Cabaret celebrates forgotten star of the Sydney stage

There was once a familiar catch cry in Sydney show business: when a performance was lacklustre, "Send for Nellie!"

Born in 1900, Nellie Small was a cross-dressing cabaret artist who became a legend of the industry, singing jazz and blues standards in prestigious clubs.

For decades her story was forgotten, but a show by Helpmann-award winning writer Alana Valentine hopes to remind people of her legend.

PERFORMER NELLIE SMALL
Nellie Small was a cross-dressing cabaret artist who became a legend of the industry.

Send for Nellie is not a biography, said Valentine - rather a cabaret show interspersed with funny and heartbreaking tales from the performer's life.

The set list includes Stormy Weather, Sunny Side of the Street, and the classic I Want a Little Sugar in my Bowl.

"It's like a Weimar cabaret - we're calling it cabaret with claws," Valentine told AAP.

Nellie Small's mother was Australian and her father was from Antigua in the West Indies. 

She started on the cabaret scene during the Depression, and found wearing a suit both on and offstage helped audiences to recognise her.

On tour, she had to stay in different hotels to the rest of her band because of the colour of her skin, and when she returned from a tour of New Zealand, border guards didn't believe she was Australian.

"Send for Nellie is mostly very funny, but we don't resile from the fact that she talked about how how difficult it was for a third generation Australian with her skin colour," Valentine said.

PERFORMER NELLIE SMALL
Nellie Small's mother was Australian and her father was from Antigua in the West Indies.

She discovered the stories of Nellie Small almost 30 years ago, and wrote a play about her in the 1990s.

After a reading at the Performance Space in Redfern in 1992, she sent the script to the Melbourne Theatre Company, and received a polite rejection.

"As with everything we have read by Alana, good writing and interesting ideas, intellectually and theatrically," a letter to Valentine said.

"But we do not think it would have a wide enough appeal for us to mount a successful production."

Other companies also passed, but perhaps the time for Nellie Small's story has finally arrived - it's no accident the finale is the wartime jazz standard "At Last".

Elenoa Rokobaro stars in the title role, having recently played Billie Holiday in the Belvoir St Theatre and Melbourne Theatre Company's Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill.

Australians often turn to overseas talent when they think of the great performers, but world-class local artists like Nellie Small have always been right under our noses, Valentine said.

"She was this big star, she's got a beautiful voice, let's raise her up and celebrate her."

Send for Nellie plays at the Sydney Theatre Company as part of the Sydney Festival from January 10 to 14.

License this article

What is AAPNews?

For the first time, Australian Associated Press is delivering news straight to the consumer.

No ads. No spin. News straight-up.

Not only do you get to enjoy high-quality news delivered straight to your desktop or device, you do so in the knowledge you are supporting media diversity in Australia.

AAP Is Australia’s only independent newswire service, free from political and commercial influence, producing fact-based public interest journalism across a range of topics including politics, courts, sport, finance and entertainment.

What is AAPNews?
The Morning Wire

Wake up to AAPNews’ morning news bulletin delivered straight to your inbox or mobile device, bringing you up to speed with all that has happened overnight at home and abroad, as well as setting you up what the day has in store.

AAPNews Morning Wire
AAPNews Breaking News
Breaking News

Be the first to know when major breaking news happens.


Notifications will be sent to your device whenever a big story breaks, ensuring you are never in the dark when the talking points happen.

Focused Content

Enjoy the best of AAP’s specialised Topics in Focus. AAP has reporters dedicated to bringing you hard news and feature content across a range of specialised topics including Environment, Agriculture, Future Economies, Arts and Refugee Issues.

AAPNews Focussed Content
Subscription Plans

Choose the plan that best fits your needs. AAPNews offers two basic subscriptions, all billed monthly.

Once you sign up, you will have seven days to test out the service before being billed.

AAPNews Full Access Plan
Full Access
AU$10
  • Enjoy all that AAPNews has to offer
  • Access to breaking news notifications and bulletins
  • Includes access to all AAPNews’ specialised topics
Join Now
AAPNews Student Access Plan
Student Access
AU$5
  • Gain access via a verified student email account
  • Enjoy all the benefits of the ‘Full Access’ plan at a reduced rate
  • Subscription renews each month
Join Now
AAPNews Annual Access Plan
Annual Access
AU$99
  • All the benefits of the 'Full Access' subscription at a discounted rate
  • Subscription automatically renews after 12 months
Join Now

AAPNews also offers enterprise deals for businesses so you can provide an AAPNews account for your team, organisation or customers. Click here to contact AAP to sign-up your business today.

SEVEN DAYS FREE
Download the app
Download AAPNews on the App StoreDownload AAPNews on the Google Play Store