Figure 1.--This skit in a 1999 Australian Gang Show has a German theme complete with lederhosen. I believe that this is a scene from the very professionally done Melbourne show.

The English Scout Gang Show was no where as popular outside England as it was in Australia. I am not sure when the Gang Show was first produced in Australia. The Melbourne show has been performed continuously since 1952. Melbourne Scouts seem to have an especially active gang show program. There are a number of gang shows in Australia and there are at least four in Melbourne An Australian reader writes in 2004, "I am in the Melbourne Gang Show in Australia, here is some info! The Melbourne Gang Show was started in 1952. We celebrated our 50th year in 2002, and now are into the planning of our 53rd show. Melbourne Gang Show has had a cast of at least 140 scince 2002, made up of scouts venturers and rovers and leaders. Older cubs can join too. Each gang show is run by lots of troops put together... the other 3 are a little less "professional" i guess but they all have quite a bit of money spent on them. Melbourne Gang Show is run every year in June. Auditions are held in January, rehersals start in February. Actual performances are in June. The production team start to meet in Jukly and write the show for the next year. All our shows are written by our production team. I played Alladin in "Alladin" in the 2004 show. It was a great show and I had a great time. There are many others too! There is some humor, but there is also the serious side too. The stories in our Gang Show incorporate all kinds of feelings. At this time yes we only perform in Melbourne. A few years ago 1998? we used to perform in Geelong too and in the near future we are looking at doing a round the world tour!"

Popularity

The English Scout Gang Show was no where as popular outside England as it was in Australia. Scouting ihas been very popular in America, but gang shows never seen to have caught on. This was not the case in America. We note quite a number of gang shows produced in Australia and they seem to have been well supported.

Chronology

I am not sure when the Gang Show was first produced in Australia. We do not have a lot of information at this time. We know a little bit about Melbourne. The Melbourne show has been performed continuously since 1952. Melbourne Scouts seem to have an especially active gang show program. There are a number of gang shows in Australia and there are at least four in Melbourne An Australian reader writes in 2004, "I am in the Melbourne Gang Show in Australia, here is some info! The Melbourne Gang Show was started in 1952. We celebrated our 50th year in 2002, and now are into the planning of our 53rd show."

Production

Putting together a gang show can be a major operation, especially if it is to be a majjor operation. Modst of the participants are Scouts, but Cubs often participate as well. These productions take months to pull rtogether. Our Australian reader tells us, "Melbourne Gang Show has had a cast of at least 140 scince 2002, made up of scouts venturers and rovers and leaders. Older cubs can join too. Each gang show is run by lots of troops put together... the other 3 are a little less "professional" i guess but they all have quite a bit of money spent on them. Melbourne Gang Show is run every year in June. Auditions are held in January, rehersals start in February. Actual performances are in June. The production team start to meet in Jukly and write the show for the next year. All our shows are written by our production team. I played Alladin in "Alladin" in the 2004 show. It was a great show and I had a great time. There are many others too! There is some humor, but there is also the serious side too. The stories in our Gang Show incorporate all kinds of feelings. At this time yes we only perform in Melbourne. A few years ago 1998? we used to perform in Geelong too and in the near future we are looking at doing a round the world tour!"