Betty Can Jump

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Betty Can Jump was a group-devised feminist theatre performance that was first performed in January 1972 at the Pram Factory in Melbourne, Australia.

Contents

Background and premise

The name is derived from John and Betty, a Victorian Department of Education children's reader from 1951, where the male/female protagonists were stereotypes, playing with truck and dog and pram and cat, respectively. [1]

The play satirised ocker characters. [2]

Creators and cast

Participants in the performance included Claire Dobbin, Helen Garner, Evelyn Krape, Jude Kuring, Yvonne Marini, [3] and Kerry Dwyer. It was directed by Dwyer, Sarah de Jong composed the music, and Mick Allan was responsible for stage design. [4]

Performances

Betty Can Jump was rehearsed at the Australian Performing Group's Pram Factory, then located in Carlton, Victoria. [5]

It was first performed on 26 January 1971 and ran until 5 March 1972. [4]

Impact

Betty Can Jump led to the formation of the Women's Theatre Group in Melbourne in 1974. [1] [6] The group's performances included Out of the Frying Pan (1974), Sister's Delight Festival (1974), She'll be Right Mate (1976), and Edges (1977). [7]

Betty Can Jump had a significant impact on the development of feminist theatre and thought through the 1970s. The performance was created partly as a reaction to working in the male-dominated APG, and had a very positive response. It also inspired many performers, writers, directors and others around the country, such as the Adelaide Women's Theatre Group and the Fool's Gallery in Canberra, as well as the acrobatic group Circus Oz [8] (which spawned Wimmins Circus in 1979 [9] ).

References

  1. 1 2 Kenny, Kath (29 September 2022), Freeman-Greene, Suzy (ed.), "Friday essay: 'with men I feel like a very sharp, glittering blade' – when 5 liberated women spoke the truth", The Conversation (website) , The Conversation, doi:10.64628/aa.3cnvpsp4m, archived from the original on 3 October 2025, retrieved 5 November 2025
  2. ↑ Adams, Phillip; Kenny, Kath; Dwyer, Kerry (23 February 2023). "Betty can Jump - the women who staged a feminist revolution in 1970s Melbourne theatre". ABC Listen . Late Night Live. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "Betty jumps high". State Library of New South Wales. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Betty Can Jump". AusStage . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  5. ↑ "Betty Can Jump at the Pram Factory: the radical 1970s play that built a scene – and changed Australia". The Guardian . Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  6. ↑ Kafkarisos, Steven (5 March 2023). "Pram Factory Theatre Posters: the Australian Performing Group and Melbourne theatre history". Blogs. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  7. ↑ Morrell, Elle (16 September 2013). "Melbourne Women's Theatre Group". Australian Women's Register. Archived from the original on 12 May 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025. Created 15 February 2001; Modified 16 September 2013
  8. ↑ Parsons, Philip; Chance, Victoria (1995), Companion to theatre in Australia (PDF), Currency Press in association with Cambridge University Press, p. 223, ISBN   0521345286 , retrieved 5 November 2025
  9. ↑ Black, Ollie (May 2001). "Circus and physical theatre in Australia: an introduction". In Repertoire (PDF). RealTime. p. 41-43. ISBN   0642-47237-8 . Retrieved 27 October 2025. Produced by RealTime for the Australia Council

Further reading

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