Cirrus@Austlit

Especially localised for the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre from E. L. Blanchard's pantomime Harlequin Sinbad the Sailor, the Age records that, in addition to the localisms and songs scattered throughout the production, Eville's additions 'appear to consist [of] three new scenes which precede the action proper of the burlesque' (28 December 1868, p.3). These introductory scenes concern Young Victoria (a youth who smokes, says 'my word', and takes credit for being particularly knowing) is on his way to discover the source of the Nile. He meets up with King Cheops, the Spirit of the Nile, and the Spirit of the Past; the latter 'represents the Victorian past of some fifteen years ago; and is habited as a gold-digger who sings of the times when men were fined 40s and taken away' (Argus 28 December 1868, p.6). The Spirit of the Nile refuses to comply with Young Victoria's request to see the source of the Nile and undertakes instead to present him with a faithful picture of Sinbad's adventures.

The storyline that follows is essentially Blanchard's original. The poor but honest Sinbad is helped by the Spirit of Enterprise, and subsequently sets out on a sea voyage in order to seek his fortune. After being wrecked on an island, he undergoes a series of wonderful adventures that include finding the Valley of Diamonds and encountering pygmies, a princess, and the Old Man of the Sea. While this is all happening, the wicked merchant, Ali Ben Rumphiz, comes across Sinbad's wrecked boat and attempts to sell all his goods to the tyrannical and greedy old monarch King of Nottatallsobad. Sinbad eventually ascends into the clouds in the clutches of the gigantic roc (a mythical bird found in many Arabian legends).

According to the Argus, one of the production highlights was King Notatallsobad's marching army, which comprised some sixty to seventy supernumeraries, half of whom were children. The army 'marched and countermarched, and performed the most intricate and complicated movements with perfect correctness, the children leading the whole way. At the conclusion of the evolutions the audience were loud in their expressions of approval' (p.6).

The pantomime's musical programme included popular songs and operatic airs, along with original incidental music for a number of ballet sequences, opening choruses, and overture.