Cirrus@Austlit

Revusical.

Arguably one of Bert Le Blanc's most popular creations, Fuzzy Wuzzy was staged regularly by his Travesty Stars between 1915 and ca. 1922. The action is set in a bank, with Ike Cohen and Morris Levi putting in and taking out 'mornings and evenings'. The Truth newspapers indicates that the narrative allowed 'good choruses, splendid solos, clever dancing and amusing patter [to be] worked in' (12 March 1916, p.7). As such, it was variously described as a 'revue', a 'musical extravaganza' (Truth 1 April 1916, p.7), 'the quintessence of musical comedy... crammed full with tuneful musical numbers' (Brisbane Courier 17 December 1917, p.11), and 'a musical travesty' (Brisbane Courier 9 December 1918, p.5).

The principal characters are Ike Cohen and Morris Levi (on business and pleasure), General Steele and his four daughters, Percy Cheatem (a bad-un), Harvard Yale (educated), and the society women Lady Grafter and Lady Fleecem.

Although there would likely have been quite a number of changes to the revusical over the years, the latter versions probably share a foundation with the 1915 production. Specific comedy routines and songs, however, would have been reworked in order to provide topicality and social relevance.

Songs incorporated into the 1918 production included 'Dance that Dengozo with Me' and 'In a Bungalow Where the Red Roses Grow' (sung by Lilian Colenzo); 'Lonesome Baby' (Olga Ray); 'The Strains of a Wedding March', 'Where the River Shannon Flows', and 'Summer Moon' (Mike Connors); and 'The Deathless Army' (Will Raynor).

The 1915 Brisbane production of In Sunny Japan is described in a Truth review as 'easily the best thing yet seen from the Dandies ... A miniature musical comedy... [in which] the talented artists proved their worth' (5 September 1915, p.2). By 1918, In Sunny Japan was being described as both a 'picturesque musical sketch... introducing song, chorus, duets, quartette, sextette and dance' and an 'Oriental scena' (Brisbane Courier 12 January 1918, p.2). The 1918 version was one of several scenas staged in Brisbane during the year.

The connection between the 1915 and 1918 versions of In Sunny Japan is likely to have been through the influence of Walter George, who had been, in 1915, a member of Edward Branscombe's Scarlet Dandies Company (Theatre Magazine January 1915, p.47). While there were undoubtedly a number of changes made to the latter production (notably in the songs, comedy, and dances), the same underlying narrative is believed to have been served as a foundation for both.

A reworking of the traditional pantomime favourite, with original music by Frederick Weierter, the narrative revolves around the wicked designs of Old King Cole to secure both Little Red Riding Hood and the Goose that lays the golden egg. He is frustrated in his attempts, however, by the Fairy and Boy Blue (Northern Miner 31 August. 1915, p.2). During the first year Jim Gerald and Will Raynor reportedly incorporated a clever burlesque on East Lynne into one of the scenes.

Songs incorporated into the 1914 productions included: 'King of the Devils' (Keeley), 'Death of Nelson' (Raynor), 'In the Cornfields' and 'All That I Ask is Love' (Jennings), 'Maryland' (Rose Coleman), 'Meet Me in Starlight' (Jennings and R. Coleman). One of the songs known to have been presented in 1915 was 'My Hero' (the waltz song from The Chocolate Soldier) which was sung by the Fontenoy Girls (Northern Miner 31 Aug. 1915, p.2).

Changing specialty acts were regularly inserted into the pantomime. The 1916 Brisbane production featured, for example, Levarto the magician and Shipp and Little (patterologists/dancers). The show also included a 'stirring patriotic tableau entitled 'Britannia'" (Truth 12 March. 1916, p.7).

To find a bone for the immortal dog, Mrs Hubbard is willing to sell her daughter to the 'Mighty Ruler.' Mr Hubbard should be under the Prohibition Act and counts for little. But Blue Bell loves Robin, and scout the idea of the Sultan, who even disposes of his Sultanate and himself by a sort of 'Tatt's' consultation (5 April 1915, p.3).

Built on a lavish scale, the colour, glitter and effect of the show are alone worth the price of admission so to speak, and planned to keep the audience saying 'Oh!' most of the time. As far as can be gathered Mother Hubbard deals less with the cupboard than with the Sultan. The said Monarch, aching for Miss Hubbard, declares he will have her. Miss Hubbard doesn't want to be a Sultana, because she's got a chap already. The naughty Sultan, in between the lights and glitter and vaudeville turns and so on, arranges a raffle (cries of horror from the A.M.A.), the winner to wed him. Miss Hubbard, of course, is to get the ticket, but her poor old ma really becomes possessor of the pasteboard, and complications ensue that go on to make a pantomime. All that matters is that Bluebell and Robin get wedded, and that the friendly joy causes a lot of dancing and spectacle and jokes (9 October 1915, p.6).

Old Mother Hubbard is quite a play by reason of its romantic story and its well-defined characterization. It tells it is true, a great deal more of the history of the old lady whose cupboard was bare than is to be gleaned from the nursery rhyme; in fact, Old Mother Hubbard's domestic affairs are very much in the limelight, and even the dog is a conspicuous figure. A pretty little love story is woven around the old dame's fascinating daughter, Blue Bell, the course of whose true love is somewhat ruthlessly disturbed by Gammadelta, the King of Dum Doodle Dum Doo, who is inclined to 'Call spirits from the vasty deep' when he desires to work out his little schemes. Unburdened by anything that could be called superfluous detail, the plot works itself out to a natural and happy conclusion (27 June 1922, p.4).

Subtitled The Girl Who Lost Her Sheep and billed as a gorgeous adult pantomime in two acts, the story 'deals with the love episodes of Bo-Peep, who in this instance has not suffered the loss of sheep, but of a worthy wooer ... Jack Straw, the two fond hearts [having been] kept apart by the orders of the Shah'. He eventually relents, on the condition that Jack perform a heroic deed: the recovery of a watch stolen by the witch Fly-By-Night (Sydney Morning Herald 26 December 1910, p.3).

The settings were as follows: Scene 1. The Witch's Haunt; Scene 2. The Home of Widow Bumpkin; Scene 3. The Palace of the Shah; Scene 4. The Enchanted Castle; Scene 5. Under the Waves (transformation scene).

The music for the songs and dances was performed by the tour's own orchestra. One of the songs written for the pantomime, 'It's Cheap at Half the Price' (sung in 1910 by Drysdale and Francis), included topical hits at the new State Labor government: 'when we double their screw, what a lot they'll do' (Sydney Morning Herald 26 December 1910, p.3).

Songs incorporated into the 1914 productions included 'Oh! The Sea,' 'I'm Little Bo-Peep' (Webb), 'Down a Shady Lane' (Mack and Webb), 'On the Farm,' 'Pearl of Persia' (Terry) 'Throwing Myself Away,' 'I'm the Shah, Tarantara' (Cornock), 'My Bo-Peep' (Mack), 'Arcadia,' 'The Fowls in the Farmyard,' 'Lotus Land,' 'How Are You?' and 'Little Miss Turpentine.'