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Marcus Clarke

MARCUS CLARKE

  (1846 - 1881)
Nationality:    Australian
email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a

Marcus Andrew Hislop Clarke (born London 24 April 1846  died Melbourne 2 August 1881) and moved to Melbourne, Australia in 1862 following the death of his father. Known for being adventurous in terms of his career, Clarke found it hard to focus on a single profession and spent much of his youth and young adulthood trying his hand at a number of different opportunities from banking to working on stations in rural areas. In fact, throughout his life, writing seemed to be the only activity he would always come back to. Melbourne proved to be a great source of material for his literary endeavours and soon his local articles began to get noticed around the city and he was becoming known for his view on Melbourne life. Clarke also wrote novels, his most well known being 'His Natural Life' which was first published in 1870. However, it was his articles that caused the most commotion around Melbourne and in the lead up to the 1880's Clarke was known to regularly spark controversy when it came to his writing. It was this controversy that ultimately paved the way for Clarkes theatrical satire 'The Happy Land' (1880) which, in the lead up to a Melbourne opening night, was banned by the same government Clarke so enjoyed stirring up.

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below is a list of Marcus Clarke's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Happy Land, The

Happy Land, The

Synopsis:
The women of Fairyland grow restless. Life above the clouds has grown dull and they wish to experience the mortal world, a place they think is far to wicked for the likes of them. So rather than travelling there themselves, they will bring a touch of Earth to Fairyland. Naturally, the visitors to Fairyland would have to be well learned, respectful, trustworthy and must represent the best aspects of mankind, and the only place to find such men is in the Victorian parliament, of course. So, without delay, three 'upstanding' examples of Victorian government are whisked away to Fairyland to teach its fairest residents about the political economy.

Notes:
I hereby forbid the acting or presenting of the stage play called the Happy Land or any part thereof in the theatre & as I am of the opinion that it is fitting for the preservation of good manners, decorum and public peace so to forbid such acting or presenting of such stage play. Marcus Clarke wrote The Happy Land, an Australian adaptation of an English political burlesque in 1873, however it was not performed until January 1880, by the Academy of Music in Melbourne. Following the two official performances, the play was famously banned in Victoria. Staged in the lead up to a Victorian election, the political satire was feared by the Chief Secretary as he faced the crucial re-election period. He moved pre-emptively and prohibited any version of the play be localised in Melbourne. He acted under Victoria's Licensed Theatre Statute of 1865, which granted him the power to forbid a piece of theatre he considered unsavoury. This power had never been invoked before and caused a political uproar. The play was subsequently performed at other colonies in Australia without problems.

1st Produced:
Academy of Music in Melbourne    Jan 1880

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playlab Press, Australia   978 1 921390 25 8

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama 60 min One act

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  9+ cast members

Further Reference:
-

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