''The Kiwi Concert Party'' was a group of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

entertainers. They were originally called N.Z. Entertainment Unit, formed in 1941 within the 2nd N.Z. Expeditionary Force. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the troupe toured New Zealand and Australia. Terry Vaughan was approached to take over directorship of this touring party and he acquiesced on the condition that he would have full hire-and-fire powers. Vaughan selected musicians from both Concert Party groups to form a big band (reeds, trumpets, trombones and rhythm section – no string section, but two musicians who doubled on violin) Under the name of the

Kiwis, the group embarked to

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

in early April 1946 after a two-week warm-up season at His Majesty’s Theatre in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

. The Kiwis toured through Australia and New Zealand until 1954, including playing over two years at the

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. The revues included acts from

female impersonators A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part o ...

(including John Hunter), singers and comedians.

Select shows

*''Alamein'' (1946) *''Tripoli'' (1946) *''Benghazi'' (1946) *''Medley'' (1948) *''Cassino'' (1952) *''Now Is the Hour'' (1953)

References

{{reflist

External links

Musicians at War: The Kiwi Concert Party in World War IIAustralian performance details
at

Ausstage AusStage: The Australian Live Performance Database is an online database which records information about live performances in Australia, providing records of productions from the first recorded performance in Australia (1789, by convicts) up unt ...

Theatre in New Zealand Revues 1941 establishments in New Zealand 1954 disestablishments in New Zealand