They Never Come Back (play)
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| They Never Come Back | |
|---|---|
 Ad in Daily Telegraph 21 Feb 1945 | |
| Written by | Maurice Francis |
| Directed by | Maurice Francis |
| Date premiered | February 16, 1945 |
| Place premiered | Assembly Hall, Margaret St, Sydney |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | World War Two |
| Genre | drama |
| Setting | Sydney, Australia |
They Never Come Back is a 1945 Australian play by Maurice Francis. Francis was Australia's most prolific radio writer, regularly working for George Edwards. He decided to produce his own stage play, They Never Come Back and put it on in opposition to J.C. Williamson's. It was a rare Australian play to deal with a contemporary issue at the time, in this case trauma of returned servicemen.[1]
The play was a financial disaster and led to Francis having to declare bankruptcy.[2] The court ordered no action be taken against him.[3]
Francis said "Although the critics reported it as a good play, the public wouldn't go to the Assembly Hall. After three weeks, the Chief Secretary closed the show, as there were no fire curtains. I was glad, because money was going down the drain."[4]
A copy of the play is at the University of New England library.[5]
A returned serviceman - a young ex-RAAF squadron leader, winner of the DFC - works as an insurance clerk but struggles to adjust to civilian life. He winds up murdering his wife after she confesses to being unfaithful while he was away.
Original cast
- Ron Roberts as the returned serviceman
- Judy Stretton as his wife
- Norman Blackler as his friend
- Paul Philips as his neighbour
- Patricia Minchin as his sister in law
Production background
In the 1930s Francis established himself as one of the leading commercial radio writers in the country. He served in the Army for four years during World War Two. In 1945 he formed Maurice Francis Enterprises, comprising a syndicate of five people who each invested £75, to put on plays, starting with They Never Came Back. "I was very enthusiastic about putting on a stage show in opposition to J. C.Williamson," Francis said later.[2]
Francis later recalled, "I knew very little about business, and the whole enterprise was shockingly loosely run. No records, were kept, and when I had to fill in forms for the Official Receiver I had to ring up everyone and ask them what I owed them."[2]
