Gods of Red Earth
| Gods of Red Earth | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Coral Lansbury |
| Date premiered | February 27, 1963 |
| Place premiered | Independent Theatre, Sydney |
| Original language | English |
Gods of Red Earth is a 1963 Australian play by Coral Lansbury. It was written with some backing from the Elizabethan Theatre Trust.[1] The play was originally a radio play.[2]
Premise
The story of a family of graziers over one day.
Reception
The Sydney Morning Herald wrote "nothing more unfortunate could happen to Australian drama than t have Coral Lansbury's God's of Red Earth... in any way identified with it... disastrous... stupefyingly soggy and trite."[3]
Lansbury responded to this in a letter claiming the reviewer had missed the point to which the critic responded again insisting "I am always unhappy when I see a bad play badly presented. Anyone who found pleasure in such a spectacle would have to be of a particularly sadistic turn of mind."[4]
The paper's music and drama critics attacked the play again the following month writing "why did it encourage in any way the current production of Gods of Red Earth?"[5]
One review wrote "here is wit, banter and conventional characterization. Reflection, however, does not long sustain the elation — the play crumbles when the surface glitter starts to fade."[6]
References
- ^ "Curtain Call". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 December 1962. p. 43.
- ^ Shelley, Gary (27 March 1972). "Ena Harwood - she's a beauty". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 15.
- ^ R.C. (28 February 1963). "Australian play at Independent". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 7.
- ^ Lansbury, Coral (7 March 1963). "Review of "Gods of Red Earth"". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 2.
- ^ "Better new music for 1963 concerts". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 March 1963. p. 10.
- ^ "AT SYDNEY THEATRES". Le Courrier Australien. No. 10. New South Wales, Australia. 8 March 1963. p. 5. Retrieved 5 March 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
External links
- Gods of Red Earth at AustLit