As a musical celebration and tribute to 100 years of King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women, fondly known as ‘King Eddy’s’, and their work assisting mothers and babies; Agelink Theatre and the King Edward Memorial Hospital Centenary Committee have joined forces to bring us memorable events from over the years.

Vocal Ensemble ‘Voiceworks’, the 15 strong, Subiaco Community Choir, under the direction of Maggie Wilde West and Joshua Webb, add to the memories, by reviving charming songs from the 1950s and 60s. The keyboard accompaniment was by Gavin Nicklette. The technical direction was by Aaron Stirk, and the production managed by Bernie Davis.

On Saturday 6th August, for one day only, there are two 90-minute performances; the first at 2.00 pm, and the second at 7.30 pm in the main auditorium of the Subiaco Theatre, Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Road, Subiaco.

The choir are seated at the side of the stage. In the centre of the stage is podium with a matron’s tall desk and chair.

       For the first 80 years of giving birth in Western Australia, parturition took place at home, a dangerous process. A few charitable clinics appeared, but these could be expensive and prohibitive to the general public.

 

      The play begins with a stirring meeting in 1909, led by Dame Edith Cowan (Sarah McNeill). A decision is taken to sell bricks at a shilling each, for the new hospital. Soon, enough money was raised to buy and convert a deserted, rundown school for orphans.

      Initially, twenty beds were created under the supervision of Matron Agnes Walsh (Polly Low) and the dedicated Irish ward Sister, Mary Carson (Alinta Carroll). With Dr Clements (Benj D’Addario) working tirelessly for the cause, the hospital expands. As a cute 6-year-old patient, Saskia (Saskia Haluszkiewicz) recalls, it took her lifetime to reach 100 deliveries in half a year.

       A young newspaper reporter (David Ratcliffe) is dispatched to write an article on the miraculous new gift to the women of Perth, King Eddy’s. He catches the eye of a trainee nurse (Cassidy Dunn), but marriage could mean the end of her career.

       With World War 1 under way, the newspaper boy (Oliver Haluszkiewicz) is kept busy informing Perth of the European tragedies, and local losses.

       We are shown how the hospital blossoms with the hard work of the dedicated team, and how today, 60,000 babies can call King Eddy’s their first home.

Directed with love and passion by Jenny Davis and her assistant director Laurie McAinsh, this play brought tears, along with outbursts of chattering in the audience as various surgeons’ names were mentioned and warmly recognised. With the talented cast giving numerous cameos of radio reports, visits from the toffee-nosed aristocracy, and a mother with countless children, the tales were poignant and delivered with plenty of belly laughs – no pun intended.

The musical interludes with songs of the time, gave us an uplift after the depressing description of the conditions of the building and the lack of facilities. Even 50 years ago, when many of the audience would have been alive, the pregnant mothers suffered at the hands of the male chauvinists on various committees.

A fascinating, fast moving piece that is relevant everywhere; it could easily be modified and produced almost anywhere in the world. An important part of our history.

Another triumphant play from Jenny. Her celebratory Centenary Book is also available.

Jenny’s plays are filled with emotion and rich, well-researched memories. I saw this play on Remembrance Day, 96 years after the end of World War 1. Combined with the ever so moving ceremonies in Albany last week, this is a play, which is still extremely relevant today. It is also important to teenagers, who should be fully aware of the happenings in the time of their grandparents.

Presented by Perth Theatre Trust and Agelink Theatre Inc. this most poignant love story is playing at The Studio Theatre, Subiaco Arts Centre in Hamersley Road, Subiaco. The remaining show dates for this two-hour ten minute production are Thursday at 2.00 pm, Friday at 7.30 pm and Saturday 15^th November at both 2.00 pm and 7.30 pm.

This season could be a sell-out, so booking is advised.

On arrival, you navigate past the stack of protective sandbags, before being handed a ration book (programme) and a poppy by the army corporal at the door.

 The set is fairly basic, with a couple of tea crates on one side of the stage that acts as Cis’ home or service headquarters. On the other side is a table and chair, Barbara’s bedroom study area.

A large screen at the back of the stage shows dozens of delightful photos of the actual couple, their friends and Liverpool during the blitz; brought vividly to life with some clever sound and lighting effects (Aaron Stirk).

       In her late teens, Barbara (Siobhan Dow-Hall) is a ‘nut-brown maiden’ living with her strict mother, Mrs Rigby (Alinta Carroll) in an upper-class suburb of Liverpool. The loves of her life are Rufus, her Scots terrier and Sabu (named after the cinema’s elephant boy) her cat. One day a twenty-two year old trainee airman from Marseilles, Francis – ‘Cis’ (Mark Desebrock) sails into the Liverpool docks. He has arrived in England to be trained as a fighter pilot.

       Cis is boarded out at the Rigby’s home, and is immediately attracted to the innocent and shy student, calling her Barbiche (French for goatee beard). After a few weeks, he is sent to Lossiemouth in the north east of Scotland, experiencing the freezing cold weather for the first time in his life.

       The affectionate billets-doux soon arrive at Barbara’s street (the ‘rhuBarb’?) – Similar puns come thick and fast from this young man (an ‘omelette’?) in the letters that are to follow. Then, one day Barbiche is told that he is about to leave on a bombing sortie to Essen.

In this day and age, very few teenagers will have ever handwritten even a simple letter on paper. A modern love letter now being an SMS, consisting of a smiley face with a kiss. It was so refreshing to hear the beautiful structure of these letters, and the amazing emotion that used to be created with the correct use of words. This couple were filled with innocent, sex-free love – true ‘agape’. Real-life Barbara is so lucky to have these letters to treasure; now Facebook is so fleeting and the youngsters of today will have nothing to look back on in their old age.

The melodious, crystal-voiced Alinta Carroll sang the wartime songs from France, Scotland England and Germany beautifully, all with the appropriate accents. Accordionist, Nikki D’Agostino, who accompanied her, is a WAAPA trained musician recently returned from the wars herself – with an ankle broken in Italy. Dressed in black, Nikki had a black beret with French plumes adorning it. The costumes were top notch, Cis’ uniform was that of genuine French airmen, and then of course, there were the stockings with the seams up the back.

Alinta played several cameos, and some hilarious caricatures. The main actors were Mark Desebrock, who despite an immaculate, faultless French accent is an Englishman. Equity Award winner, Siobhan Dow-Hall portrayed Barbara magnificently; she captured the couple’s nervous, first meeting and then subtly carried the love affair development through. The tender chemistry between the couple was outstanding, and when the time came for Cis to part, director Jenny slipped in her version of the famous scene from ‘A Brief Encounter’ – a truly romantic touch – and a caring hush fell across the audience.

Director Jenny Davis has done a breath-taking job of the adaptation and direction, with the music, photos and remarkable acting, the audience were transported to an era of austerity, and of people who genuinely cared about each other’s wellbeing.

Take the tissues along – for laughs as well as tears – and see this very special and touching love story.