Come on tour with Australia’s first family of vaudeville – The Marvellous Corricks

AAR-Portrait-of-the-Corrick-family-with-musical-instruments-c1912Opening this Friday, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) presents The Marvellous Corricks – a free boutique exhibition about the lives and careers of the touring family of ten who delighted Australian audiences with their vaudeville-style show.

The Marvellous Corricks provides a unique opportunity to explore the lives of early travelling entertainers through the lens of the NFSA’s exceptional collection. The archive retains a superb collection of films, stills and objects, some of which are on display for the first time, donated by Corrick family descendants.

The exhibition is an intimate journey into the lives of one of Australia’s most unconventional families, who toured Australia between 1902 and 1916 and whose shows included music, dancing, comedy and film screenings.

Albert Corrick taught his children to dance, sing and play piano, violin, cello, viola, flute, piccolo, clarinet, saxophone, cornet, french horn and the organ! Vaudeville-style entertainers, the Corrick family toured extensively through New Zealand and Australia in the early 1900s.

At the start of the tour they carried a suitcase each. By the end they were transporting 7 tonnes of equipment! The family took their performances to the world’s stage in 1907; the tour included South Asia and Europe.

While they wrapped up their show in 1916, their love of entertainment lives on in the NFSA and The Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery collections.

“The Corrick family were trailblazers among Australian entertainers for their use of ground-breaking technology and their sheer love of entertainment,” said Jillian Mackenzie, who curated The Marvellous Corricks for the NFSA. “We’re very happy to now be able to share this collection with new audiences.”

In a special in-person event on Saturday 30 July, Jillian Mackenzie will take you behind the scenes of this remarkable family.

Audiences can hear about the NFSAs restoration and digitisation of the film collection including handcolouring techniques, the amazing skills and talent of the Corrick family, and the extended collection of national and international stills taken by the family on their travels.

The exhibition is accompanied by a range of immersive digital content which continues the journey of The Corricks.


The Marvellous Corricks
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton (Canberra)
Exhibition ongoing from 1 July 2022
Free entry

For more information, visit: www.nfsa.gov.au for details.

Image: Portrait of the Corrick family with musical instruments, c1912 – courtesy of NFSA