Heritage Collection » Documentaries

TIVOLI: the making of a Dance Musical

@gm — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 23:58:09 +0000

28 min documentary, produced and directed by Philippe Charluet. Broadcast: ABC TV (Australia)

This documentary follows the making of a Graeme Murphy’s dance musical TIVOLI which unites the creative resources of Australia’s two premiere dance companies, the Australian Ballet and the Sydney Dance Company. Through its process and with its creators and artists, we pay tribute to the rich heritage of the Tivoli Circuit – an era of variety theatre which helped shape Australia’s cultural identity, from the 1890’s until the last show in 1966…

Ironically television was responsible for killing off the Tivoli but this program brings it all back to life again complete with feathers, dancing girls, a 3 metre high set of legs, the Colossal Spartacus Brothers and even bare breasted ladies who, for many Australian men in those days, were their first brush with nudity.

There is an element of nostalgia to the production as the late Toni Lamond recalls her experiences and laments the loss of opportunity for today’s live variety acts. But any nostalgia and sadness is mixed with happiness when some of the original Tivoli dancers travel back to the rehearsal room to re-tell, and relive, their glory days with all the young dancers involved.

Graeme Murphy says, “We risked losing a whole genetic, theatrical link; a fact which became apparent when I discovered that all the current dancers had no knowledge at all of this great institution and the part that it plays in their own careers.”

This production is a great insight into the creative efforts of the massive team of people involved in the creation of Tivoli. The costumes, the colour, the humour – it’s all there – and makes us wonder what we lost when the lights went down on ¨the Tiv¨ for ever.

Featured video: excerpts from the documentary

Videos Tab above: documentary of the initial full-day workshop when former Tivoli circuit’s performers met for the first time the dancers and creatives and musicians/ singers. This was filmed before Tivoli was created and integrated in the full documentary broadcast on the ABC.

Old FriendsNew Friends

@gm — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 22:18:03 +0000

Old Friends New Friends is a 40 min documentary directed by Philippe Charluet, around the making of a short dance theatre work of the same name created in 1984 (broadcast on ABC-TV in 1986) and filmed in the old Sydney Dance Company’s Woolloomooloo studios. This dance work tells the story where the present arrives some thirty years late only to find the past still patiently waiting – albeit a little dusty and full of cobwebs. What might have been (in this instance a wedding in a small Australian country town hall) becomes inextricably linked with what was and paths that might have entwined meet fleetingly only to be forever parted.

This dance work grew into a three act work, Nearly Beloved performed in 1986-92. Interestingly, in 2000, during rehearsals for a revival in the Body of Work Gala at the Sydney Opera House, even Graeme Murphy found himself moved to tears in the Studio, confronted by the tender evocation of love and loss as interpreted by its original performers.

Program

Choreography and Concept Graeme Murphy AO
Creative Associate Janet Vernon AM
Music Graeme Koehne
Set Design Stephen Curtis
Costume Design Anthony Jones
Lighting John Drummond Montgomery

This is now available as YouTube episodes
Featured Video: Episode 1
Videos tab above: Episodes 2 to 6

Body of Work – Documentary segment

@gm — Mon, 12 May 2014 01:55:29 +0000

Film components were designed for Body Of Work which were projected on stage, one for the Sydney Opera House’s Gala performance and the other for the show that toured nationally in Australia in 2000. Part of these films was a documentary segment showcasing the Sydney Dance Company’s early days, which features the behind the scenes of Old Friends New Friends and the touring in Europe (Paris, Italy, Sicily) in the 80′s and early 90′s. This segment finishes with a warm goodbye to the dear friends lost since (as of 2000).

Videos tab above: Opening film showcasing past works
Also clip of Paul Mercurio training on roller-blades whilst touring in Paris 1992 (Paul created a ballet, Edgeing, where he danced on roller-blades in the same year)

Astonish Me – Graeme Murphy

@gm — Mon, 12 May 2014 01:41:50 +0000

54 min observational documentary (circa 1989) exploring the world of choreographer Graeme Murphy. The camera finds him in rehearsal, in performance and with his wife Janet Vernon. He was born and raised in rural Tasmania and he returns to visit his parents. Extracts from Murphy’s modern ballets are also shown. Dancers and colleagues are interviewed.

More Videos at the Australian Screen website

Australian Screen – Curator’s notes (by Damien Parer)
Astonish Me is one of several documentaries about Graeme Murphy. Most of his work has been with the Sydney Dance Company. Murphy is willing to allow the camera crew full access to his life. Consequently the documentary is lively and at times delightful. Refer to the transcripts and some great education resources

Videos Tab above section on Kraanerg

Behind The Sun – Documentary

@gm — Mon, 12 May 2014 01:03:55 +0000

This 54 min documentary (circa 1988) looks at a number of artists working in NSW in 1988, including Jonathan Throsby, painter; Susan Norrie, painter; Martin Wesley-Smith, composer; John Coburn, painter; Robyn Gordon, sculptor; Graeme Murphy, choreographer; David Williamson, playwright; Brian Howard, composer; Maureen Cahill, glass sculptor; Bruce Copping, stone sculptor; Robert Klippel, sculptor; Kai Tai Chan, choreographer and Patrick Mitchell, theatre director.

The featured segment reveals choreographer Graeme Murphy directing dancers in rehearsal for a cricket ballet (Rumours). We then see the Sydney Dance Company performing the ballet, and end with Murphy talking about what he looks for in Australian dancers as we see a rehearsal of another piece.

Graeme Murphy’ segment can be viewed on the Australian Screen website