SINGING DANCING LAUGHING UNIONISM

HAL ALEXANDER was Secretary of Actors' Equity.

The union was having trouble in unionising the industry.

Hal made us an offer we couldn't possibly refuse.

The Union would get us some freebees to the gallery of the Theatre Royal where Gladys Moncrieff was starring in the musicale ..  'Maid of the Mountains'.

Our task was to interject at appropriate moments.  A hasty 'rehearsal' gave us the idea.

'Our Glad'  would trill something like, "Oh what shall we do" (say) to which the claque would reply,  "Join the union."

Or if the junior lead sang,  "Who is this who comes?" (say) we'd reply,  "The union organiser."  And so on.  Until they called the coppers.

It must have been a hard night for the performers but we thought it a buzz.

The union grew into a strong force in the theatrical world and an important banner bearer for OZ culture.

Yes.  They did join and Glad became an active Equity member.