Cirrus@Austlit

An adaptation by Harry Taylor of the famous pantomime story, it was described in advertising as 'an entirely new and up-to-date burlesque [with] charming music, humour, ballets and grotesque situations' (Northern Miner 20 September 1919, n. pag.). The text is said to closely follow the story of the famous children's story, with the original characters retained but with many additional characters added to 'give strength to the cast and [the] introduction of novel acts.' The Northern Miner also records that 'the dialogue is witty and humorous throughout, and above all is clean and wholesome.'

The musical numbers, 'especially written for the production by the author, Mr Harry Taylor', are described as being both 'original and haunting' (22 Sept. 1919, p.2).

An adaptation by Harry Taylor of the popular nursery rhyme and pantomime story.

The House That Jack Built was the fourth Frank Dix pantomine to be staged in Australia following his arrival in 1912 to produce Puss in Boots for J. C. Williamson's - the others being The Forty Thieves (1914) and Cinderella (1915). As with the earlier productions Dix collaborated with local or locally-based practitioners, in this instance with music director/composer Victor Champion and writer Harry Taylor. The libretto was also produced with the help of English actor George M. Slater.

Although the critics were mostly impressed with the three hour extravaganza, staged with some 140 juveniles, most of the praise was lavished on the, scenic art, choreography and performances - especially the six actors who were making their Australian debuts. In its review of the opening night the Argus critic wrote:

The nursery rhyme of Jack's simple architectural essay and those who took advantage of it is told directly the curtain rises by pencillings on a huge slate and school children's chorus which follows each item as it is figured. Thereafter all is brilliant extravaganza burlesque ballets, and turns (26 December 1916, p.3).

On the same day the Age review records:

The pantomime season, with all its revelry of color and jest, and its care-free atmosphere of fairyland, is once more with us, and was triumphantly and gorgeously ushered in at Her Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night, when a very large audience gave the heartiest of welcomes to the story of The House that Jack Built. To tell the truth, as is the case with most pantomimes, the story of Jack and of his house was rather obscure. It was almost lost in a maze of rainbow color and a flood of light-hearted music. But that mattered nothing, for the fun was fast and furious and the pantomime went with a swing from start to finish without any trace of first-night stiffness out it, and with its succession of glowing pageants, its bewildering variety of dresses, its novel ballets and stage effects it is probably one of the most successful from a spectacular point of view that has yet been staged for Melbourne audiences (26 December 1916, p.7).

The critic appears to have been largely unimpressed with Victor Champion's score, however, noting that although tuneful, it was "not all that good."

Not surprisingly The House That Jack Built introduced a good deal of patriotic material - notably in songs such as 'Anzac' (presented amidst a khaki attired chorus bearing in their haversacks cleverly devised lighted letters forming the title of the song) and 'Our Boys,' set to a scena revealing the Sphinx, behind which was the deck of a battleship with guns and searchlights in action. 'Our Own Dear Flag' was staged with a chorus of allied flags with the Union Jack and Commonwealth flags unfurled over the footlights, while 'The Dance of Emotions,' portrayed purity, death and the triumph of love.

The first known production of this pantomimic adaptation of Defoe's classic novel was in Charters Towers in late August 1915. It was likely staged earlier than that, however. Describing it as an 'all-round capital show' the Townsville Daily Bulletin's theatre critic further notes: 'Cinderella or "the girl who put her foot in it" is a tuneful medley of songs and dances, diversified with extremely clever acrobatic and comedy work of a high description (29 August 1915, p.5)'

The 1915 production's musical programme opened with two lilting choruses 'A Hunting We Will Go' and 'Back, Back to Tipperary' (featuring Phyllis Faye). Other known songs were 'I'll Meet You by the Mississippi River,' 'Dreaming of You' (both performed by Phyllis Faye), 'Neath the Shadow of the Pyramids' (Ivy Marsden), 'When They Get Old' (Bruce Drysdale), 'Three Little Maids are We' (Marie Wilmot, Florrie Horan and Bruce Drysdale), 'When the Pigs begin to Fly' (Bruce Drysdale and Harry McDonna) and 'The Skies Will Be Blue If You Say You'll Be Mine,' and 'Do You Remember.'

Described as a pantomime burlesque in 1920.

Described in New Zealand's Dominion newspaper in 1914 as a 'musical extravaganza' designed 'to give ample scope for picturesque scenery, bright costumes and a succession of ballets,' The Jam of Cathay is believed to have been first staged (under canvas) by Jasper's Pantomime Company in 1913. It was also toured throughout New Zealand the following year by the Stephenson-Linley Combination. Also known as Stephenson and Linley's Humpty Dumpty Pantomime Company, the troupe comprised most of the same p[erfrmers who had toured under Edward Jasper's management.

The story revolves around the theft of the Jam of Cathay's famous pickle by restaurant owner, Frascati. Following his mysterious death a stranger, Bill Smith, comes to town and impersonates him. A number of hilarious situations arise when several other people arrive in town - these being Frascati's daughter Marie, the amorous military officer Hon. Bobby Atkins (who is trying to show how essential Marie is to his existence), the Jam of Cathay (very tall and fierce and in search of the pickle-recipe stealer), and his "chocolate -coloured" daughter, Marmalade (very short and plump). The pseudo Frascati saves himself for the jam's vengeance by making an alliance with the sweet Marmalade. In the meantime the Jam has decided to abduct Marie and add her to his harem. She is saved by Bobby, in the disguise of a corn doctor.

The Nepean Times records that the production included all the latest songs and dances. Two songs known to have been incorporated into the show that year were 'England and Ireland' and 'Australia" (31 January 1914, p.4).

[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]

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).

A small-scale pantomime, the storyline rests largely on Widow Bunce, who becomes the tenth wife of Bluebeard after a mix-up over a love potion. The potion had been intended for her daughter, Fatima. Widow Bounce gathers the other hard-done-by wives together and they give Bluebeard a very bad time.

Songs incorporated into the 1917 production included 'Bright Eyes' and 'Over the Garden' (sung by Mattie Jansen) and 'Memories' and 'Sweetheart (sung by Emili Dani).

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.'

Dr Charles MacCarthy premiered Lady Nora at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney in June 1907 for copyright purposes. He had previously been encouraged to complete and produce the work by the late Leon Caron. The plot, which has its dialogue written in prose verse by Harry Taylor, concerns a rising young sculpture and his sweetheart.

The first act is set in London, and included scenes in an artist's studio and at a charity ball held in a fashionable house. The second act transfers the narrative to a residence beside the Upper Lake of Killarney.

The Sydney critics were generally positive in their assessment of the opera's merits, despite the production being essentially a reading with vocal performances (the participants read from scripts and did not act). The Evening News review records, for example:

Dr. Charles MacCarthy, whose skill in painting and modelling is well known has carried his artistic temperament into the domain of opera. He has composed a work which, with an adequate cast and appropriate dressing, should become extremely popular…. The general impression was that the score contains many graceful melodies, and much richly harmonised orchestral and choral music ('Lady Nora,' p.6).

The Sydney Morning Herald's music critic also said of the work, which was presented before a large crowd of invited guests:

Generally speaking the dialogue suggested rather old-fashioned romantic drama, the slight plot dealing with the love of Gerald Desmond (baritone), a rising young sculpture, for Lady Nora Riverston, with the generosity of Cornelius A. Grunther, of Chicago, in paying £10,000 to rescue the hero from the clutches of Samuel Slim, moneylender, and with various complications, in which a sporting Johnnie, a prospective pillar of the church, a variety artist, a dancer, a model, and certain society ladies were concerned ('Comic Opera,' p. 3).

The Herald also records that the opera contained 37 musical numbers. Those identified to date are: "Oh Beloved, Come Again" The Hunting Chorus (march), "The Fleeting Joys of Spring," "When Shadows of Evening Fall," "Come Let's Be Dancing," "Joyous and Gay," "The Language of the Rose," "The Great Society Introducer," "Joy Bells," "Nora, Asthore," "Dance of the Fairies," "Evening Bells" (quintet), a cakewalk, and "Happy Young Lovers."

Produced by the Williamson and Musgrove firm, this 1902 version of the popular pantomime story was typical of the big-budget productions staged in Australia over the previous decade or so. Although the Age critic suggests that it fell short of the 'remote and unattainable [pantomime] ideal', it was still regarded as a 'more than creditable production of its class' (27 December 1902, p.10).

In relation to the 'book', the same paper records:

'There were some novel and interesting features... [which] served as a useful thread for fixing together the varied portions of an elaborate piece of stage work ... Witticisms of well-known origin and jokes of venerable antiquity were ruthlessly cut down, and the result was that both songs and dialogues were original and very slightly reminiscent of anything that had been staged before. There was plenty of topical business, and it was perhaps, inevitable that Mr Bent's railways and Mr Shield's budget and the Prime Minister's 'Six Hatters' should find themselves memorialised before the footlights' (p.10).

The music was reportedly tuneful and inspiriting 'though not quite as catchy as has been heard in some previous pantomimes'. Highlights of the production were said to be the 'Popinjays' and 20th Century Girls' ballets and the scenic sensation 'The Phantom Guards', all of which were 'invented, written and arranged' by the director, Barney Fagen (Age 27 Dec. 1902, p.10).