The Kelly Gang (Rede play)

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The Kelly Gang
Kelly Gang Rede.png
The Lorgnette 2 June 1898
Written byReg Rede
Date premiered1896
Place premieredVictoria
Original languageEnglish
SubjectNed Kelly
Genremelodrama

The Kelly Gang is a 1896 Australian play about Ned Kelly by actor Reg Rede. The play, heavily influenced by the stage adaptation of Robbery Under Arms - in which Rede had appeared - was very popular and much imitated by the authors of other plays about Ned Kelly. [1] [2] [3] [4]

It is not to be confused with The Kelly Gang by Arnold Denham. [5] [6] It is likely Denham's play plagiarised from Rede's but due to the lack of copyright protection at the time Denham escaped consequences for this. [7]

The play debuted in rural regions in 1896 then transferred to Melbourne two years later. The play was very popular and unlike an earlier play about Kelly, Ostracised , was not banned. This encouraged numerous imitations, many of which borrowed from Rede's play and Robbery Under Arms. [1]

Critical reaction

The Bulletin said "The sentiments are neatly ladled out to suit all tastes." [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 Fotheringham, Richard (2006). Australian plays for the colonial stage : 1834-1899. p. 558.
  2. "Alexandra Theatre—The Kelly Gang". The Age . No. 13426. Victoria, Australia. 14 March 1898. p. 7. Retrieved 4 May 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  3. "The Drama". The Daily Telegraph . No. 7619. New South Wales, Australia. 7 November 1903. p. 15. Retrieved 4 May 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Advertising". The Lorgnette . No. 282. Victoria, Australia. 2 June 1898. p. 7. Retrieved 4 May 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  5. ""The Kelly Gang."". The Daily Telegraph . No. 7024. New South Wales, Australia. 13 December 1901. p. 8. Retrieved 4 May 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  6. ""The Kelly Gang."". The Australian Star . No. 4314. New South Wales, Australia. 12 December 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 4 May 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  7. Atkinson, Roslyn; Fotheringham, Richard (11 September 2006). "Dramatic Copyright in Australia to 1912" (PDF). University of Queensland. - originally published in Australasian Drama Studies 11 (1987): 47-63.
  8. "At Poverty Point.", The Bulletin, Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 16 April 1898, retrieved 5 May 2024 via Trove