Music Lorraine Milne

Lionel DriftwoodAnd His PiledriversDICK DUFTYLORRAINE MILNEJOHN RHODESCHRIS FINCHSTUART ROBINSON

Lorraine Milne provided a memoir of her time with the APG at The Pram Factory website, here.

1969I was a 3rd year music student, living in Women's College (now University College) and had just been elected chairperson of the Ormond/Women's Drama Group (members included John Duigan and Charles Kemp).

We were part of that annual round of college productions of tried-and-true conservative theatrical fare - a cheeky little "comedy of manners" always went down well! Then I met Graeme Blundell who was fired up with the idea of directing Ubu (Alfred Jarry) with a new translation by Geoffrey Milne and music by Gerald Lester and Janet Laurie (both brilliant musicians). I believe it changed the face of "College theatre" forever. At the end of 1969 I met Jack Hibberd who had arrived back in town (from Europe) in time for the first production of Dimboola at La Mama. Extraordinary stuff!

Summer of 1969-1970Geoffrey Milne and I went to Perth and staged some of the first street theatre seen in that city. I knocked out my first tunes for the theatre and, along with Vic Marsh and members of the UDS, we ended up performing on the wharves at Fremantle… all of this resonating from Melbourne and La Mama.

Milne did the music for shows such as Marvellous Melbourne, and The Feet of Daniel Mannix, as well as Dimboola:

Perhaps the hardest night I've ever spent in a theatre was during the filming of Dimboola in 1973. Every time there was any kind of technical problem (and there seemed to be a million of 'em) someone would shout to the band (Lionel Driftwood and the Piledrivers) to "play something". By the time we'd knocked out "Darktown Strutter's Ball" about 47 thousand times and staggered out of the Pram at about 2 am, I had bleeding fingers - literally!  It was not a pleasant experience. However, when John Timlin sent a notice (1997?) re the availability of video copies, I took him up on the offer and bought it. It's brilliant! Appalling sound, but the performances from everyone are extraordinary. Thatʼs what it was all about. I treasure my copy and I treasure that I had the privilege of working with such talent.

At an artistic level I consider that my contribution to the APG was as successful and as shitful as anybody else's, whatever their role. And I'd like to place on record my deep appreciation to two of the musicians who were always there and who gave their time so willingly - Dick Dufty on banjo and Chris ("Skins") Finch on drums. Thank you both!

But then in 1974, after four years with the collective and with her marriage falling apart, Milne was kicked out of the collective after failing to attend three consecutive meetings, as she records in her memoir:

Lorraine and Geoff Milne's memberships have lapsed.Etc...THAT WAS IT! After giving four years of my time and talent to the group, there was not even a "Thanks for your contribution" or "Are you OK?" or even "Get Fucked!" It showed me the truly "caring attitude" of people who purported to be champions of the underdog, the working class. What a joke!! And it's even more "poignant" when you consider the following motion put up at the Collective meeting of 20th March, 1973.

MOTION: After 9 months non-involvement with the APG members would automatically become non-members and would have to re-apply.   M. Allan/ B. Spence... CARRIED

All I can say is... Thanks "comrades"! I never went near the Pram again.

For a full list of Milne's credits, go to her memoir.

(Below: the band and Lorraine Milne on piano as they appear in the film)