Collection 23: Karl Bittman - records of the Viennese Theatre (Kleines Wiener Theater) in Sydney, 1927-1990s. Includes some personal and family papers, 1911-1995.

MLMSS 6693

sub-fonds

1911-1995

Textual Records, Ephemera, Clippings

404278

18 boxes - 2.4 Meters
Textual Records - (typescript)
Textual Records
Ephemera
Clippings

The Viennese Theatre (Kleines Wiener Theater) was founded in Sydney by Else and Alfred Baring, and Erna and Gerhard Felser, in 1941. The theatre group was made up of Austrian immigrants who were refugees from the Nazi Regime.
The group's intention was to entertain using humour and sentimentality, and to reflect the difficulties experienced by migrants adjusting to life in a new country with a new language. The theatre productions were an outlet for feelings of nostalgia, and provided a meeting place for people with similar experiences. The Viennese Theatre attempted to create something of Vienna in their new country, based on common values, interests and experiences and, at the same time, to continue the Viennese theatrical tradition.
All the actors were amateurs. The bilingual scripts were usually written by Alfred Baring and Karl Bittman. The Theatre's reputation was built largely on their so-called `Bunte Abende'. These were cabaret style performances which included a mixture of cabaret scenes, jokes, and songs predicated on linguistic misunderstandings and cultural clashes. Later scripts were linked by a minor plot or theme.
Their earliest performances were held in private homes and gardens and later in halls and theatres such as the Independent Theatre in North Sydney and Anzac House Auditorium. The group usually staged two or three performances a year in seasons of six to twelve performances.
In 1958 one of the founding couples, the Felsers, left the Viennese Theatre to found a new German speaking theatre group, Kammerspiele Sydney, based at the Independent Theatre. One of the reasons for the breakaway was disagreement over the repertoire of the Viennese Theatre. Until the early 1950s, the Viennese Theatre had performed, along with its Bunte Abende, mainly comedies from Vienna's past. More serious, contemporary plays were performed from 1951, largely under the influence of Gerhard Felser. Criticism of this new direction eventually led to the split of the group and the formation of the Kammerspiele. The Kammerspiele closed in 1968.
Little Viennese Theatre productions were always well attended and eagerly anticipated. Many people worked with the Viennese Theatre including Henri Szeps, Professor Max Feuerring, Stan Rapotec, Quentin Hole, Stefan Haag, Owen Grant, Dr Alphons Silbermann, and John Bluthal. Music was written by Werner Baer and Steps Weintraub. Overseas guests included Freddi Durra, Gerhard Bronner and Peter Wehle. The `Two Masks' programme cover was designed and donated by Louis Kahan.
The Viennese Theatre continued performing until the end of the 1970s. They were officially disbanded in 1988. The Theatre had always operated entirely on a voluntary basis and donated its profits to various causes including the Elizabethan Theatre Trust, the building of the Opera House, WIZO, and others. In 1988, all remaining funds were used to establish a student scholarship at NIDA.

I. SCRIPTS FOR BUNTE ABENDE AND KABARETTEN
1944; 1. Bunter Abend (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/1/1)
1945; 2. Bunter Abend (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/1/2)
1946; A sketch: `Migrants wanted under 45' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/1/3)
1947; 3. Bunter Abend (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/1/4)
1949; 4. Bunter Abend: `Ku[e]nstlich - Natu[e]rlich!' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/1/5 )
1952; 5. Bunter Abend: `Eine Fahrt ins Blaue' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/2/1)
1955; 6. Bunter Abend: `Tour-Retour' (Call No.: MLMSS 6933/2/2)
1957; 7. Bunter Abend: `Das Steckenpferd' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/2/3)
1960; 8. Bunter Abend: `Haas im Glu[e]ck' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/2/4)
1961; 20 Jahre Kleines Wiener Theater: `Jubila[e]msabend' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/3/1)
1962; 9. Bunter Abend: `Continental Cabaret' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/3/2)
1966; Jubilaemsabend (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/3/3)
1965; 10. Bunter Abend: `Continental Matilda' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/3/4)
1967; 11. Bunter Abend: `Kaptia[e]n Koch entdeckt Australien' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/3/5)
1969; Sketch: `Kapeles u[e]ber die Mondfahrt' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/3/6)
1971; 30 Jahre Jubilaemsabend (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/4/1)
1971; 12. Bunter Abend: `Zwei Fliegen auf einem Schlag' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/4/2)
1973; 13. Bunter Abend: `Bis 120!' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/4/3)
1975; 14. Bunter Abend: `Kreplach on the Rocks' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/4/4)
1975; 15. Bunter Abend: `Gefillte Fisch und Apfelstrudel' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/4/5)
1975; `Wizo night at Wenkart's' / `Wenkart's party' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/4/6)
1980; Kabarett-Jause (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/4/7)

II. SCRIPTS FOR PLAYS PERFORMED BY LITTLE VIENNESE THEATRE
1945 or 1949; `Solo Hati Lalande' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/1)
1950; `Zur Erinnerung an die "Hofloge" vom Kleinen Wiener Theater', being `Extraausgabe der Kleinen Wiener Theater Zeitung...' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/2)
1953; `Lotterie der Liebe' by Alfred Baring and Karl Bittman (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/3)
1956; Die Probe by Franz Kafka. Includes Open Night June 1956. (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/4)
1957; `Open Night nach "Antigone"' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/5)
1958; Die drei Groschenoper by Bertolt Brecht. Includes `Open Night' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/6)
1959; Eine sonderbare Dame by John Patrick. Includes `Open Night' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/7)
1959-1960; Das Ei by Felicien Marceau. Includes `Open Night June 1960. Alle guten Dinge sind Ei'. (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/8)
1960; Der Prozess by Franz Kafka, being `Entwurf fuer das Zirkular ueber "Der Prozess"' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/9)
1960; Der eingebildete Doktor by Hans Weigel (fragment only) (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/5/10)
1961; The Tenth Man by Paddy Chayefsky (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/6/1)
1961; Bei Kerzenlicht, ein Lustspiel by Karl Farkus and Siegfried Geyer (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/6/2)
1962; Oscar by Claude Magnier (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/6/3)
1962; Mit besten Empfelhungen by Hans Schubert (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/6/4)
1962; `Bronner Gastspiel' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/6/5)
1964; Rosen fu[e]r Marina (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/6/6)
1964; Seidman and Son by Elick Moll (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/7/1)
1972; Der Babutz by Felicien Marceau (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/7/2)
1974; Der Tag an dem der Papst gekidnappt wurde by Jaoa Bethencourt (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/7/3)
1975; Recital: `Zwei Sprachen - ein Gedanke' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/7/4)
1977; Zalmen, or the madness of God (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/7/5)
Undated; `Who's Pinkus - where's Chelm?' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/7/6)

III. MISCELLANEOUS SCRIPTS AND TEXTS
ca 1941; Miscellaneous scripts and sketches: `The adventures of Miss Port'; `2U and 2U alone'; notes (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/8/1)
1944; Radio scripts (2) (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/8/2)
1958, 1972; Scripts: B'nai B'rith Cabaret (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/8/3)
1966; `Open Night-December 1966. Slide Showing' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/8/4)
Undated; Miscellaneous scripts: possibly B'nai B'rith evening (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/8/5)
Undated; Miscellaneous notes and scripts (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/8/6)
Undated; Scripts and texts by Hans Duschak (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/9/1)
Undated; Miscellaneous scripts: Goethe by Egon Friedell and Alfred Polger (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/9/2)
Undated; Miscellaneous scripts: Die Weisen von Zion (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/9/3)
Undated; Miscellaneous sketches: `Die hohe Auszeichnung' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/9/4)
Undated; Miscellaneous sketches: `Heutiger Naschmarktbericht! Ein Sketch vom heutigen Wien...' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/9/5)
Undated; Miscellaneous sketches: `Moritz Jedermann. Eine Parodie. Zwei Herren in Sydney' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/9/6)
Undated; Miscellaneous scripts and sketches: `Traum eines Scriptwriters'; `Bei einer Probe'; `Gewichtige Argumente'; `The Driving Instructor'; `A foreigner's way of speaking English...'; `Couplet'; `Ich bin ein Easterly Suburbs Mann...'; `Television Sketch'; `Moritat'; `Geister-Szene'; `Kulturgespra[e]che der Zukunft'; `Franz heisst die Canaille'; `Report from Australia'; `Zur Psychologie des Hokupokus'; `Englisch fu[e]r Vorgeschrittene'; `Who's afraid of Mavis Bramston?' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/9/7)

IV. PROGRAMMES, BROCHURES, BOOKING FORMS FOR BUNTER ABENDE AND KABARETTEN
1940s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/10/1)
1950s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/10/2)
1960s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/10/3)
1970s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/10/4)

V. PROGRAMMES, BROCHURES AND BOOKING FORMS FOR PLAYS
1948-1950S; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/10/5)
1960s; Includes Karl Kraus readings (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/11/1)
1970s, 1981; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/11/2)
1950s-1960s; Programmes for other theaters including Kammerspiele Sydney (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/11/3)

VI. NEWSCUTTINGS RE. LITTLE VIENNESE THEATRE
1940s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/11/4)
1950s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/11/5)
1960s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/11/6)
1970s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/11/7)
1950s-1980s; Miscellaneous (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/11/8)

VII. CORRESPONDENCE MAINLY RE. LITTLE VIENNESE THEATRE. Includes some personal correspondence.
1930s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/12/1)
1940s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/12/2)
1950s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/12/3)
1960s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/12/4)
1970s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/12/5)
1980s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/12/6)
1990s; (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/12/7)
1943-1944; Association of Refugees (N.S.W.) (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/12/8)

VIII. MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL RE. LITTLE VIENNESE THEATRE
1953; `Memorandum and Articles of Association of Viennese Theatre (Kleines Wiener Theater)' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/13/1)
1930s-1980s; Speeches and articles by Karl Bittman re. theatre and immigration (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/13/2)
1950s-1990s; Speeches at birthdays, weddings, Bar Mitzvah, etc by Karl Bittman and various other people (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/13/3)
26 February 1980, 27 February 1981; Addresses by the President, H.R. Baring, to the Annual General Meeting of the Little Viennese Theatre (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/13/4)
1981, undated; Notes re. history the Viennese Theatre (Sydney) (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/13/5)
Undated; Miscellaneous notes and ideas (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/13/6)
1940s-1980s; Photographs. Includes photographs of Little Viennese Thetre productions, and Strauss to Matilda book launch (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/13/7)
1983, 1984; Master of Arts theses re. Little Viennese Theatre, presented by Fred Dobberstein, `Deutsche Exilliteratur in Australien' (University of Melbourne - fragment only); Doris Liffman, `The Bunte Abende of "Das Kleine Wiener Theater", 1941-1966. An historical and literary survey' (Monash University) (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/13/8)
Undated; Poster: `Viennese Theatre Club' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/13/9)

IX. PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE OF KARL BITTMAN (ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY)
1930s-1940s; A (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/14/1)
1930s-1940s; B (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/14/2)
1930s-1940s; C - L (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/14/3)
1930s-1940s; M - Z (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/14/4)
1980s-1990s; A - B (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/14/5)
1980s-1990s; C - K (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/14/6)
1980s-1990s; L - Z (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/14/7)

X. SCRAPBOOKS AND DIARIES
1927-1933; Theatre productions in Vienna, possibly compiled by Karl Bittman (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/15/1-3)
1954 (?); Diary of Karl Bittman during trip to USA and England (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/15/4)

XI. MATERIAL RE. BOOK: STRAUSS TO MATILDA
1985-1989; Correspondence, arranged alphabetically (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/16/1-2)
1980s; Correspondence (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/16/3)
1988; Promotional material (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/16/4)

XII. MATERIAL RE. BOOK THE HERITAGE OF VIENNA
1980s; Texts written by members of the discussion group, Lindfield 1 (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/17/1)
1980s; Discussion course (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/17/2)
1983-1984; Correspondence (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/17/3)
1988; Proof sheets (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/17/4)
1988; Promotional material (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/17/5)

XIII. MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL
1910-1913; School exercise books of Hans Duschak (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/18/1)
1940s; Blitz (Bliss) family tree (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/18/2)
1962-1989; Charles Bliss (Karl Blitz) - biographical material, newscuttings, correspondence, Semantography (Blissymbolics) (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/18/3)
1950; `Witzkalendar' (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/18/4)
1976; Encyclopedia of Jewish Humor (New York) (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/18/5)
1981; Sich fu[e]gen heisst lu[e]gen. 80 Jahre deutsches Kabarett (Mainz) (Call No.: MLMSS 6693/18/6)

German, English