Smokin in da house

John Grim | 20/02/2010 - 15:40

Some time ago there was a thread running on the ITA concerning smoking on stage. Unfortuately at the time, I didn't get to read into it, however, as we're currently in rehearsal for a play set (partly) in a public bar in an Australian country town in 1976, authenticity would surely see our characters smoking. This of course raises a number of issues, not least smoking isn't all owed in the building (bloddy right it shouldn't be) and this was probably well covered in the thread that in hindsight, I wish I'd have jumped on.
At present time, I'm considering just leaving the fags out, in the belief that everyone knows that they would have smoked back then, but they shouldn't have anyway, and coupled with the fact that our set / props will be sort of close as we can get to being authentic, yet missing a few letters so we end up with... slitly athentc.

Any advice on which way to go with the 'Winnies' is welcomed.

PS: If there's anyone out there with a good memory of 1970's culture, in particular, what beverages were popular back then, and if said beverages are still around dressed in similar clothing. I can see it now... coke cans with flared bottoms.

PPS: Remind me to write a play set in 1654 next time, ha!

cheers

Johnny Griim
A lad in sane productions

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Author: jeffhansen
Date: 20/02/2010 - 17:51

http://www.theatre.asn.au/green_room_gossip/smoking

Here's the previous discussion John, so you can read for yourself.

As to what brew they would be drinking, that all depends on where the play is set, as beers were very local in those days.
If you lived in Cairns in North Queensland, You would have drunk Cairns Draught, or NQ Lager, or maybe XXXX. You would have been unlikely to get these beers outside of QLD.
If you are in a country town in Victoria, probably VB, or Melbourne Bitter.

Of course, all the cans would be steel - not aluminium, and would have rip off tops.

www.meltheco.org.au

Back then in public bars of

Author: JoeMc
Date: 21/02/2010 - 08:11

Back then in public bars of course women were rarely, except for the barmaids, if ever seen or allowed to drink in the public bar section, this was only enforced by the indivcidual bar management, the male drinkers & the Ladies percieved morality & were otherwise concidered fair game by the blokes. This was primarily in the bush, as the city pubs were more liberal & upto date.

However there still was the thing about not placing your hat or turning your glass on the bar, unless you were prepared to shout the whole bar drinks.

Pubs normaly only sold over the bar draught beer from the keg here, it would have been Swan or Emu & cool drinks were mainly pub sqash in a glass, made from Weaver & Lock Lemonade & lemon cordial.

Any thing fancier in way of drinks would have been served in the Lounge, but never in cans only from bottles & with a glass. Pepsi & W&L Long Toms cool drink were more preverlent than Coke which was handled by the Passiona Bottling Company in Scarborough Beach Road.

The first time I saw beer bottles or cans being served over the bar, was back in the late 70's & that was in Darwin.

I'd check with the venue hire rules on the smoking of any substance on stage, although this is allowed if it is writen in the scrript. The venue hirer may be obligated to ensure no smoking is part of the script prior to the event hiring of the venue, as a side step to the laws smoking exeptions. This is for any substance, as tobacco is a herb anyway, so no herb cigs either.

Smokin in da house

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