{{Short description|Play by Oriel Gray}} {{Infobox play | name = The Torrents | image = | image_size = | caption = | writer = Oriel Gray | characters = | setting = | premiere = 1957 | place = | orig_lang = English | subject = | genre = comedy }} '''''The Torrents''''' is a 1955 Australian play by Oriel Gray, set in the late 19th century, about the arrival of a female journalist in an all-male newspaper office, and an attempt to develop irrigation-based agriculture in a former gold mining town.
In 1955 it was voted best play that year by the Playwrights' Advisory Board, alongside Ray Lawler's ''Summer of the Seventeenth Doll'',<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/02/1056825441987.html David Fiorovanti, "Oriel Gray, 'playwright of ideas', dies aged 83"], ''The Age'', 3 July 2003, accessed 24 January 2013</ref><ref name="Arrow">{{cite news |last1=Arrow |first1=Michelle |title=The play that time forgot |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120340518/ |accessdate=12 August 2019 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=9 December 1995 |location=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |pages=275, 277–278}}</ref><ref name="Maginnis"/><ref name="Housewife"/> winning a prize of £100 for its author.<ref name="ABC1955">{{cite journal |title=Australian Play Competition |journal=The A.B.C. Weekly |date=17 September 1955 |volume=17 |issue=37 |page=4 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1423166618/view?sectionId=nla.obj-1540599251&searchTerm=%22The+Torrents%22+play+Gray&partId=nla.obj-1423463855#page/n3/mode/1up/search/%22The+Torrents%22+play+Gray}}</ref> This has been called "one of the great “compare and contrast” moments in the history of female Australian playwriting."<ref name="burst">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/the-flawed-landmark-burst-of-summer/|title=The Flawed Landmark: Burst of Summer|date=15 November 2020}}</ref> == Theme == The play is set in the second half of the 19th century,<ref name="Arrow"/><ref name="ABC1955"/><ref name="Tribune1"/><ref name="Tribune2"/> in the newspaper office of a country town<ref name="Arrow"/><ref name="Maginnis"/><ref name="ABC1955"/> built around gold-mining.<ref name="Arrow"/><ref name="Tribune1"/><ref name="Tribune2"/><ref name="Kelly"/> The gold is running out,<ref name="Arrow"/><ref name="Tribune2"/><ref name="Kelly"/> and a young engineer suggests developing agriculture, supported by irrigation, as an alternative.<ref name="Arrow"/><ref name="Tribune1"/><ref name="Tribune2"/><ref name="Kelly"/> A new recruit to the newspaper, one J.G. Millford, arrives – and turns out to be a woman named Jenny.<ref name="Tribune2"/><ref name="Kelly"/> The play explores tensions between the all-male workforce of the newspaper and the new female reporter; between those who want to see mining continue and those who support agriculture; and the different stances of the newspaper editor and his son.<ref name="Arrow"/><ref name="Tribune2"/><ref name="Kelly"/>
== Stage performances == ''The Torrents'' had its stage premiere in 1957 at the New Theatre, Stow Hall, Adelaide,<ref name="Tribune1">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article236326329 |title=Australian play for Adelaide |newspaper=Tribune |issue=1009 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=31 July 1957 |accessdate=11 August 2019 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name="Lyons">{{cite journal |last1=Lyons |first1=Jill |title=The Doll and the Umbrella |journal=The Bulletin |date=6 November 1957 |volume=78 |issue=4056 |pages=26, 49 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-681770383/view?sectionId=nla.obj-697595417&searchTerm=%22The+Torrents%22+play+Gray&partId=nla.obj-681853082#page/n24/mode/1up |accessdate=11 August 2019}}</ref> produced by Mary Miller, one of the founders of that theatre.<ref name="Tribune2">{{cite news |last=E.J. |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article236329475 |title=Adelaide NTL presents Prize-Winning Play |newspaper=Tribune |issue=1016 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=18 September 1957 |accessdate=11 August 2019 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> It was performed in Melbourne the following year, at the New Theatre,<ref name="Arrow"/><ref name="AusStage">{{cite web |title=The Torrents |url=https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/work/8541 |website=AusStage – The Australian Live Performance Database |accessdate=11 August 2019}}</ref> and in Sydney in 1962 at Norman McVicker's Pocket Playhouse in Sydenham.<ref name="Ensemble">{{cite news |title=Ensemble Theatre Plans New Career |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121268456/?terms=%22The%2BTorrents%22%2Bplay%2BGray |accessdate=12 August 2019 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=7 March 1962 |location=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |page=13}}</ref><ref name="Pocket">{{cite news |last=R.C. |title="Torrents" At The Pocket Playhouse |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121523644/?terms=%22The%2BTorrents%22%2Bplay%2BGray |accessdate=12 August 2019 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=10 August 1962 |location=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |page=9}}</ref> The cast included John Cooper, Beverley Harte and Lionel Mann, and it was produced by Robert Findlay.<ref name="Pocket"/>
Its next stage productions were not until 1995 and 1996. A reading of the play was performed at the Victorian Arts Centre in March 1995.<ref name="Arrow"/><ref name="Mangan">{{cite news |last1=Mangan |first1=John |title=Torrents of feeling from stage left resonate anew |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123049604/?terms=%22The%2BTorrents%22%2Bplay%2BGray |accessdate=12 August 2019 |work=The Age |date=3 March 1995 |location=Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |page=18}}</ref> In 1996, the State Theatre Company of South Australia dedicated its program at The Playhouse theatre to works by Australian authors, including some which had been neglected.<ref name="Arrow"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130568464 |title=National playhouse plan announced |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=71 |issue=22,116 |date=5 November 1995 |accessdate=11 August 2019 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Its production of ''The Torrents'' was directed by Marion Potts, with set design by Mary Moore.<ref name="AusStage"/><ref name="Bramwell">{{cite journal |last1=Bramwell |first1=Murray |title=Pressing Issues |journal=The Adelaide Review |date=1 September 1996 |url=https://murraybramwell.com/?p=2101 |accessdate=11 August 2019}}</ref> Paula Arundell played Jenny, and John Adam played the son.<ref name="AusStage"/><ref name="Bramwell"/>
==Adaptations== ===1956 radio adaptation=== It was adapted into a one-hour radio play by Joy Hollyer<ref name="March1956"/> for the ABC in 1956.<ref name="Maginnis">{{cite news |last1=Maginnis |first1=Molly |title=Women in the Theatre: Playwright |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121338761/?terms=%22The%2BTorrents%22%2Bplay%2BGray |accessdate=12 August 2019 |work=The Age |date=24 March 1956 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |page=7}}</ref><ref name="Housewife">{{cite news |title=Housewife's Prize Play On The Air |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/125989584/?terms=%22The%2BTorrents%22%2Bplay%2BGray |accessdate=12 August 2019 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=8 March 1956 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51939174 |title=Worth Reporting. |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly | date=22 February 1956 |accessdate=24 January 2013 |page=31 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Three performances were broadcast, one in March 1956, with Beverley Dunn as J.G. Milford,<ref name="March1956">{{cite journal |title=A.B.C. Radio Plays. The Torrents |journal=The A.B.C. Weekly |date=10 March 1956 |volume=18 |issue=10 |page=20 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1356931636/view?sectionId=nla.obj-1427509910&searchTerm=%22The+Torrents%22+play+Gray&partId=nla.obj-1357284453#page/n19/mode/1up/search/%22The+Torrents%22+play+Gray |accessdate=13 August 2019}}</ref> another in November 1956, with Margo Lee as J.G. Milford, Kevin Brennan as the editor, Ben Gabriel as the son, and Keith Buckley as the young engineer.<ref name="Nov1956">{{cite journal |title=A.B.C. Radio Plays. The Torrents |journal=The A.B.C. Weekly |date=3 November 1956 |volume=18 |issue=44 |page=20 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1245438484/view?sectionId=nla.obj-1321208550&searchTerm=%22The+Torrents%22+play+Gray&partId=nla.obj-1245483561#page/n19/mode/1up/search/%22The+Torrents%22+play+Gray |accessdate=13 August 2019}}</ref> and the third in December 1956, in which Gwen Clarke played Jenny Milford, and Donald McTaggart played the son; also in the cast was Rodney Hall.<ref name="ABC1956">{{cite journal |title=A.B.C. Radio Plays. The Torrents |journal=The A.B.C. Weekly |date=29 December 1956 |volume=18 |issue=52 |page=20 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1245527407/view?sectionId=nla.obj-1321903227&searchTerm=%22The+Torrents%22+play+Gray&partId=nla.obj-1245590637#page/n19/mode/1up/search/%22The+Torrents%22+play+Gray |accessdate=11 August 2019}}</ref>
Another production aired in 1966, with Nonie Stewart and John Nash in major roles.<ref name="Radio1966">{{cite news |title=Drama on radio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122535001/?terms=%22The%2BTorrents%22%2Bplay%2BGray |accessdate=12 August 2019 |work=The Age TV-Radio Guide |date=7 July 1966 |location=Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |page=3}}</ref>
===1969 TV adaptation=== The play was adapted for Australian TV in 1969.<ref name="Kelly">{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Frances |title=Television. A play at last! |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/11674867 |accessdate=11 August 2019 |work=The Canberra Times |date=11 December 1969 |location=Canberra, ACT, Australia |page=33}}</ref> ''Filmink'' said this adaptation "seemed forgotten in newspaper reports about the recent STC/Black Swan revival of that play."<ref name="burst"/>
===Musical adaptation=== It was also adapted into the musical ''A Bit o' Petticoat''.<ref>[http://www.australianmusicals.com/abitopetticoat.htm "A Bit o' Petticoat" at Australianmusicals.com] accessed 24 January 2013</ref>
== Publication == ''The Torrents'' was not published until 1988,<ref name="Farfalla">{{cite news |last1=Farfalla |first1=Valerie Colyer |title=Making a living out of 200 years of neglect |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122225070/?terms=%22The%2BTorrents%22%2Bplay%2BGray |accessdate=13 August 2019 |work=The Age |date=25 November 1987 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |page=27}}</ref> when Penguin released it as part of their Australian playhouse series, and it was also included in Dale Spender's ''The Penguin Anthology of Australian Women's Writing''.<ref name="Arrow"/><ref name="Pierce">{{cite news |last1=Pierce |first1=Peter |title=Women's battle for literary credentials |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/120722905/?terms=%22The%2BTorrents%22%2Bplay%2BGray |accessdate=13 August 2019 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=24 September 1988 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=79}}</ref> It was then reissued by Currency Press in 1996 and 2016.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www-austlit-edu-au.ezproxy.sl.nsw.gov.au/austlit/page/C30348 ''The Torrents''] at AustLit
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torrents, The}} Category:1955 plays Category:1950s Australian plays Category:1969 television plays Category:1955 Australian radio dramas Category:1960s Australian radio dramas Category:Plays by Oriel Gray Category:Australian plays adapted for radio Category:Australian plays adapted for television Category:Plays set in Australia Category:Australian theatre controversies