Musical comedy.
With its action taking place in an uptown New York house and later on the Sound steamer Bristol, the story revolves around an the elderly Irish widow O'Brien and her two daughters. Both women have become enraptured by Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore, and as a consequence are to be taken to a lunatic asylum.
Also referred to as Fun on the Brighton; Or, A Trip to Manly during its 1884 Sydney season, Bent's 'local absurdity' capitalised on John F. Sheridan's Fun on the Bristol, which was then playing at the Gaiety Theatre.
The musical element included several songs and dances incorporated into the picnic scenes.
As the Widow O'Brien, John F. Sheridan scored a huge international hit with Fun on the Bristol, touring the work as part of his repertoire for more than 20 years. Effectively a vehicle for variety sketches, comic and minstrel songs, dances and even opera selections the comedy was conceived by Sheridan but written by George Fawcett [Rowe] the English actor, manager and writer who had been active in Australia's colonial theatre industry for 11 years (1853-1864). In an interview with Table Talk Sheridan recalls how the work came about:
'In 1878 it was the fashion among the smaller theatres of New York to conclude the entertainment with a farce, and in one of these Mr. Sheridan happened to be representing the character of an elderly Irish widow, whose two daughters had gone crazy over [H.M.S.] Pinafore, and who were in consequence ordered off to a lunatic asylum. The action passed on board the "Bristol, a magnificently appointed steamboat that plied at that time between New York and Boston. Mr. Sheridan's performance created so much amusement that it occured to him it would be a good idea to work out a three-act comedy on the same lines. Conferring with Mr. George Fawcett Rowe, an actor and dramatist in America, but who had previously won fame in Australia, Mr. Sheridan gave a sketch of the piece, and placed the construction in Mr. Rowe's hands, reserving the Widow O'Brien for his own invention, with the result that the play now known all over the world as Fun on the Bristol, was evolved. The first performance was given at the Newport Theatre, Rhode Island, in 1879, and the success it then achieved has followed it ever since ('Mr J. F. Sheridan.' Table Talk 29 August 1890, pp.5-6).
First performed at the Newport Theatre, Rhode Island (USA) in 1879 (Ctd. Table Talk August 29, 1890).
