Fisher's Ghost
| Company type | Operetta |
|---|---|
| Industry | Performing arts |
| Founded | 29 September 1960 |
| Founder | John Gordon |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Operetta, television adaptation |
Fisher's Ghost is an Australian operetta from 1960, created by John Gordon and inspired by the Fisher's ghost legend, which also served as the basis for Raymond Longford's 1924 film.
Operetta
The operetta debuted at Sydney Teachers' College on 29 September 1960 and was subsequently adapted for television. Around the same period, Douglas Stewart produced a theatrical play centered on the same narrative.
1960 production cast
- Ereach Riley
- Alan Light portraying George Worral
- Ross Whatson
- Pamela Coleman as Mrs Hurley
- Wilhelmina Bermingham playing Miss Hurley
1963 TV adaptation
ABC presented the operetta as the inaugural television opera grounded in Australian history. It was broadcast in Sydney on 22 September 1963 and later in Melbourne on 29 September 1963, featuring Ereach Riley and directed by Robert Allnut.
Cast
- Ereach Riley in the role of Birdlime, the pickpocket
- Edmund Bohan as John Hurley
- Marilyn Richardson portraying John Hurley's sister
- Donald Philps as Fred Fisher
Reception
The Sydney Morning Herald praised the production's "musical merit" but highlighted significant dramatic flaws that needed improvement.