Ada And Elsie: Wacko-the-diddle-oh!

When the wireless was the centre of the entertainment universe, Ada and Elsie’s unique brand of comedy was broadcast around Australia for sixteen years.

Ada & Elsie: Wacko the Diddle oh! recreates the spirit of 1940s live radio entertainment. The glamour, the music, the live sound effects, the off-air drama—including being banned by the Postmaster General! According to a 1953 ‘Radio Roundup’ Ada and Elsie were `ribald in a ladylike way and most genteely vulgar. And very, very funny! One of the brightest listening spots of the week? Before Kati, & Kim, before Eddy & Patsy, there was Ada & Elsie!

The Original Ada and Elsie

Ada and Elsie was a top-rating comedy act during the golden age of Australian radio, the 1940s and 50s.

Created in 1942 by Dorothy Foster, who played Ada opposite Rita Pauncefort as Elsie, Ada and Elsie broke boundaries for women in radio and comedy. They performed alongside the famous names of Australian radio – Dick Bentley, Jack Davey, Roy Rene, Willie Fennell – in the jewel-in-the-crown of the Colgate Palmolive radio unit, Calling the Stars.

This lavish variety show ran for over ten years, broadcast nationally from the Trocadero Ballroom in Sydney in front of a live audience of 2,000 people, complete with orchestra, glamorous vocalists in evening dress and dashing announcers in dinner jackets. Ada and Elsie in their demure frocks, gloves and spectacles with their hair tucked under plain little hats, were introduced as ‘those two old-fashioned girls’. But whilst their demeanour was sweet, wide-eyed naivety, the scripts written by Dorothy, were bursting with innuendo.

According to a 1953 ‘Radio Roundup’ Ada and Elsie were, “ribald in a ladylike way and most genteely vulgar. And very, very funny!” Their act was considered “one of the brightest listening spots of the week.”

Ada and Elsie have the distinction of being banned from broadcasting for three months in 1945 by the Postmaster General for being obscene! And in an uncanny parallel with recent radio events, the offending script involved a reference to royalty. In 1948 they starred in the first public demonstration of television in Australia.

For 16 years Ada and Elsie ruled the airwaves on Calling the Stars, The Cashmere Bouquet Show, The Cadbury Show and finally their own thirty minute sit-com, The Ada and Elsie Show. They became part of the lexicon – any pair of scatterbrained middle-aged women who mangled metaphors was dubbed Ada and Elsie; pets were named after them; lottery syndicates took their name; they were popular fancy dress subjects and they were impersonated on talent shows.

Cast

Carole Yelland as Ada/Dorothy Foster.

Carole graduated from NIDA in 1970. During the past 40 years she has performed and toured with many major theatre companies, including the Old Tote and the Melbourne Theatre Company. On television she worked in Prisoner, Homicide, Matlock Police, Division 4, The Sullivans, Neighbours and Cop Shop.

For the ABC Carole appeared most recently in Something in the Air and over the past years has featured in The Fast lane, Inside Running, Janus and Phoenix. Carole has been seen recently as a guest performer with the critically acclaimed Red Stitch Theatre Company in Melbourne and has toured extensively with Alzheimer’s the Musical – A night to remember!

Maureen Sherlock as Elsie/Rita Pauncefort

Maureen performed around Australia with Circle Theatre Co and The Stage Co and produced her own cabaret shows Molls and Housewives’ Playtime whilst a director of Theatre 62. TV appearances range from 49 episodes of News Free Zone for ABC, The River Kings, The Shiralee, Robbery Under Arms, to guest roles in MDA, Blue Heelers, Something in the Air, Wilfred and Kath & Kim.

Writing credits include TV dramas Blue Heelers, Chuck Finn and Wormwood, the ABC quiz show Flashback, Million Dollar Minute for the Seven Network, The Music Shop for Network Ten, Here’s Humphrey for the Nine Network, animations Ketchup, Gasp, The Woodlies and The Odd Family. She has written several successful comedy cabaret shows, including the award-winning Alzheimer’s the Musical – A night to remember! and Tragic at their Age, as well as Don’t Touch Me There for The Fabulous Singlettes.

Maureen has had four children’s books published and collaborated with Rob George on several projects including the successful stage plays Percy & Rose and Lovers & Haters which premiered at the 2008 Adelaide Festival of Arts.

Malcolm Hansford as Jack Davey

Malcolm is a Melbourne-based actor and musician who is a well-known face around Festivals and Corporate events as an MC, solo artist and also as a member of various ensembles, including Living Stories, Howdie Cowdies and The Gram-o- Phonie Brothers.

Malcolm is also the Musical Director of Ada & Elsie: Wacko-the-Diddle-oh where his skills as a singer and multi-instrumentalist (piano, keyboard, guitar, accordion, spoons and ukelele) are put to great use.