Sepia Saturday 186: 20 July 2013



The theme for this week's Sepia Saturday is according to Alan: 
 ‘Boadecea or Mother England’ or possibly Britannia. You can choose; or go with armour, helmets, shields, fancy dress, pantomime, theatricals, warlike women or big sticks". 

Ooh plenty to choose from here.  I've been a bit stumped in previous weeks.

From an early age I have thoroughly enjoyed dressing up.


You might even to get to win a prize - as I did - on board the Oriana  coming home from England at the age of I think 3.

Any excuse for a dress up party and the one I remember most fondly was my Witches Party.  I think we were all aged about ten at the time.  Here we are in all our glory.  My parents used to go to such trouble over my birthday parties - decorations, forfeits, the whole shebang.  Unfortunately this photo is damaged but you get the idea.



Dress ups continued on in many guises particularly during my illustrious (not) career on stage.



Here I am kneeling in the part of Amy in Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas - a school production in partnership with Cranbrook.  Here is my line to Lord Fancourt, who I think is Charley's Aunt:

 "And he's so grateful; he says he owes everything to you and never could repay you, and oh, he is such a good, frank upright man - it was noble of you!"

Yes, yes, I know - gripping stuff.

I hadn't quite shed the acting bug when I got to Uni and exercised my lungs in the part of the egg-seller in Cavalleria Rusticana for the Circolo Italiano at Sydney Uni.  The production, I'll have you know, toured to Wollongong.  That's me on the far left looking down at my basket of eggs no doubt.  That one line "Il e morte!" really took it out of me I can tell you.  


As a family we liked to dress up for photos too when we lived or had holidays in Sydney.  There was a fabulous company at The Rocks that took period style photos.  Here's one of Mummy and me.  I can't remember when it was taken - I'm guessing early 80s.


This is the back of the photo.


Will these sort of photos confuse generations to come I wonder?

We've had fancy dress parties over the years.  A rather forgettable example is me of a flamingo at my 40th.  I will save us all the embarrassment of showing you that particular photo.  

But here is one of my BFF and my darling husband about to make our grand entrance at the ABC Xmas Party one year.


That's me behind that enormous bit of silver cardboard.  There were flashing lights on the tips of the stars corners (thanks to the efforts of fabulous brother-in-law Terry) which guided our erratic but cheerful path home to Taringa from Toowong in the early hours of the morning.  I'm thinking this was taken probably in the late 80s.  Of course the studios have gone now.  This was taken down in the production corridor where we made Childrens and Education and Light Entertainment shows.

So nothing as fabulous as good old Boadicea up the top of the post there but we had fun nevertheless.  

Here is a final photo in the collection.  Another mystery photo though I suspect it is the Forfar cousins again as per this blog post.  Do you think the children look similar?  There are absolutely no markings to give me any clues as to the photographic studio or where it was taken.  Sigh - another mystery.


They look like they're having fun don't they?  Have you dressed up lately?

Before you go, I'd be grateful if you could bear to read the blog post I wrote yesterday in case you know anything about PNG and can shed some light on some photos I uncovered in my grandfather's collection.  Thanks in anticipation.

For more Sepia Saturday fun go here.

Comments

Olix ! forget trying to figure all the old pictures!!!! I don't remember THAT xmas party one at all. No that's not me. I'm not there.

So is Robert a Snow Flake!!????
And you girl you are always the STAR.
Alex Daw said…
You are so too there Loani Prior and you are a Christmas tree - you wore a green frock and were tall but not prickly. Robert was a pudding. We had fun blowing up those balloons and shoving them in the sheet and then tying him up - as it were. Oh to be young again ;)
Ann ODyne said…
That Queen must have her tea cosy over her eyes, as I saw immediately that R was a pudding.
Hard to tell if the Forfars are costumed or in their Sunday Best (wow that's a concept that has died out).
As for your "Will these sort of photos confuse generations to come I wonder?" - they will stump any genealogy people starting from a blank with a family, that's for sure. Sovereign Hill, Ballarat's gold mining attraction does old costume portraits, and I always think the subjects' future researchers, where there really were goldminers, will not know which generation is pictured. Great post AD.
Great memories! and reminds me of even more dress up photos.
We have some from Sovereign Hill somewhere, must find them.
And my husband is always dressing up for things...
Kristin said…
It always helps future generations to identify your photos, in dress up or not :) I'm thinking my family needs to have a dress up occasion. We have never done that. I thought your husband was a potato but a pudding is better.
The Silver Fox said…
Some nice reminiscences here!
Little Nell said…
That's interesting Alex; its the second post this week with an example of its subjects wearing historical costume. Some of these photos are so realistic that they could indeed fool some people, today but I think future generations will be far too savvy.
21 Wits said…
Oh I do enjoy seeing these costumes and dress ups! Fascinating photos as well!
Brett Payne said…
That's a very good period style photo of you and your mother. I like the "By general acclaim specialists for ... divorce ..." Imagine having a divorce portrait taken.
Alan Burnett said…
"The Steam Camera Company" - love it. Some great photos. Everyone should dress up from time to time.
Hazel said…
What a precious photo of you on board Oreana! Your birthdays must have been so much fun.

Hazel
I was never much fro dress-up,
possibly because I'm colorful enough as it is,
at least in my perception...
but I've always enjoyed those who would dress up
and put on a show.
Pity we don't get to see that flamingo...
;)
Love the one with your mother.
Good show!!
:)~
HUGZ
Bob Scotney said…
You certainly knew/know how to have fun.
What fun photos. Looks like you have a great time in your part of the world.
Nancy
Wendy said…
I'm impressed you still remember your lines!
Alex Daw said…
Dear Ann - as always, your observations are spot on. Particularly the last one ;)
Alex Daw said…
Two mentions of Sovereign Hill - so it all must have been part of that reminiscing we did in the 70s - a bit like our film renaissance of the time and obsession with all things past - remember Rush the tv series?
Alex Daw said…
Dear Kristin - dressing up parties take a bit of effort but I find on the whole everyone really enjoys it and the people you least expect to participate or do a great job can amaze you with their ingenuity. My best dress up party story is my horror party at age 12. My father went to get the boarders from school but thought he'd better fill up the car on the way - filling up the tank dressed I think it was as a vampire was a bit embarrassing.
Alex Daw said…
Dear Little Nell - the world is a stage and all that....
Alex Daw said…
Thanks Karen! Glad to be of service :)
Alex Daw said…
Dear Brett - they had a good sense of humour didn't they - I liked "Guaranteed to make you look 100 years older".
Alex Daw said…
Dear Alan - if only the steam ironed out the wrinkles :)
Alex Daw said…
Dear Hazel - I must confess to enjoying a good birthday - over the years the fun has somewhat diminished due to lack of scavenger hunts and the like, but one must soldier on!
Alex Daw said…
Ticklebear - believe me - you do not want to see the flamingo. Someone should have had a quite word in my ear ...only he was too busy dressing up as ... I can't quite remember what. It was a good party. The letter "F" gives you lots of room to move imagination-wise.
Alex Daw said…
Dear Bob - yes, this is probably part of the problem ;) Housework? What housework?
Alex Daw said…
Dear Barbara and Nancy - we do our best ;)
Alex Daw said…
Dear Wendy - confession - I've still got a copy of the play with my lines underlined. I looked it up! But thanks for thinking the best of me. :)
Ann ODyne said…
Yes Alex, Sovereign Hill is a big deal in Ballarat, and the ABC TV series RUSH was actually very good. The lead actor lived in my house and the director picked him up at 6am every day, just in case anyone thinks acting is glamorous.
More recently the D-Generation sent it up very well, with dubbed dialogue. The Ballarat cemeteries are packed with miners who died of diggings injuries, and it was the miners who founded the Ballarat hospital, which did not accept child or female patients for its first 5 years.
Oh yes, Rush with John Waters and that scar on his face!
And then there was the show "Against the Wind" I think, with John English as the convict?
I found those photos!
Alex Daw said…
Hmmm John Waters...hubba hubba....I loved seeing him in Gilbert and Sullivan performances when I was a mere slip of a girl in Canberra.
Alex Daw said…
Get outta here!! I still think it's glamorous having someone pick you up in the morning...I won't resile from that opinion. That's very interesting about the Ballarat Hospital Ann. You are a mine of information. Sorry - couldn't help myself ;)

Popular posts from this blog

31 Things to do in August for National Family History Month

NFHM Blogging Challenge - Week 1

Merry Month of May Movie Meme