In the first of an occasional series reminding us what makes Canberra such a beautiful place to live, NOEL BEDDOE gets a fond insight into some of the backstage antics of the 50-year-old Tempo Theatre group.

THE seating arrangement has more in common with a Balinese rooster-fighting pit than a plush theatrical setting; the bar is a collapsible table with a few bottles and cans on it : their audiences don’t care – Tempo Theatre has been drawing crowds, entertaining Canberrans for 50 years.

The first Tempo production was “Bye Bye Birdie” in April 1974. Since then the group has presented 116 productions.

Musicals featured early – “Camelot” and “The Pyjama Game” in 1975, “Oliver”, “Man of La Mancha”, “Gypsy” and “Grease” all in 1980. 

The group took on “Hair” in 1977. Readers may recall that the Harry M Miller production of that play completed act one with the entire cast naked and full frontal. I wonder how Tempo handled that challenge. Obviously the approach found favour: they repeated the effort in 1981.

Current group president Jon Elphick joined as an actor in “Murder at the Music Hall” in 1997. 

Secretary Marian FitzGerald had acted in England before relocating to Australia: “I joined Tempo to act. I moved into administration at an annual general meeting when we had positions vacant,” she said.

Tempo presented Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” in 2011, 12 years before the Robyn Nevin version came to town. 

“We had all the musical effects recorded – you’ll remember that there’s a piano theme and some whistling that are central to the development of the plot,” says Jon.

“And just before the end of act one we lost all sound. What to do? Send the audience home? Someone remembered that there was a piano up the back of the theatre. 

“A couple of us rushed out, hefted it, brought it backstage. Marian was the only one who could play the piano. She had to rush off stage, hit the theme, rush back on. 

“We found someone who could whistle and he had to perform in public for the first time. Must have gotten away with it – after the show no-one so much as mentioned the problems.”

Frequent cast member Cheryl Browne’s roles have included Mrs Danvers in “Rebecca”. There were challenges.

“My big scene had me come to the top of this sweeping staircase, hold a pose and descend looking haughty and in command and menacing. Well, we had this lovely staircase on stage. Nothing so grand backstage. 

“To get to the top of the stairs for my entrance I had to struggle up this very high, somewhat flimsy ladder. By the time I got ‘on’ I was so out of breath and so anxious I would sometimes wonder how I’d say the first line, never mind make it sound threatening. 

“It’s always a bit sad when a production winds up; for that one I can’t say I regretted losing contact with that ladder.”

Cast member Garry Robinson is nothing if not versatile; in last year’s “Murder on the Nile” he appeared firstly as the Egyptian bead seller, next as the boat’s captain and then as the chief of police. By the third entrance he was greeted with hoots of delighted audience laughter, which distraction he accepted like a professional.

“Once a cast member turned up without the appropriate costume trousers,” Jon said. 

“Garry had a spare pair because of his various roles. He lent them but they didn’t really fit ; I was in a lather of anxiety waiting for the curtain call, which featured everyone holding hands and lifting their arms above their heads in unison. That night, I was certain that at that moment this bloke’s trousers were going to fall down.”

They didn’t. Pity. What a moment of theatre that would have been.

What does the future hold for Tempo?

Jon: “We’re in pretty good shape. Production costs continue to rise but we’ve built up an enthusiastic and loyal following over the years. 

“We’re not-for-profit in as much as no-one takes a salary but we’ve built up a handy bank balance. I see no reason that we can’t continue indefinitely.”

A development in recent years has been the creation and recording of a radio play, broadcast over station IRPH on Christmas Day. This year it’s called “Mr Shakespeare” and it was written in house by Michael Weston and Jo Jones. 

Garry is in the performance; the production was recorded in October. I can imagine that spending some time with people from Tempo would add to the Christmas of someone spending the day alone.

Talented, committed theatre folk have been serving our territory through the Tempo Theatre group for half a century. We have been lucky to have them.

Canberra author Noel Beddoe’s writing has been published in “The Australian” and “The Sydney Morning Herald”. Three of his novels have been nominated for the Miles Franklin Literary Award.