Guide to the Papers of Noel Tovey, 1912-2017

Summary

Collection number:

MS 10311

Creator:

Tovey, Noel, AM

Extent:

(9 ms boxes + 1 archives box + 2 large folio-boxes + 1 small folio-box + 9 map folios + 21 digital carriers)

Language:

English and English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Noel Tovey, National Library of Australia, MS 10311, [class/series/file/items number(s)]

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Permission required for research. Not for loan

Background

Content Summary:

Papers relating to Noel Tovey's life and career both within Australia and overseas. Included is correspondence, family history material, clippings, photographs, posters, and ephemera. There are certificates and awards recognising Tovey's contribution to the arts and cuttings and ephemera relating to Tovey's autobiography Little Black Bastard, and to the theatrical adaptation of the book by the same name. There is also a poster, papers and photographs relating to Tovey's L'Odeon Gallery, London; a group of published works, many of which are inscribed to Tovey by the author; and three small original artworks by Horace Brodzky, Corneille, and Alvaro Guillot.

Biographical Note:

Noel Tovey was born in Melbourne, the son of an Aboriginal/ New Zealand mother and father of Scottish-African descent. Despite a difficult childhood, as a young man he had the opportunity to study dance with several teachers including ballet at the National Theatre Ballet School and with Madame Borovansky, Afro-Cuban with Katherine Dunham, jazz with Matt Mattox and contemporary with Martha Graham. He also studied singing with Joan Arnold and Rita Godfrey and acting with Hayes Gordon.

After appearing in several productions in Australia in the 1950s, Tovey moved to London where he was a principal dancer with Sadler's Wells Opera, made his acting West End debut with Stella Adler in a production of Oh Dad, Poor Dad and his singing debut in the 1966 production of On the level at the Saville Theatre. In 1966 he choreographed Sandy Wilson's The Boy Friend, which toured Britain and Australia, and in 1969 devised, directed and choreographed the drag revue, Birds of a Feather. From these beginnings, Tovey went on to enjoy a long and distinguished career in theatre, both in Australia and internationally.

In 1972, Tovey and David Sarel opened L'Odeon, a gallery in Chelsea, London, specialising in 20th century decorative arts, which operated successfully for a number of years.

Little Black Bastard, Tovey's autobiography which he received an Indigenous Fellowship to write, was published in 2004. He adapted the work as a one-man play of the same name which was performed in Australia and internationally.

An outspoken advocate of gay rights, in 2010 Tovey was recognised for his contribution to the LGBT community by becoming the recipient of the ALSO Foundation 'For All of Us' Lifetime Achievement Award.

The fostering of young talent has been important to Tovey and his initiatives to do so include the The Noel Tovey Emerging Artist Achievement Award and the The Noel Tovey Scholarship Fund.

Tovey's contribution to the arts has been recognised by the many awards he has received, including in 2014 the Uncle Bob Maza Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Victorian Indigenous Theatre and in 2015 his appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia and his inclusion on the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll.

Provenance:

The collection was acquired from Noel Tovey in several instalments received between 2014 and 2018.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Performing arts
Indigenous peoples

Conditions Governing Access:

Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat- vn6972731).

Conditions Governing Use:

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Noel Tovey, National Library of Australia, MS 10311, [class/series/file/items number(s)]

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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