sydney / Workers’ Education Hall (1950 – 1961); Mercury Theatre (1952 – 1953); and Phillip Street Theatre (1954 – 1961); and finally St James Hall / St James Playhouse (1963).
Known for its excellent acoustics and freedom from tram noise, the hall was leased by the church and renamed the Phillip Street Theatre in 1954.
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Phillip St Theatre
Established in 1954 by William Orr and John McCallum, Phillip St Theatre quickly became a launching pad for emerging talent and a training ground for the Australian television industry. Over the years, it staged a variety of performances, especially the well known Phillip St revues, which attracted audiences with its unique blend of humor and wit.
The theatre gained a reputation for its fast-paced and topical revues until the building was redeveloped in 1961. The new structure included a venue that continued to be leased to the Phillip Street Theatre group, and the building became known as St James’ Hall and St James Playhouse.
An All-Star Cast
Among the many dozens of actors who trod the boards at the old Phillip St Theatre were these names that reads like a Who’s Who of Australian actors. There are a few Gold Logie winners and household names amongst them, and the list is not exhaustive:
Serious actors included John Bell, Max Phipps, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell, Ray Barrett, John Ewart, Donald McDonald (not the ABC Chairperson), Tony Bonner, Robina Beard, Alton Harvey, Alan Hopgood, Bob Hornery, Patsy Ann Noble aka Trisha Noble, Lyle O’Hara, Tom Oliver, Hazel Phillips, Sue Walker, Peter Whitford, and Barbara Wyndon.
Australian comedy legends, Barry Humphries, Ruth Cracknell, Reg Livermore, John Meillon, Judi Farr, Wendy Blacklock, and Ron Shand, entertained at Phillip St.
Variety and vaudeville performers Gloria Dawn, Reg Gorman, Jimmy Hannan, Kevan Johnston and his wife Jill Perryman and her sister Diana Perryman, were all very popular acts who made the transition to television.
The Mavis Bramston Show‘s June Salter and Ron Frazer (both pictured on this page) plus Gordon Chater, Barry Creyton, Carol Raye, and Noeline Brown all starred at Phillip St.
Aunty Jack‘s Grahame Bond and Rory O’Donoghue cut their teeth at the old Phillip Street Theatre.
Others associated with the theatre who developed their craft at Phillip St Theatre include composers Dot Mendoza, Peter Sculthorpe, Tommy Tycho, and Charles Zwar, and scriptwriter Ray Taylor. Other well known thespians included Peter Batey (who produced Reg Livermore’s Betty Blokk Buster Follies), playwrights Peter Kenna and Melvyn Morrow, and Peter Weir who ultimately received six Academy Award nominations, and the Academy Honorary Award in 2022 for his lifetime achievement career.
Mainstream television was launched in Australia in September 1956 with Barry Humphries introducing Dame Edna Everage to the screen on the first day of programming. Other stage actors, comedians and entertainers quickly followed. Australia’s once thriving radio production industry was destroyed within a few years.
In 1956-1957, Barry Humphries held at least two revues at Phillip St, together with Gordon Chater, June Salter, Max Oldaker, Wendy Blacklock, and Delores Whiteman in ‘Around the Loop’. June Collis replaced June Salter in August 1957 and Reg Livermore replaced Gordon Chater. ‘Happy Birthday’ was another revue co-written by Humphries with Madge Ryan, Ruth Cracknell, Max Oldaker, and June Salter. Salter appeared in at least five revues around the same period, according to programmes held in the NSW State Library.
In 1961, the St James Anglican Church had the building demolished to make way for a 13-story office block. The company shortened its name to the Phillip Theatre and relocated to a slightly larger venue at 150 Elizabeth Street, near Liverpool Street, previously known as the Australian Hall.
By the mid-1960s ticket sales suffered and by 1971, television was seriously affecting crowd sizes at live theatre shows. Ironically, the Mavis Brampston Show‘s satirical humour that drove audiences to the Phillip St Theatre revues, now stayed home and watched them for free on the television.
Peter Williams
The new building at 171 Phillip St included a small theatre with more modern and comfortable facilities, accompanied by a corresponding increase in rent.
Despite seating only 300, the new Phillip Street Theatre experienced a revival in the 1980s under the management of Peter Williams and his wife Ellen, finding success with productions aimed at school children and serving as an acting school.
Peter Williams ran his Phillip St Theatre from 1979 until 1986.
The Anniversary
The Peter Williams production of The Anniversary, a play by British playwright Bill MacIlwraith, opened at Phillip Street Theatre on 18 March 1982. Williams brought together the cast from popular TV soap opera The Restless Years which had wound up in December 1981.
The Anniversary revolves around a tyrannical mother (June Salter) who uses the annual celebration of her wedding anniversary to manipulate and control her three sons. The eldest son, Henry, is a transvestite (John Hamblin); the middle son, Terry (Malcolm Thompson), is preparing to emigrate to Canada with his demanding wife, Karen (Belinda Giblin), and their six children; and the youngest son, Tom (Alan Wilson), a notorious womanizer whose previous relationships have been sabotaged by his mother, shows up with his pregnant girlfriend, Shirley (Zoe Bertram), in tow.
The cast of The Anniversary from left with their Restless Years character in brackets: Malcolm Thompson (Dr. Bruce Russell); Rebecca Giblin; June Salter (Elizabeth MacKenzie); John Hamblin (A.R. Jordan); Zoe Bertram (Olivia Russell); Alan Wilson.
The Anniversary was made into a 1968 film starring Bette Davis as the mother-in-law from hell. By combining a well known story line with a well known and popular cast, Peter Williams was onto a winning formula that filled the 300-seat theatre for the entire season.
June Salter
June Salter was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia this same year. See our page ‘Theatre production photography of June Salter’ which has more photos from this photo session and more details of the incredible career of June Salter.
Zoe Bertram
Zoe Bertram is a talented Australian actress best known for her work in television, particularly during the 1970s and 1980s. Zoe Bertram made her professional stage debut at Phillip St Theatre.
We have a full page on the career of Zoe Bertram with more photos, here.
God’s Favourite
God’s Favourite is a comedy play by the legendary Neil Simon loosely based on the Biblical story of Job that explores themes of faith, suffering, and divine intervention, all wrapped in Simon’s signature comedic style.
The production, directed by Peter Williams, starred Ron Frazer, Elaine Lee, Harold Kissin, Alan Wilson, and Julie Bailue, and had its Australian premiere on 1 July 1982 at Phillip Street Theatre.
God’s Favourite centers around Joe Benjamin, a wealthy and devout man who suddenly finds his faith tested when a series of calamities strike his family.
A mysterious messenger from God, sent to challenge Joe’s belief, brings with him both humor and hardship, forcing Joe to confront the very foundation of his faith.
Simon’s signature wit and sharp dialogue transform this ancient tale into a modern-day farce, exploring themes of suffering, faith, and divine intervention through a comedic lens.
In the 1982 production at Phillip Street Theatre, the role of Rose, Joe Benjamin’s long-suffering wife, was portrayed by Elaine Lee, who brought a compelling mix of warmth and exasperation to the character.
Ron Frazer took on the role of the messenger from God, delivering a performance that balanced both the play’s comedic and dramatic elements. Frazer’s portrayal added depth to the messenger’s role, infusing the character with a unique blend of authority and absurdity.
Ron Frazer was a high profile Australian actor and comedian, best known for his sharp wit and memorable performances on The Mavis Bramston Show, where his recurring line “my second best friend” became a phrase spoken around BBQs and in pubs at the time.
Ron Frazer’s character Ocker in The Mavis Bramston Show is acknowledged as the origin of the Australian slang term “ocker”.
Frazer’s ability to blend humor with biting social commentary made him a beloved figure in the Australian entertainment industry. Sadly, Ron Frazer passed away on 8 January 1983, not long after these photos were taken. He was 58 years of age.
Cinderella
In 1982, Phillip Street Theatre presented Cinderella as a delightful pantomime, aimed specifically at entertaining young audiences. Directed by Peter Williams, this production was crafted to captivate children, with school buses regularly bringing groups of students to fill the 300-seat venue.
The pantomime retained the magic and whimsy typical of the genre, featuring exaggerated characters, playful dialogue, and plenty of opportunities for audience interaction. Cinderella at Phillip Street Theatre delighted the thousands of children who attended, bringing the timeless fairy tale to life with energy and imagination.
Phillip Street Theatre in Sydney holds a special place in the history of Australian performing arts. Known for its vibrant and innovative productions and the iconic Phillip St revues, the theatre became a hub of creative expression that helped shape the careers of many notable Australian performers.
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