Dad and Dave to be performed at the Redland Museum

The play will be presented by The Forgetting of Wisdom, a collective of semi-retired professional actors comprising Leo Wockner, Penny Everingham, Bob Newman, Jan Nary and Jeff McGrath.

Staged as a broadcast from a radio studio with one stand-up microphone, actors with scripts in hand and the indispensible sound effects, the four episodes follow the hilarious process of Dad's deciding to shift from the horse and buggy into a new-fangled piece of machinery, with everyone offering help or an opinion.

The program will open with the classic Australian verse story The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke by C.J.Dennis. In two of the story's poems, Brisbane actor and artist Bob Newman will bring to life The Bloke, a knock-about, unpolished gem whose rough and very ready exterior hides a good heart and more than a touch of sentiment.

The Dad and Dave series was written by Maurice Francis and Lorna Bingham and based on the characters created by Steele Rudd in his book On Our Selection. Dad and Mum, their son Dave and his girlfriend Mabel became much-loved characters of Australian radio. Living among their neighbours in Snake Gully they epitomised the image that many Australians identified with - down-to-earth battlers who faced adversity with stoicism and humour.

The radio serial began its marathon run on Sydney's 2UW on May 31, 1937. It was broadcast four nights per week in 15-minute episodes, and ran for 15 years. It came about when Wrigleys, the chewing gum manufacturer, asked its advertising agent to create a serial that was Australian in character and would appeal to a national audience. George Edwards produced the series and played Dad and neighbours Ted Ramsay and Alf Morton.

Permission to stage the production was given by Grace Gibson Productions.

The play will be staged at 6.30pm on August 17 with tickets inclusive of a glass of wine and at 2pm on August 18 including a devonshire tea. Tickets are $20. Book on 3286 3494, redlandmuseum.org.au