Described variously as a burletta, burlesque, and travestie, The Butcher Baronet draws many of its incidents from the famous trial instigated in an attempt to determine an Australian butcher's claim the Tichborne baronetcy. Hutchison's narrative, which is said to burlesque only those characters actually involved in the case, begins in Wagga Wagga (New South Wales). Act 2 sees the claimant in London where he meets members of the English aristocracy (the class that he is attempting to join), before returning once again to Australia. Act 3 involves the trial.
The Sydney Morning Herald theatre critic was seemingly impressed by the work overall, writing, 'Mr Charles Young, as the claimant, kept the audience in a continual titter throughout the performance.... The trial scene is, perhaps, the best in the burlesque, and the audience seemed to thinks so. The examination of the claimant by Serjeant [sic] Bawlaway (Mr J. H. Rainford), and cross-examination by Sir John Collarina (Mr W. Andrews) was very funny, and elicited roars of laughter... [while] the proceedings of Sir W. Snuffie, as chief justice (Mr J. J. Welsh) also proved very amusing. This scene is alone worth witnessing... With few exceptions the burlesque throughout went well [though] much more could be made of it were the stage accessories more complete' (17 June 1872, p.5).
Although the burlesque was said to have been disadvantaged, coming as it did 'at a time when the excitement about the great trial [was] almost at an end' (Sydney Morning Herald 17 June 1872, p.5), the producers publicly expressed their surprise at the lack of interest in the story by local authors. An advertisement placed in the Sydney Morning Herald reads, 'It is remarkable that, while English writers have taken for the groundwork of so many plays, pantomimes and songs the incidents of this case, Australia has hitherto had no tale, burlesque or play founded upon them. This despite the fact that 'the claimant passed a considerable portion of his life in this colony' (12 June 1872, p.10).
The production contained incidental music and also featured several songs and dance numbers.
