The Legend of King O’Malley
God loves a good scrapper! Following rave reviews from its Melbourne season, The Legend of King O’Malley stretches its legs on a bigger stage in Sydney.
“It’s going to bigger faster, funnier and louder – it’s going to be great,” says Phil Rouse, Artistic Director of Don’t Look Away, a company dedicated to reviving iconic Australian plays.
A play about an Australian politician might not set the heart racing, but King O’Malley was like no other. A tall, bearded, Texan in a big suit who survived a shipwreck and two years living in a cave. A teetotalling, Christian Socialist preacher, who founded the Commonwealth Bank, Canberra and opposed Billy Hughes in the 1917 referendum on conscription – a larrikin hero and the stuff of legend.
“He was also an amazing self mythologiser, a brilliant showman, orator and such a character to build the show around,” explains Rouse.
A landmark Australian play in 1970, O’Malley was first directed by a young John Bell at the Old Tote, and heralded the beginning of a golden period for performing art in Australia. “O’Malley kicked off what became known as the ‘New Wave’ of Australian writing. It was a wide and popular success – a really important production,” continues Rouse.
All-singing, all-dancing – equal parts vaudeville and political satire – and all through that 70s lens. If only politics was always this much fun.
Nov 26-Dec 13, Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre, Cnr City Rd & Clevland St, Chippendale, $25-35, 93517940, seymourcentre.com
