Old Australian

I'm writing a story set around 1927 in which one character is a thirtyish Australian Jewish actress, successful in her trade and direct in her language. I'd like to include a few Australianisms that would be correct for the period and not implausible for a woman, even one given to forceful expression and in a trade not known for ladylike restraint.

Could any Aussies help?

You might try watching the current season of Underbelly. It's set in that time period and available on EZTV.it

I wouldn't recommend Underbelly: Razor. It's not a bad show, but it's dreadfully historically inaccurate. It's almost like they're trying to take the piss. So far I've seen at least 3 songs that were released for the first time in the late 70's early 80's performed, but done in a 20's style. I could probably give you a few examples of strine, but would need some more information. You could also try C.J Dennis' marvelous poem The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke, which is written entirely in slang of the time, it was set a little earlier than the 20's though. I can tell you that the word sheila to describe a woman was in common use.

Seegee
Hi, Seegee. Thanks for the offer. I'll look up that song. It's difficult to be more specific and I really just want a bit of local and time colour, but here's her first appearance in the story:

"Ah, and you're a butler! Jolly good!" I left him to his duties, whatever they were, and found myself next to the antipodean Jewess. She actually was quite attractive, a jolly good show considering the disadvantages she had laboured under. I told her so.

"What disadvantages are those, Eustace?" she asked rather abruptly. That put me in a spot of bother. She might conceivable be resistant to the idea that being Australian was a bad start in life, likewise being Jewish. In fact, I might have been mistaken and she might not be Jewish. She might even be a New Zealander. Besides, how in botheration did she know my first name? That was a way out of the tight spot she'd put me in.

"How did you know my first name?" I asked.

"I took a shuftie at the guest list: Lieutenant Eustace Budleigh-Salterton. So what disadvantages were you referring to?"

"Er...being a woman."

"Fair dinkum. Being female is thought to help in entrancing men with feminine beauty, but I've seen some blokes in dresses that didn't look like a kangaroo's arsehole."

"Indeed. And are you hitched up, or do you do something for a living?" She smiled. My wily skills had got me out of a bit of a hole.

"I do something for a living. I'm a Missus, Mrs Blue, but I discarded hubbie number two in a billabong in Sydney. Hev you heard of "Charlies Aren't Australian"? "Rats-arsed in Ballarat"? "Macbeth"? "Tight as Andronicus?"

"Can't say I have, old girl. But hold on a mo – wasn't Andronicus that Greek chappie who wanted to make a comic opera out of the Eton Boat Song?"

"No. He played cricket for Victoria on her last visit down under. Right – I've clocked that you fancy me and I'll put it in my little notebook." With that promise she was off, the motion of her haunches looking almost queenly.

Simon