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"On Your Way, Riley!" (Play based
on the life of Lucan and McShane)
British
Music Hall Performers
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OLD MOTHER RILEY OVERSEAS
THE 1923-1924 TOUR In 1923, the couple undertake their first overseas tour, taking them through South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Ironically, the tour opened at The Tivoli Theatre in Capetown, South Africa, which shared the same name as the theatre in Kingston-upon-Hull, where Arthur collapsed and died thirty one years later. The tour took them to Sydney, Australia, then on to Perth, Melbourne, Kalgoorie, Adelaide, Boulder. This was followed by four dates in New Zealand - in Hastings, Dunedin, Oamru and Christchurch. The opening date in Sydney, was as support act to Rob Wilton, at the Tivoli Theatre! Arthur felt that their 'COME OVER' sketch was getting a little stale, as it was, by then, over ten years old. Consequently, this tour saw the introduction of the famous "THE OLD MATCHSELLER" sketch on 28th June 1924, in the small town of Bunbury, Australia. The sketch proved to be hugely popular with both the audience and the press. The tour was a great sucess with the audiences. So much so, the couples contract was extended from six months to twelve months. Their stint at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Perth, scheduled for two weeks proved so popular that it was extende to six weeks.The venue (pictured below), which opened in 1922, was the last word in luxury. It boasted a large orchestra which accompanied the films which were shown there, as well as the variety acts.
Following the highly sucessful twelve month tour, the couple returned home to England on the ship MONGOLIA.
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Lucan & McShane returned to tour South Africa again at the end of 1938, in a Christmas pantomime, 'Aladdin.'
This featured some
of their familiar sketches. Arthur, of course, played 'Widow Twankey, with Kitty playing the daughter 'Daydream'. The
pantomime was a great sucess and the couple returned to Britain in March 1939, to start work on their next film -
'Old Mother Riley MP'
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