Described in advertising as having been 'faithfully translated from the original Arabic manuscript by E. L. Blanchard, Esq., with annotations local, vocal and jokal and Moke-al by Mr Frank Edwards, author of Der Schwartz Eggsbexperiences' (Argus 24 December 1877, p.8), the original pantomime (simply titled The Forty Thieves) had been staged in London the previous year. The Argus theatre critic was largely unimpressed by the Melbourne production overall, writing that there was not much to say about the acting and that the transformation scene had 'only a qualified claim to approval:'
The panorama of the Russo Turkish War [included in the first act], however, is in Mr Hennings' best manner, and is quite worthy of his reputation. It consists of 11 views... [which] are illustrative of the present war, and although they are apparently all taken from engravings with which we have been made familiar, they fully merit the distinction of originality on the score of colour effect. They are all excellent, but that which will probably impress itself most strongly upon the attention is 'The Mouth of the Blue Danube at Sunrise.' It is full of poetry.
With regard to the storyline, the same critic suggests that although 'dramatically represented in every conceivable fashion... it serves little else than to furnish an excuse for scenery and groupings. In respect of the dialogue it has not much to boast of, even in its original form, and the local matter which has been interpolated has but a small claim to be considered wit. It consists chiefly of allusions to the majority in the Legislative Assembly and the Berry Government, both of which people are by this time tolerably well tired of' (Argus 25 December 1877, p.7).
The synopsis of scenery, as published in the Argus is:
Act 1, Scene 1. Market Place in Bagdad;
Scene 2. The Date Grove;
Scene 3. Enchanted Cavern in the Depths of the Forrest;
Scene 4. The Divan of the Genii;
Act 2, Scene 1. Ali Baba's House in the City of Bagdad;
Scene 2. The Courtyard, by Moonlight with distant view of the City;
Scene 3. On the banks of the Tigris;
Scene 4. Grand Reception-room in Ali Baba's house;
Grand Transformation Scene 'The Four Seasons;'
Harlequinade and 'Gorgeous Last Scene.'
The first act also included 'Henning's Royal Map of the Turco-Russian WAR' [sic], comprising First View- The Black Sea, Dirty Weather, Turkish Fleet on the Alert; Second View - Mouth of the Blue Danube (Sunrise); Third View - First Turkish Disaster, Total Destruction of the Lufti D'Jill, Turkish Monitor; Fourth View - Famous Passage of the Danube by the Russians, 27th June 1877; Fifth View - A Russian Boat Struck by a Turkish Shell; Sixth View - Left on the Road, Food for the Vulture's Maw; Seventh View - Night Camp in the Balkans; Eight View - The Schipka Pass; Ninth View - Battle of Pievna; Tenth View - After the Battle; Last View - Bombardment of Nicopolis.
