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Betty Roland

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158:, was first performed in 1928 by the Melbourne Repertory Theatre company, and hailed as "The first Australian play written by a real dramatist". A moving study of the alienation felt by a young French woman who marries an Australian soldier who she meets during World War One and moves with him to a narrow-minded country town. The play was performed in amateur theatres regularly between 1928 and the 1940s and on radio. Roland revised it in 1955. It received its first professional production in 1976 at the 33: 221:, in the late 1920s. Having left her husband, she booked a passage to the UK in 1933 and discovered Baracchi, also recently separated, was a passenger on the same voyage. They began a relationship, and travelled together to the 314:. In 1951 she legally changed her name to Betty Roland, and the following year moved to London with Gilda, where she wrote for television and women's magazines, as well as children's books and comic strips for 333:
in 1963, serving on its management committee and becoming an honorary life member in 1993. She moved back into Montsalvat from 1973 to 1979, and wrote her second volume of autobiography,
957: 286: 243:. Their daughter, Gilda, was born in 1937. In the late 1930s she wrote short, left-wing, agitprop plays, which she regarded as akin to political cartoons, for the 942: 645: 227: 947: 967: 254:
She separated from Baracchi in 1942, and for the rest of the 1940s supported herself and her daughter by writing radio plays, including
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She returned to Australia in the early 1960s, continuing to write radio plays and children's books, and was a founding member of the
863:, Illawarra Unity – Journal of the Illawarra Branch of the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, 7(1), 2007, 49–55 844: 937: 899: 432: 239:(1979), was based on her diaries from this period. On their return to Australia, they moved to Sydney, building a house in 196:
Roland's early writing for theatre is mostly romantic drama or comedy. Her later work was agit prop and highly political.
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was broadcast on Australia's ABC Radio National on Sunday 2 January 2011 as part of the Playing the 20th Century series.
927: 120:(22 July 1903 – 12 February 1996) was an Australian writer of plays, screenplays, novels, children's books and comics. 621: 608: 595: 582: 558: 545: 532: 519: 506: 489: 476: 463: 450: 419: 952: 256: 962: 392: 274: 163: 136:, Victoria, the daughter of Roland and Matilda Maclean. She left school at sixteen to work as a journalist for 330: 232: 218: 637: 201: 801: 299: 225:, where Baracchi was to deliver documents to the Kremlin. While there, Roland worked on the 922: 917: 700: 280: 8: 400: 244: 159: 667: 32: 895: 617: 604: 591: 578: 554: 541: 528: 515: 502: 485: 472: 459: 446: 428: 415: 358: 268: 154: 235:, and smuggled literature into Nazi Germany. The first volume of her autobiography, 199:
She also wrote the screenplay for what is claimed as the first Australian "talkie",
311: 262: 251:, a magazine published by the Communist Party of Australia and edited by Baracchi. 762: 378:(written 1929 / first performed 1932 play) Produced as a radio play under title 713: 214: 171: 911: 872: 322: 316: 856: 337:, about her time there. She published two more volumes of autobiography, 825: 307: 240: 174:
published it in 1974, and again in 1986 with another of Roland's plays
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Creative lives: personal papers of Australian writers and artists
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Roland wrote plays from the mid-1920s. Her best known play,
222: 208: 362:(1928 play) Melbourne University Press 1942; and others. 641:(1931) (claimed to be Australia's first talking movie) 427:(with notes by author) Currency Methuen, Sydney 1974 247:in Sydney. The scripts were regularly published in 958:20th-century Australian dramatists and playwrights 370:Playing the Past – Three Plays by Australian Women 892:The Cambridge Guide to Women's Writing in English 909: 845:Biographical Register: ROLAND, Betty (1903–1996) 752:, National Library of Australia, 2009, pp. 8–87 189:, a modern take on the Pygmalion myth, and the 213:Roland met the wealthy Marxist intellectual 943:Australian women dramatists and playwrights 144:, and married Ellis Harvey Davies in 1923. 16:Australian playwright, novelist (1903–1996) 31: 668:"Betty Roland (1903–1996) by Jayne Regan" 501:ill. Geraldine Spence, Random House 1963 191:Gates of Bronze: a fantasy in four scenes 147: 789:The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama 205:, in 1932, credited as Betty M. Davies. 910: 755: 209:Guido Baracchi and the Communist Party 948:20th-century Australian women writers 847:, Working Lives, University of Sydney 514:w/ Prudence Seward Random House 1970 471:ill. Genevieve Melrose, Follett Pub. 968:Communist Party of Australia members 840: 838: 836: 834: 744: 742: 740: 738: 736: 734: 695: 693: 691: 689: 687: 685: 670:. Australian Dictionary of Biography 345:(1990). She died in Sydney in 1996. 819: 306:From 1948 to 1950 she lived in the 13: 791:, Melbourne University Press, 1994 185:Other plays of the 1920s included 71:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 14: 979: 831: 731: 682: 885: 876:by Betty Roland and John Santry 866: 850: 438:Novels and Children's Fiction: 348: 794: 781: 706: 703:, Bear Alley, 8 September 2006 660: 627: 293:She also wrote a comic strip, 123: 87:Writer, dramatist, radio plays 1: 938:Writers from Victoria (state) 653: 388:(serial for commercial radio) 331:Australian Society of Authors 217:, one of the founders of the 7: 553:Harlequin Mills & Boon 396:(play for commercial radio) 233:Katharine Susannah Prichard 57:Kaniva, Victoria, Australia 10: 984: 933:Australian Marxist writers 802:"Playing the 20th century" 590:Hale & Iremonger 1984 527:Scholastic Australia 1964 484:Scholastic Australia 1961 219:Australian Communist Party 928:Australian comics writers 512:Jamie's Other Grandmother 111:Drama, children's fiction 107: 99: 91: 83: 75: 61: 42: 30: 23: 551:The Other Side of Sunset 953:Communist women writers 588:The Eye of the Beholder 569:Lesbos the Pagan Island 458:Penguin Australia 1966 335:The Eye of the Beholder 525:Jamie's Summer Visitor 162:, Sydney, produced by 148:Drama and theatre work 128:Betty Roland was born 963:Female comics writers 880:Sydney Morning Herald 859:War on the Waterfront 632:(as Betty M Davies): 386:Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 300:Sydney Morning Herald 231:, shared a room with 575:Caviar For Breakfast 368:(1928 play) inc. in 281:The Drums of Manalao 237:Caviar For Breakfast 616:HarperCollins 1990 603:HarperCollins 1989 577:HarperCollins 1979 310:artists' colony at 257:The First Gentleman 160:Independent Theatre 130:Mary Isobel Maclean 46:Mary Isabel Maclean 638:Spur of the Moment 601:An Improbable Life 564:Autobiographical: 339:An Improbable Life 245:New Theatre League 202:Spur of the Moment 142:Sun News-Pictorial 900:978-0-521-49525-7 765:The Touch of Silk 748:Penelope Hanley, 646:Heights of Danger 614:The Devious Being 499:Jamie's Discovery 433:978-0-86819-154-6 425:The Touch of Silk 408:The Touch of Silk 359:The Touch of Silk 343:The Devious Being 269:The White Cockade 228:Moscow Daily News 178:. Most recently, 155:The Touch of Silk 115: 114: 975: 902: 889: 883: 870: 864: 854: 848: 842: 829: 823: 817: 816: 814: 812: 798: 792: 785: 779: 778: 776: 774: 767:by Betty Roland" 759: 753: 746: 729: 728: 726: 724: 710: 704: 697: 680: 679: 677: 675: 664: 495:Forbidden Bridge 482:Forbidden Bridge 469:The Bush Bandits 456:The Bush Bandits 443:Beyond Capricorn 312:Eltham, Victoria 263:Daddy Was Asleep 249:Communist Review 68: 65:12 February 1996 54: 52: 35: 21: 20: 983: 982: 978: 977: 976: 974: 973: 972: 908: 907: 906: 905: 894:ed. Lorna Sage 890: 886: 882:, 17 March 1949 871: 867: 861:– a banned play 857:Roland, Betty, 855: 851: 843: 832: 826:Betty M. Davies 824: 820: 810: 808: 800: 799: 795: 786: 782: 772: 770: 761: 760: 756: 747: 732: 722: 720: 712: 711: 707: 699:Steve Holland, 698: 683: 673: 671: 666: 665: 661: 656: 630: 538:No Ordinary Man 414:Currency Press 351: 275:A Woman Scorned 211: 180:A Touch of Silk 150: 126: 79:Betty M. Davies 70: 66: 56: 50: 48: 47: 38: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 981: 971: 970: 965: 960: 955: 950: 945: 940: 935: 930: 925: 920: 904: 903: 884: 865: 849: 830: 818: 793: 787:Richard Lane, 780: 754: 730: 718:Austlit.edu.au 705: 681: 658: 657: 655: 652: 651: 650: 642: 629: 626: 625: 624: 611: 598: 585: 572: 562: 561: 548: 535: 522: 509: 492: 479: 466: 453: 445:HarperCollins 436: 435: 422: 405: 397: 393:A Woman Scored 389: 383: 373: 363: 350: 347: 215:Guido Baracchi 210: 207: 172:Currency Press 149: 146: 125: 122: 113: 112: 109: 105: 104: 101: 97: 96: 93: 89: 88: 85: 81: 80: 77: 73: 72: 69:(aged 92) 63: 59: 58: 44: 40: 39: 37:Roland in 1940 36: 28: 27: 24: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 980: 969: 966: 964: 961: 959: 956: 954: 951: 949: 946: 944: 941: 939: 936: 934: 931: 929: 926: 924: 921: 919: 916: 915: 913: 901: 897: 893: 888: 881: 877: 875: 869: 862: 860: 853: 846: 841: 839: 837: 835: 827: 822: 807: 803: 797: 790: 784: 768: 766: 758: 751: 745: 743: 741: 739: 737: 735: 719: 715: 709: 702: 696: 694: 692: 690: 688: 686: 669: 663: 659: 648: 647: 643: 640: 639: 635: 634: 633: 623: 622:0-207-16698-6 619: 615: 612: 610: 609:0-7322-2523-X 606: 602: 599: 597: 596:0-86806-169-7 593: 589: 586: 584: 583:0-7322-2535-3 580: 576: 573: 571:Cheshire 1963 570: 567: 566: 565: 560: 559:0-263-05010-6 556: 552: 549: 547: 546:0-00-614478-0 543: 539: 536: 534: 533:0-86896-701-7 530: 526: 523: 521: 520:0-370-01209-7 517: 513: 510: 508: 507:0-370-11022-6 504: 500: 496: 493: 491: 490:0-86896-210-4 487: 483: 480: 478: 477:0-695-40893-3 474: 470: 467: 465: 464:0-14-030930-6 461: 457: 454: 452: 451:0-00-221449-0 448: 444: 441: 440: 439: 434: 430: 426: 423: 421: 420:0-86819-143-4 417: 413: 409: 406: 403: 402: 398: 395: 394: 390: 387: 384: 381: 377: 374: 371: 367: 364: 361: 360: 356: 355: 354: 346: 344: 340: 336: 332: 327: 325: 324: 319: 318: 313: 309: 304: 302: 301: 296: 291: 289: 288: 283: 282: 277: 276: 271: 270: 265: 264: 259: 258: 252: 250: 246: 242: 238: 234: 230: 229: 224: 220: 216: 206: 204: 203: 197: 194: 192: 188: 183: 181: 177: 173: 169: 166:and starring 165: 161: 157: 156: 145: 143: 139: 135: 131: 121: 119: 110: 106: 102: 98: 94: 90: 86: 82: 78: 74: 64: 60: 45: 41: 34: 29: 22: 19: 891: 887: 879: 873: 868: 858: 852: 821: 809:. Retrieved 805: 796: 788: 783: 771:. Retrieved 764: 757: 749: 721:. Retrieved 717: 708: 701:Betty Roland 672:. Retrieved 662: 644: 636: 631: 613: 600: 587: 574: 568: 563: 550: 537: 524: 511: 498: 494: 481: 468: 455: 442: 437: 424: 412:Granite Peak 411: 407: 401:Granite Peak 399: 391: 385: 379: 375: 369: 366:Feet of Clay 365: 357: 352: 349:Bibliography 342: 338: 334: 328: 321: 315: 305: 298: 294: 292: 287:In His Steps 285: 279: 273: 267: 261: 255: 253: 248: 236: 226: 212: 200: 198: 195: 190: 187:Feet of Clay 186: 184: 179: 176:Granite Peak 175: 153: 151: 141: 137: 129: 127: 118:Betty Roland 117: 116: 103:20th century 67:(1996-02-12) 55:22 July 1903 25:Betty Roland 18: 923:1996 deaths 918:1903 births 874:The Conways 828:on IMDb.com 811:12 December 763:"Austlit — 723:12 December 628:Filmography 404:(1952 play) 341:(1989) and 295:The Conways 164:John Tasker 124:Early years 92:Nationality 912:Categories 806:Abc.net.au 654:References 308:Montsalvat 297:, for the 241:Castlecrag 168:Fay Kelton 138:Table Talk 95:Australian 84:Occupation 51:1903-07-22 769:. Austlit 540:Fontana 382:in 1945. 140:and the 76:Pen name 773:17 July 674:17 July 380:New Day 376:Morning 353:Plays: 898:  649:(1953) 620:  607:  594:  581:  557:  544:  531:  518:  505:  488:  475:  462:  449:  431:  418:  134:Kaniva 100:Period 323:Swift 108:Genre 896:ISBN 813:2021 775:2024 725:2021 676:2024 618:ISBN 605:ISBN 592:ISBN 579:ISBN 555:ISBN 542:ISBN 529:ISBN 516:ISBN 503:ISBN 497:and 486:ISBN 473:ISBN 460:ISBN 447:ISBN 429:ISBN 416:ISBN 410:and 372:1995 320:and 317:Girl 284:and 223:USSR 62:Died 43:Born 303:. 290:. 132:at 914:: 878:, 833:^ 804:. 733:^ 716:. 684:^ 326:. 278:, 272:, 266:, 260:, 193:. 170:. 815:. 777:. 727:. 678:. 53:) 49:(

Index

Roland in 1940
Kaniva
The Touch of Silk
Independent Theatre
John Tasker
Fay Kelton
Currency Press
Spur of the Moment
Guido Baracchi
Australian Communist Party
USSR
Moscow Daily News
Katharine Susannah Prichard
Castlecrag
New Theatre League
The First Gentleman
Daddy Was Asleep
The White Cockade
A Woman Scorned
The Drums of Manalao
In His Steps
Sydney Morning Herald
Montsalvat
Eltham, Victoria
Girl
Swift
Australian Society of Authors
The Touch of Silk
A Woman Scored
Granite Peak

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