The Sunny Corner Explained

The Sunny Corner is a 1915 Australian stage play by Temple Harrison that was originally produced by William Anderson.^[2]

Opening night was a notorious disaster with several audience members laughing throughout, yelling at the actors to "get off" and throwing coins and lemonade bottles on stage. This caused Harrison to abuse them from the stage at the end of the performance, saying he had never seen anything like it in a twenty five-year career, and asking why they were not at the war front.^[3]

Harrison died a few months later.^[4]

Critical reception

The Argus said while the play "certainly has defects merits are much more pronounced than faults and the unfavourable reception on Saturday evening is no indication of the standard of the play."^[5]

The Sydney Referee said the play "requires a little pruning where it is inclined to drag" but felt it "was not intrinsically a poor play, and there was no need to go the extent they did towards actors and actresses."^[6]

The Herald called it "exceedingly dull".^[7]

Another critic said the play became "duller and duller".^[8]

The Sun said "we have patiently sat through many worse plays."^[9]

The Bulletin said "there ss no joy of action, wealth of. incident nor force of characterisation."

Premise

Inhabitants try to revive the fortunes of a small town by looking for a gold reef.^[10]

Notes and References

1. News: MAJESTIC THEATRE. . . 21,384 . Victoria, Australia . 8 February 1915 . 2 May 2024 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
2. News: STAGE GOSSIP. . . 23,773 . Victoria, Australia . 14 October 1922 . 2 May 2024 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
3. News: THIS "GODS" CONDEMNED. . . LXXX . 21,299 . South Australia . 15 February 1915 . 2 May 2024 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
4. News: LATE MR. TEMPLE HARRISON. . . 18,812 . Victoria, Australia . 7 July 1915 . 2 May 2024 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
5. News: WRATH OF THE "GODS." . . 21,390 . Victoria, Australia . 15 February 1915 . 2 May 2024 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
6. News: "Sunny Corner's" Hostile Reception . Referee . 1477 . New South Wales, Australia . 17 February 1915 . 2 May 2024 . 15 . National Library of Australia.
7. News: KING'S . The Herald . 12,156 . Victoria, Australia . 15 February 1915 . 2 May 2024 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
8. News: MELBOURNE SOCIAL NOTES. . . XXI . 1037 . Victoria, Australia . 16 February 1915 . 2 May 2024 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
9. News: The Moving Picture-show . The Sun . 1447 . New South Wales, Australia . 15 February 1915 . 2 May 2024 . 4 (FINAL EXTRA) . National Library of Australia.
10. News: THE P[?]YGOER ]. Punch . CXXII . 3108 . Victoria, Australia . 18 February 1915 . 2 May 2024 . 36 . National Library of Australia.