Frederick James Coppin Frederick James Coppin i(A95478 works by) (a.k.a. Fred Coppin)
Born: Established: ca. 1825
c
England,
c
c
United Kingdom (UK),
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Western Europe, Europe,
; Died: Ceased: 27 Apr 1881 Emerald Hill, South Melbourne - Port Melbourne area, Melbourne - Inner South, Melbourne, Victoria,
Gender: Male
Arrived in Australia: ca. 1854
Heritage: English
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1 2 The Last of the Ogres; Or, Harlequin Prince Amiable and the Four Wishes Prince Amiable ; Or, The Last of the Ogres W. M. Akhurst , Frederick James Coppin (composer), Frank Howson (composer), 1864 single work musical theatre pantomime fantasy

Adapted from James Robinson Planché's burlesque extravaganza The Bee and the Orange Tree, or, The Four Wishes (1845), the story concerns Prince Amiable (a son of King Blook), Baron Spout (the king's brother), and Princess Amy (the only daughter of King Cole). Lost at sea as an infant, Princess Amy was taken in by the ogre Ravagio (the sole owner of the last pair of seven league boots and a violent opponent of the march of intellect), who subsequently raised her to be the family's hard-working maid. The story unfolds with Prince Amiable eventually rescuing Princess Amy and vanquishing Ravagio. Other characters include Tourmentine (Ravagio's wife), their only son Croquemitain, and Princess Einda, described as 'an independent locomotive sovereign' (Brisbane Courier 4 April 1865, p.p.2).

The scenes presented were:

Scene 1. The Hall of Trades in the Regions of Darkness.

Scene 2. The Sea Shore.

Scene 3. Ravine near Ravagio's Dwelling.

Scene 4. The Haunt of the Ogres / 'Leap for Life' (Leon Samwells).

Scene 5. Ravagio's Kitchen.

Scene 6. The Verdant Valley.

Scene 7. The Gardens of Delight.

Transformation Scene The Fairy Forum of Festal Flowers and the Perpetual Palace of Perennial Pleasure.

Harlequinade.

The pantomime was written expressly for Lady Don. The Brisbane Courier's 'Drama' column reports on her performance as Prince Amiable at her farewell benefit in Brisbane in 1865 that 'As a whiskerless and fast sprig in unapproachable knickerbockers (which Thackery so much admired), she was perfectly irresistible' (p.2).

Frank Howson and Frederick Coppin composed the incidental music and arranged the songs, comprising both traditional and popular tunes of the day.

1 3 Harlequin Robin Hood ; Or, The Bold Huntsman of Sherwood and the Fairy Locallotta W. M. Akhurst , Frederick James Coppin (composer), 1858 single work musical theatre pantomime fantasy

A burlesque pantomime set in 'merry' England, but also containing a corroboree and numerous topical hits (including several political attacks on the Victorian ministry), Harlequin Robin Hood is described in the Argus as one of those absurdities which are not to be judged of by any rules of dramatic art. The critic writes further:

Dramatis Personae who are always involving themselves in ridiculous complications; giving utterance to jokes and perpetuating puns good and bad; hits at the men and manners of the day; virtuous people and villains, fairies and fools, songs and dances, transformations and scenic effects; make up a complete jumble of incongruities, which the critic ought by every canon of his craft to condemn, but at which people who go in for amusement will laugh in spite of him. If you attempt to describe the plot it will appear very silly. If you put the puns into print, nothing could be demonstrably more absurd. Yet the audience - children both young and old - were amused and merry (27 December 1858, p.5).

In addition to the original incidental music by Frederick Coppin, the production also burlesqued a number of well-known operatic songs, including some from ll Trovatore.

1 4 Harlequin Whittington and His Cat W. M. Akhurst , Frederick James Coppin (composer), 1857 single work musical theatre pantomime fantasy

Comprising many local allusions and operatic parodies, the pantomime begins with Circe, who is being imprisoned by the fairy Homogenia until she consents to yield control over the destiny of Australia. Circe is then transformed into Whittington's cat, heralding the start of the familiar storyline.

Concerning Akhurst's libretto, the Age reviewer writes:

'The plot we do not pretend to understand, and probably it is not at all desirable that we should. It is a bustling piece of amusement throughout ... full of incident and point, and plentifully seasoned with local hits, though we suppose the author will not fail to introduce many more as [the burlesque] runs its course' (28 December 1857, p.5).

The critic writing for Bell's Life in Victoria was similarly impressed by the production. 'The opening is very smartly written, and the episodes are well brought in', he records:

'Some of the allusions to current topics are extremely clever; and, as a matter of course, were well received by the audience. In fact, in the present temper of the Melbourne public, anything which hits Peter Davis, or the Australian mail, is sure of a round. Whittington is certainly the best pantomime yet written in Melbourne, and we anticipate for it a long run' (2 January 1858, p.2).

The Leopold family, including Fraulein Fannie, presented most of the dance specialties. These included imitations of several celebrities, notably Fanny Ellsler, Taglioni, and Lucille Grahn. Other highlights of the show were reportedly George Coppin's 'The Artful Dodge', Mr Lambert's 'My Friend from Leatherhead', and W.H. Stephens's 'Uncle John'. Mr McGowan's travesty of Donizetti's principal heroine and Mr Leslie's 'nautical and naughty man of the same period' were also roles deemed worthy of note by several reviewers.

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