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The novelty of one variety theatre
in the suburbs worked well for a time.
In 1950 the manager complained to the
Health Department that on weekdays
the audience never exceeded 1,000.
Many a cinema manager in 1950 would
have thrilled to see an audience that
size. In fact, a month later the theatre
was reported for overcrowding.
Explaining the origins of variety at
the Plaza, Val Jellay wrote that Mr
Menck enlisted Hal Lennon as producer
and herself as choreographer/soubrette.
So successful was their Christmas
pantomime Cinderella that the Plaza
had turn-away business, twice daily.
According to Miss Jellay, this show
financed her departure for England,
(2)
sailing first class on the Orcades.
Toni Lamond explained the
theatre’s appeal. ‘The Tivoli had
become elite and very expensive,
importing lavish overseas productions.
The Plaza suspended films after 17 Melbourne’s ONLY Permanent Home of There was no place for the ordinary
November 1949 and re-opened three Variety. Jenny Howard in Make it a family to go for moderately priced, but
weeks later as a variety house. The Party would be surrounded by ‘gorgeous good quality entertainment. The Plaza
show was Fun and Games. Comic Al girls, amazing acts, melodious music and filled that vacuum. The theatre was a
(9) (10)
Mack was first-billed and Joff Ellen, startling settings.’ Ms Howard was an hit from the beginning’.
second. English comedienne who had toured Shows usually ran for two weeks,
By 2 January 1950 the theatre was briefly for the Tivoli circuit in 1929, some only lasted one. Titles changed,
advertising ‘The Monster Varsity Revue returning in 1940. but the artists were often recycled from
Hello 1950’ in the Melbourne Herald, These greasepaint years were one show to the next. In August 1951
with ‘local and overseas stars’. A month audacious and brave. Vaudeville had Harry Jacobs was named as conductor
later the Plaza was Melbourne’s never successfully migrated from of the Plaza Orchestra. After
Permanent Home of Variety. When the Bourke Street, where the Tivoli’s first- conducting the orchestra at the Palais
Tivoli, Melbourne’s true home of variety, rate acts set it in a class of its own. As St Kilda for twenty-something years,
broke with tradition and presented a play, for variety shows in the second-rung the Plaza must have been a bit of a
(9)
the Plaza cheekily called itself theatres, their time was all but finished comedown.
by 1930. Of course, Plaza presentation
didn’t have Tivoli sophistication, but
the troupers who trod that cramped STAGE PHOTOS: With a “blue sky
stage were thrilled to strut their stuff to cyclorama” and only 6ft above the
(2)
responsive audiences. The Plaza was proscenium, there were no stage flys so
alive on an adrenalin-fuelled tightrope, scenery was quite limited.
in a way a cinema can never be. Left: Programme for “Variety Cavalcade”.

CINEMARECORD 2010 15