The Front Lawn
| Company type | Musical and theatrical partnership |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Theatre, Film |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Don McGlashan, Harry Sinclair |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Headquarters | New Zealand |
Area served | New Zealand, Australia, Europe, United States |
| Products | Music albums, short films, live performances |
The Front Lawn was a New Zealand-based musical and theatrical partnership established in 1985 by Don McGlashan and Harry Sinclair. During 1989 and 1990, actor Jennifer Ward-Lealand became part of the ensemble. Renowned for their dynamic live shows, The Front Lawn embarked on extensive tours throughout New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and the United States. Their creative output includes two studio albums alongside three short films.
Following this collaboration, Don McGlashan went on to form the New Zealand band The Mutton Birds and developed a notable solo career. Meanwhile, Harry Sinclair shifted his focus towards writing and directing for television and cinema, with works such as Topless Women Talk About Their Lives, The Price of Milk, Toy Love, and the revived 90210.
The pair later reunited to develop the children’s television series Kiri and Lou, which premiered in 2019. Sinclair took on writing and directing responsibilities, McGlashan composed the music, and both were credited collectively as "The Front Lawn".
Performance
The Front Lawn presented their live performances across Europe, America, Australia, and New Zealand with shows including Songs and Stories from The Front Lawn, The Reason for Breakfast, The Washing Machine, The Story of Robert, and "The One That Got Away". They participated in the Edinburgh Festival in both 1988 and 1989, securing The Independent newspaper’s theatre award in 1988. Additionally, during these years, their work was selected for the "Pick of the Fringe" season at London’s Donmar Warehouse.
Music
Their discography features two albums: Songs From The Front Lawn (1989) and More Songs from the Front Lawn (1993). Two singles achieved positions within New Zealand’s top 50 charts: "When You Come Back Home" peaked at #49, while "The Beautiful Things" reached #22. Their track "Andy" was ranked number 82 on the APRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time. In 1989, the group earned three accolades at the New Zealand Music Awards—Most Promising Group, Best Film Soundtrack/Compilation, and International Achievement.
Short films
- Walkshort (1987)
- The Lounge Bar (1988)
- Linda's Body (1990)
Sinclair and McGlashan produced several short films: Walk Short, where they portrayed all characters themselves; The Lounge Bar, which was chosen for North America’s First Annual International Festival of Short Films as a leading live-action short; and Linda's Body, which won Best Short Film at the New Zealand Film Awards. Both Walk Short and The Lounge Bar were broadcast on the UK’s Channel 4, with The Lounge Bar also becoming a finalist at the 1989 American Film Festival.
Albums
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 1989 | Songs From The Front Lawn |
|
40 |
| 1993 | More Songs From The Front Lawn |
|
15 |
| "—" indicates albums that did not chart or were not released in that region. | |||
Singles
| Year | Title | Highest Chart Position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 1989 | "When You Come Back Home" | 49 | Songs From The Front Lawn |
| 1993 | "The Beautiful Things" | 22 | More Songs From The Front Lawn |
| "—" indicates tracks that either did not chart or were not released in that market. | |||
Music videos
The Front Lawn created music videos for their singles "When You Come Back Home" (1989) and "The Beautiful Things" (1993). In 1991, they secured $5000 through NZ On Air's inaugural music video funding initiative to produce the video for "The Beautiful Things," which was directed by Fane Flaws. This video earned the top prize at the 1993 New Zealand Music Video Awards and received a nomination for Best Video at the 1994 New Zealand Music Awards.
Awards
| Year | Work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Songs from The Front Lawn | New Zealand Music Awards – Album of the Year | |
| 1989 | The Front Lawn | New Zealand Music Awards – Most Promising Group | |
| 1989 | The Front Lawn | New Zealand Music Awards – International Achievement | |
| 1989 | Songs from The Front Lawn | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Film Soundtrack/Compilation | |
| 1990 | Linda's Body (Harry Sinclair, The Front Lawn) | New Zealand Film Awards – Best Short Film | |
| 1993 | Fane Flaws, "The Beautiful Things" | NZ Music Video Awards – Overall Winner | |
| 1994 | Fane Flaws, "The Beautiful Things" | New Zealand Music Awards – Best Video |
Further reading
- Dennis, Jonathan and Bieringa, Jan (Editors), Film in Aotearoa New Zealand, Victoria University Press, Second Edition, 1996.