| The Kelly Gang | |
|---|---|
 The Lorgnette 2 June 1898 | |
| Written by | Reg Rede |
| Date premiered | 1896 |
| Place premiered | Victoria |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Ned Kelly |
| Genre | melodrama |
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.
It is not to be confused with The Kelly Gang by Arnold Denham. 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.
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.
Critical reaction
The Bulletin said "The sentiments are neatly ladled out to suit all tastes."
References
- ^ Fotheringham, Richard (2006). Australian plays for the colonial stage : 1834-1899. p. 558.
- "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.
- "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.
- "Advertising". The Lorgnette. No. 282. Victoria, Australia. 2 June 1898. p. 7. Retrieved 4 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ""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.
- ""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.
- 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.
- "At Poverty Point.", The Bulletin, Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 16 April 1898, retrieved 5 May 2024 – via Trove
