Episodes
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There are some powerful examples in Bold Types of women who were thrown under the bus by male colleagues and higher ups after a scandal. Others were micro-managed, scrutinised and bullied. Host: Amy Remeikis. Historian: Dr Patricia Clarke. Guest: Ita Buttrose.
Further Reading/References
Articles by Jessie Couvreur: trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Jessie%20Couvreur
Articles by Flora Shaw: trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Flora%20Shaw
Flora Shaw, Letters from Queensland, London: Macmillan and Co, 1893, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1894498
Flora Shaw, The Story of Australia, London: Horace Marshall, 1897, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn787299
Flora Shaw, A Tropical Dependency: An Outline of the Ancient History of the Western Soudan with an Account of the Modern Settlement of Northern Nigeria, London: J. Nisbet & Company, Limited, 1905, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn6849071
Portrait of Mrs. Jessie Catherine Couvreur, née Hybers (‘Tasma’), 1889, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148362079
Tasma, Diaries of Jessie Couvreur (Tasma), manuscript, 1873, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn4502236
Tasma, Biographical Notes, manuscript, 1800s, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2727051
Tasma, Uncle Piper of Piper's Hill: An Australian Novel, London: Trubner, 1889, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn811844
Tasma, A Sydney Sovereign and Other Tales, London: Trubner & Co, 1890, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn342662
Tasma, In Her Earliest Youth, London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co, 1890, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1131200
Tasma, The Penance of Portia James, [New York, N.Y.]: United States Book Co, 1891, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn936611
Tasma, A Knight of the White Feather, Leipzig: Heinemann and Balestier Limited, 1893, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn7294633
Tasma, Not Counting the Cost, London: Richard Bentley and Son, 1895, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn7294205
Papers of Patricia Clarke, 1887–2015, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-416757733/findingaid
Craig Mackenzie, Patricia Clarke at the National Library of Australia, 21 September 2012, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-132302347
Patricia Clarke Interviewed by David Walker in the Australia-Asia Studies Oral History Project, 2012, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn6102778
Patricia Clarke Interviewed by Ann Moyal, 2005, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn3356472
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What was the cost of straying from the company line versus the power of being an inside player? Host: Amy Remeikis. Historian: Dr Patricia Clarke. Guests: Zoe Daniel, Nas Campanella.
Further Reading/References
Articles by Alice Henry: trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Alice%20Henry
Articles by Jennie Scott Griffiths: trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Jennie%20Scott%20Griffiths
Articles by Flora Shaw: trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Flora%20Shaw
Nettie Palmer and Frances Fraser, Centenary Gift Book, Melbourne: Robertson & Mullens for The Women's Centenary Council (Vic.), 1934, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2231931 (contribution by Alice Henry)
Papers of Alice Henry, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-327961248/findingaid
Alice Henry, The Trade Union Woman, New York: D. Appleton, 1915, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2292219
Alice Henry and Nettie Palmer, Memoirs of Alice Henry, Melbourne: [N. Palmer], 1944, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1622467
Alice Henry, Women and the Labor Movement, New York: G. Doran, 1923, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn81243
Papers of Jennie Scott Griffiths, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-252386038/findingaid
Flora Shaw, Letters from Queensland, London: Macmillan and Co, 1893, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1894498
Flora Shaw, The Story of Australia, London: Horace Marshall, 1897, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn787299
Flora Shaw, A Tropical Dependency: An Outline of the Ancient History of the Western Soudan with an Account of the Modern Settlement of Northern Nigeria, London: J. Nisbet & Company, Limited, 1905, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn6849071
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Missing episodes?
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Content warning: this episode contains descriptions of war casualties, rape and violence against women
Right place, right time gave some enterprising women journalists a front row seat to report on momentous events for their readers back home in Australia. Host: Amy Remeikis. Historian: Dr Patricia Clarke. Guests: Avani Dias, Sophie McNeill.
Further Reading/References
Articles by Anna Blackwell: trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Anna%20Blackwell
Articles by Janet Mitchell: trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Janet%20Mitchell
‘Continental Gossip’, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 April 1888, p4, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13683769
‘Continental Gossip’, Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1882, p9, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13511422
‘Continental Gossip’, Sydney Morning Herald, 3 August 1883, p3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13540806
Government Bank Thrift Organiser Janet Mitchell, New South Wales, c.1930, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-160439900, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-160439618
Janet Mitchell, Spoils of Opportunity: An Autobiography, London: Methuen, 1938, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2410449
Anna Blackwell, Poems, London: John Chapman, 1853, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2063990
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Content warning: this episode contains mild coarse language.
Some of the most successful of the Bold Types made their own road map and were deft at the pivot, while relentlessly sticking to their principles. Host: Amy Remeikis. Historian: Dr Patricia Clarke. Guests: Zara Seidler, Suzanne Dredge.
References and Further Reading
Articles by Jessie Couvreur trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Jessie%20Couvreur
Articles by Frances Taylor trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Bold%20Types&l-pubtag=Irene%20Frances%20Taylor&l-pubtag=Frances%20Taylor
Woman's world : an illustrated monthly for Australian women, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2120036
Jessie ‘Tasma’ Couvreur, ‘Autumn in Paris’, The Australasian, 14 January 1882, p7, trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/138074789
‘Tasma photographed in Turkish costume’ wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_Catherine_Couvreur#/media/File:Tasma_photographed_in_Turkish_costume.jpg
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Content warning: this episode contains mild coarse language.
The “women’s pages” were a blessing and a curse for opportunities. The biggest irony was that the women writing this stuff were working mums whose lives were almost completely opposite to those of their readership. Host: Amy Remeikis. Historian: Dr Patricia Clarke. Guest: Mia Freedman.
The Fijian folk music used in this episode is courtesy of the
David Fanshawe World Music Archive (1967 - 94)
Song: Vakamalolo - Sitting Dance (Fiji)
Discover more here: https://fanshawemusic.com/
Further Reading and References
Articles by Stella Allan trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Stella%20Allan
Articles by Jennie Scott-Griffiths trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Jennie%20Scott%20Griffiths
Jennie Scott-Griffiths, The Australian Woman’s Weekly, 18 September 1915, p.13
Jennie Scott-Griffiths, ‘What Women Demand’, The Australian Worker, 30 November 1916, p7 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/145764010
Stella Allan, ‘Lyttelton Times engaged Dominion’s first woman political reporter’, Christchurch Stan-Sun, 16 October 1958, p2
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Content warning: this episode contains descriptions of war casualties and sexual harassment.
Edith Dickenson was a fearless adventure-seeker who covered the Boer War with clear-eyed empathy as Australia's first female war correspondent. She also hunted boar from an elephant’s back in India whilst wearing a crinoline skirt, with the kids in tow. Patricia Karvelas appreciates that today’s crop of successful women journalists stand on the shoulders of giants like Edith.
Host: Amy Remeikis. Historian: Dr Patricia Clarke. Guest: Patricia Karvelas.
More information:
Edith Dickenson trove.nla.gov.au/blog/2022/11/10/front-line
Articles by Edith Dickenson trove.nla.gov.au/collection/bold-types/newspapers/explore?l-pubtag=Edith%20Dickenson
Battle Horrors by Edith Dickenson trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/36959477
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The stories in Bold Types live up to the title’s promise. The lived experiences of Australia’s gutsy, pioneering women journalists, with a series of amazing firsts, starting back in the 1860s. Host Amy Remeikis chats with author and historian Patricia Clarke for a preview of what to expect across this season’s six episodes.
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Have you ever noticed how many of our most famous acclaimed exports come from Western Australia? Heath Ledger. Kate Mulvaney. Tim Minchin.
This episode - three ‘Perthies’ who’ve made it big in theatre, film and music talk to OFF STAGE about what’s in the water across in the West of Australia and why they think it bats above its average in terms of artistic success.
Marcus Graham tells the story of what made him leave WA. Genevieve Hegney talks about the incredible scene when she was starting out. Iain Grandage looks to the future of a thriving arts scene for Western Australian artists.
Links:
National Library of Australia On Stage Exhibition
Guests:
Marcus Graham - actor, director
Genevieve Hegney - actor, voice over artist, playwright
Iain Grandage - composer, Director of Perth Festival
Credits:
Melanie Tait - writer, producer and presenter of Off Stage
Kim Lester - technical producer and sound engineer of Off Stage
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Martin Philbey began his photography career capturing every part of a crime scene. It was the beginning of a life in photography that would see him becoming so acclaimed he’d be hung in the National Portrait gallery of Australia as a rock photographer.
How do you go from crime scene to rock scene? Martin talks about this and the music industry he’s been a part of for the last thirty years.
Links:
National Library of Australia On Stage Exhibition
Martin Philbey Website
Martin Philbey Instagram
Guests:
Martin Philbey, Photographer
Credits:
Melanie Tait - writer, producer and presenter of Off Stage
Kim Lester - technical producer and sound engineer of Off Stage
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In the late sixties, an engineering lecturer had a wild party at his home in suburban Melbourne. It was election night, and tensions were high.
The lecturer had aspirations to be a playwright and what he saw going on around him, well, he reckoned it might make a good play.
The aspiring playwright was David Williamson, and the party inspired Don’s Party, one of Australia’s first ever home grown blockbusters.
Here, we chart the story from an AV Jennings stage in Bundoora to the many, many productions since.
Links:
National Library of Australia On Stage Exhibition
Papers of David Williamson at the National Library of Australia
Guests:
David Williamson, Playwright
Credits:
Melanie Tait - writer, producer and presenter of Off Stage
Kim Lester - technical producer and sound engineer of Off Stage
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Sir Robert Helpmann’s legacy remains relatively strong in 2022: his face adorned the program of the NLA’s On Stage exhibition and his name is immortalised in our biggest theatre awards, The Helpmann’s.
Yet, how many of us know much about his extraordinary life?
A life that started on a farm in Mount Gambier and would go on to perform, direct, dance and choreograph in pretty much every major theatre in the world.
Links:
National Library of Australia On Stage Exhibition
Papers of Sir Robert Helpmann at the National Library of Australia
Guests:
John Senczuk, Theatre Historian and Sir Robert’s Dresser
Credits:
Melanie Tait - writer, producer and presenter of Off Stage
Kim Lester - technical producer and sound engineer of Off Stage
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By the time we’re in our mid-forties, most of us feel as though our life is pretty much sorted out.
Not Rose Quong.After twenty-seven years, she left her public service job in Melbourne to pursue life as an actress in London.
She continued to chase adventure for all the years of her life afterwards.
Links:
National Library of Australia On Stage Exhibition
Papers of Rose Quong at the National Library of Australia
Guests:
Professor Angela Woollacott, Manning Clark Professor of History at the Australian National University, author of Race and The Modern Exotic (2011)
Credits:
Melanie Tait - writer, producer and presenter of Off Stage
Kim Lester - technical producer and sound engineer of Off Stage
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Throughout the late 1800s and a lot of the 1900s, there was one name on most of the posters of shows that made it big in Australia: JC Williamson.
JC Williamson Ltd was one of the biggest production companies of our history, and it was started by a man called James Cassius Williamson.
This episode looks at the life and legacy of JC Williamson’s, and one of the biggest touring stars they brought to Australia - ballerina Anna Pavlova.
And yes, we can’t talk Pavlova without getting deep into meringue choices and whipped cream.
Links:
National Library of Australia On Stage Exhibition
JC Williamson Collection at the National Library of Australia
Anna Pavlova’s Tours at the National Library of Australia
Guests:
Dr Robert Reid, Theatre Historian
Annabelle Utrecht, Meringetrix and Food Researcher
Credits:
Melanie Tait - writer, producer and presenter of Off Stage
Kim Lester - technical producer and sound engineer of Off Stage
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In 1796, the theatre was the place to be.
In the growing colony Sydney, people would pack into the theatre to see ex-convicts perform the latest popular plays for them.
The NLA’s exhibition On Stage has an exquisite treasure from this time: a playbill once belonging to the Lieutenant-Governor of NSW, Philip Gidley King.
On our first episode of Off Stage, host Melanie Tait takes you inside the theatre to meet the characters involved the production of Jane Shore, remembered forever through this precious playbill.
Links:
National Library of Australia On Stage Exhibition
The 1796 Playbill
The Playbill and its People: Australia’s earliest printed document by Gillian Russell
The Collected Plays of Jim McNeil
Oral history of Jim McNeil
Guests:
David Marr, journalist
Gillian Russell, Professor of Eighteenth-Century Literature and author of The Playbill and its People
Credits:
Melanie Tait - writer, producer and presenter of Off Stage
Kim Lester - technical producer and sound engineer of Off Stage
