Let's get on with the show

Ed Warrington's Revue Company at the Luxor Theatre, 1928 (050116PD)

Time to get your dance shoes on as we groove on up with a troupe of music and literature events. This eNews, let your imagination waltz away with you.

All that jazz (and other music)

For the cool cats, join legends of WA jazz for Homecoming: A Celebration of Jazz History. A concert intertwined with heritage materials celebrating 50 years of the Perth Jazz Society (PJS) and 40 years of the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO). After the Library closes, on 9 December.

Albany’s Famous Gardeners Album Launch, on 15 December, is a musical performance by Jameson Feakes inspired by researching his family history. Watch Little Wonder, a music video from the album about a tragic boating accident in 1911, using heritage film from our collection.

If you prefer the dulcet tones of birds, WA Reflections: Sound Twitcher focuses on the incredible bird song collection of John Hutchinson on 7 December.

Effie Fellows travelling the world dressed as a man 1922–1930 (283054PD)

Australia’s "Perfect Boy"

Tommy, Rumsty, Bobby and Master Freddie Manners were all pseudonyms of Effie Marion Fellows. Born in Subiaco in 1893, Effie always thought skirts were a nuisance. Cleverly disguised as a boy, she worked as a bellhop, page boy, and horse carriage driver. Occasionally, she landed in hot water, especially when attending male-only boxing matches. In Melbourne, Effie first saw male impersonators on stage and created her own vaudevillian show. She was a hit, toured the world, married twice and was described by a New York newspaper as "one of the greatest boy impersonators in her line". Read more of Effie's adventures on Facebook or our website.

Imagine This!

Step inside a storybook. Let’s see what we can find. Embark on great adventures, exploring worlds of every kind! An interactive children's exhibition that lets your imagination run wild. Discover more...

Illustration by Kelly Canby

Young Reader’s Day Out

On 26 November, be entertained, write, draw and create with superstar children’s authors and illustrators Chenee Marrapodi, Christy Burne, Julia Lawrinson, Jennifer Falkner, Jen Sherrington, Renae Haywood, Renee Treml, Sally Murphy, Sean Avery, Sharon Giltrow, Teena Raffa-Mulligan and Tracey Dembo. Discover more...

Fancy dress in Kalgoorlie, 1928. Photo by Thomas Faulkner McKay (226099PD)

Line up of literature event s to rave about

Telethon dancersm 1973 (360460PD)

Client Survey

Shimmy on over to the State Library website and take the Annual Client Survey. Help us improve our services and resources and go in the draw to win one of 10 x $100 Myer vouchers. Discover more ...

Miss Western Australia Quest event dancers, Merlin Hotel, Perth, 1984 (371700PD)

Let's Dance

"Darling, don't ever be too scared to dance your heart out" – Audrey Hepburn

Jazz hands at the ready. Celebrate the longest-running LGBTQIA+ nightclub in the southern hemisphere, Connections. Watch a 5 minute documentary, view 100s of Connies fabulous posters or listen to owner Tim Brown's oral history.

Experience WA music photography history in Snap Shot or the online archive of headbangers.

Reminisce about clubbing in the 80s and 90s at Pinocchios, Hannibal's, Red Parrot, Gobbles, and Eagle One on Facebook or pirouette into 1929 when famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova performed at His Majesty's Theatre.

If mystery is more your jive, Murder on the Dancefloor, a short film and podcast, tells the 1925 true story of Audrey Jacobs, who shot Cyril Gidley in front of hundreds of people dancing the foxtrot at Government House and got away scot-free.

Boogie along with free music apps of all kinds, or dance to the beat of your own drum with over 70,000 loanable scores and pieces of sheet music.

Hopefully, we jazzed up your day.

Events at Gloucester Park to launch Benson & Hedges Cup,1981 (329079PD)

Holiday Opening Hours

Saturday 23 December CLOSED
Sunday 24 December CLOSED
Christmas Day Monday 25 December CLOSED
Boxing Day Tuesday 26 December CLOSED
Wednesday 27 December 9:00am–5:30pm
Thursday 28 December 9:00am–5:30pm
Friday 29 December 9:00am–5:30pm
Saturday 30 December CLOSED
Sunday 31 December CLOSED
New Year's Day Monday 1 January 2024 CLOSED

We hope to see you online or in person soon. After all, without dance, what’s the pointe?

Members of the Corps de Ballet from the Ambassadors Theatre, Perth, ca 1930 (001760PD)