Cirrus@Austlit

'Written, compiled and abstracted from various sources by Arthur H. Adams', this production was advertised as the seventeenth annual Christmas pantomime put on by J. C. Williamson and George Musgrove. The Sydney Morning Herald's review of the premiere records that it 'differed from others that have preceded it in being essentially a performance of spectacle and of ensemble.' While noting that that 'one good point in the book is that it follows the story children love so dearly with more fidelity than is usual,' the critic suggests that, as seems to be the case with the majority of pantomimes produced in the country (both prior to, and following this production), the major problem was an overly-long book. The review records, for example, that one particularly beautiful and climatic scene ('The Land of Peace and Plenty') was 'reached too slowly,' and that there were far too many 'talky patches' in the first two acts (27 December 1898, p.6).

In reviewing the Melbourne (Princess's Theatre, May 1899) production, the Age theatre critic records that while The Forty Thieves 'may be regarded from the point of view of scenery and accessories as superior [to Williamson and Musgrove's previous pantomime success, Babes in the Woods] it is deficient in the lighter graces of sparkling humour and piquancy of flavour that made the former piece so successful' (22 May 1899, p.12).

The first act consisted of four scenes: Scene 1 The Spider's Web, Scene 2 The Market in Baghdad, Scene 3 Ali's Humble Home, and Scene 4 The Exterior of the Cave. The second act is said to have been remarkable for the beautiful corn-and-poppy ballet in 'The Land of Peace and Plenty' scene. A 'magnificent series of patriotic tableaux' was presented within the production's third act: 'The Spanish Armada', 'The Death of Nelson', 'The Capture of Manila', 'The Battle of Santiago', 'The Battle of Omurman', and 'Kitchener, The Conqueror' (Brisbane Courier 18 February 1899, p.2).

Although the musical score was primarily song-and-dance compositions from other sources, Alfred Hill, Leon Caron, and George Pack contributed their own music for portions of the production, particularly in the area of incidental music. In this respect, advertising in the Sydney Morning Herald notes that Alfred Hill 'selected and arranged' the music for the 'Grand Series of Patriotic Tableaux... illustrating the power and progress of The Anglo-Saxon Race.' The remainder of the pantomime's score, 'rendered by a full opera chorus and orchestra, [was] arranged by M. Leon Caron and Mr Geo. Pack' (24 December 1898, p.2). Some of the most popular songs incorporated into the narrative for the Sydney season were 'I'm Too Sweet to Live' and 'Fancy Meeting You' (sung by John Coleman), 'Tricky Little Topsy' (Patti Browne), 'The Little Gay Parisienne', and a melodious coon-song 'Lily of Laguna' (Carrie Moore). Two of Leon Caron's contributions, the song 'Love is Gold' (sung by Cesca Vollugi) and a pastoral ballet, also apparently found favour with audiences and critics alike.

One of the hits songs from the Princess's Theatre production was 'In the Pale Moonlight' (sung by Carrie Moore).

Although the Age theatre critic acknowledges that this version of The Babes in the Wood 'suggests high possibilities', they nevertheless observe that there was also 'no standard work in the dialogue. That is not expected,' writes the critic. 'The absence of undue inanity, a plentiful degree of point, an ingenious gilding of commonplaces with quaint allusion and a rippling of jocosity varied with infusions of genuine humour constitute its merits; and these are rare' (4 April 1898, p.7).

The story, presented in three acts, involved the following scenes:

Act 1: Scene 1. Nottingham Fair;

Scene 2. The Baron's Study;

Scene 3. The Nursery;

Scene 4. The Home of Santa Claus.

Act 2: Scene 1 . The Nursery;

Scene 2. The Fringe of the Forrest;

Scene 3. Amidst the Brake and Bracken;

Scene 4.The Heart of the Forrest.

Act 3: Scene 1. The Courtyard of the Castle;

Scene 2.The Baron's Study;

Scene 3. The Wedding Breakfast.

Instead of the customary transformation scene, director J. B. Watson arranged with William Hassan to create the 'Wedding Breakfast' spectacle, which included the construction of a giant wedding cake. The musical score was described as 'good, coherent and pleasantly operatic, including plenty of lively music hall songs and a general rollicking lilt that gets into one's circulation and stimulates the audience' (Age 4 April 1898, p.7).

Aside from the overture and incidental music, George Pack's choice and arrangement of additional songs and dances included 'The Bridal Chorus' from Cowan's Rose Maiden and Leon Caron's 'Bird Ballet.'

Songs known to have been incorporated into the Sydney (1897) production were Bert Gilbert's 'Susie-ue' (sung by Ada Reeve), 'Dainty Marian' (song and dance by Alice Lemar), 'The Nervous Man' (Bert Gilbert), and 'There's Only One Thing that Stops Me' (John Coleman).

The Melbourne production (1898) included 'Little Mascotte, the Simple Little Maiden of To-day' (sung by Ada Reeve) and 'She was One of the Early Birds' (Alice Rene).

Based on the popular pantomime story of Sinbad the Sialor, the narrative was played out in three acts, comprising the following scenes:

Act 1 Scene 1. Davey Jones' Locker. Cavern under the Sea;

Scene 2. Port of Balasora. A village Carnival. Hornpipe in Fetters. Sinbad's Departure;

Scene 3. Saloon of the Bobstay;

Scene 4. Wreck of the Vessel. Storm at Sea. Breakers Ahead. Neptune to the Rescue.

Act 2 Scene 1. The Royal Bath at Nowayer Patiklar. The Nautch Dance and the Ballet of the Harem;

Scene 2. The Mountain Pass. Topical duets;

Scene 3. The Diamond Valley. Ballet of thr Night Elves and the Grand Amazonian March. Starting Trap Scenes. Flight of the Fairy Rock and Escape of Sinbad.

Act 3 Scene 1. The King's Palace. Grand Variety and Specialty Scene;

Scene 2. The Palace Gardens. Recovery of the Koh-i-Noor;

Transformation Scene

Harlequinade

The production's music elements included the following songs and dances: 'Didn't I Run, Run, Run' (sung by Will Crackles), 'Rosie O'Grady' (Ada Baker), 'Il Bacio' and 'Canary Polka' (Frank Lawton), 'Darling Mabel' (Eva Clements), 'We'll Just Have Another and Then' (Crackles and Stanfield), 'Mary Used to Go to Sunday School' (Stella Esdaile), 'Remedies' (Stanfield), 'Love's Duet' (Phillips and Esdaile), and the 'Magnificent Trio Dance' (performed by Misses E. and A. Hooper and Frank Lawton).

Although set mostly in Egypt (with scenes of the pyramids, Cairo, and Ancient Memphis), this original fairytale nevertheless concludes with a scene set in Australia: Melbourne or Sydney, depending on where it was being produced.

The story concerns a beautiful young princess's rescue (by her beloved prince) from a sacrifice at the hands of Matsa, the evil Queen of Fire (who demands the life of a maiden every hundred years). The Fates point to Zelica as the victim and dispatch Pentaur (a revived mummy) to modern Cairo to seize her. Pentaur's attempt is foiled by Colonel Boomley (an American speculator) and Prince Simbal (Captain of the Khedive's Guard), but he manages to trick them into eating the magic apples of Isis the Great, which somehow send them back to Memphis of 3000 years ago, a time when Rameses III ruled Egypt. Zelica is eventually saved, but not before several grand adventures occur, including the group's capture by pygmies. Secondary characters incorporated into the narrative include an ugly Irish spinster and an American heiress, along with warriors, priests, and others. The Sydney Morning Herald critic notes that although 'the comic element in Matsa is not strong... there are some clever lyrics in the libretto... Much [of the production's success, however] is due to the grace and gaiety of the music' (29 February 1897, p.7).

The production included the usual Williamson spectacles: grand marches, sumptuous ballets, and elaborate and striking costumes. Some notable features of the production were 'The Mist of Past Ages', 'Ancient Memphis Restored', 'The Tomb of the Kings', 'The Triumphant Return of Rameses III', 'The Great Martial Procession' (comprising some 250 people), 'The Land of the Pygmies', 'Matsa's Cyclopian Guards', 'March of the Elephants, Lions and Tigers and Other Animals', 'The Home of the Queen of Fire', 'Sensational Fire Ballet', 'On a P and O Steamer in the Suez', 'The Court of the Queen of Air', and the 'Astounding Ariel Ballet.'

The visual highlight of the production, according to one review, were George Gordon's scenes 'The Rising of the Nile' and the 'Startling Inundation Scene', which show the destruction of Matsa's temple by an inundation of the Nile. 'The priestesses,' records one critic, 'are seen dancing in the fire, until overwhelmed by the water. The massive temple sinks bit by bit, the Nile rises higher and higher, and at last the stage 'looks like a vast extent of water shimmering under a full moon' (Sydney Morning Herald 2 January 1897, p.4).

Described by its creators as a 'Fairy Tale of Old Japan', and with echoes of The Mikado throughout, the story concerns Djin Djin, an evil demon who holds the talisman that can save the life of Princess Iris. She will die unless someone defeats Djin Djin and liberates the talisman. To do this, they must risk entering the ruined temple where the demon and his horde of followers are based.

The pantomime was advertised as a 'grand spectacular extravaganza,' and indeed it had no fewer than thirty-eight named performers, with a host of other actors and dancers playing roles such as Mousinées, Flower Fairies, Snow Elves, Japanese Ladies, Samurai, Councillors, Officials, Courtiers, Coolies, Guards, Jinrikishamen, Spirits, Demons and Monkeys etc. The principal characters were Prince Omi (a Japanese feudal prince), Prince Eucalyptus (a suitor from the sunny south whose yacht is wrecked on the shores of Japan), Hojo-no-Kami (Diamio, a feudal prince), Princess Iris (a daughter of the Diamio), Cheekee (the Diamio's other daughter), Okiama (the Diamio's maiden sister of uncertain age), Djin Djin (the Bogie-man), Oda Nobunga (the Great Shogun), Prince Omi (the Shogun's son turned into a baboon by Djin Djin), Chrysantheme (the Fairy Queen), Dede, Maid to Princess Iris), Gay-Jay (the Grand Vizier), Fli-qui-Sami (Japan's astrologer), and Tom Wallaby (Prince Eucalyptus' faithful valet and friend).

The scene breakdown for the 1895 Melbourne premiere production was:

Act 1: Scene 1. The Shrine of the Soothsayer;

Scene 2. A Street in Nagasaki;

Scene 3. Palace Gardens of Hojo No Kami. Grand Procession and Fan ballet, Brilliant Illumination of Nagasaki.

Act 2: Scene1 Courtyard of Damio's Palace;

Scene 2. Enchanted Bamboo Grove;

Scene 3. The Frozen Forest. A Novel and Beautiful Transformation. Dance of Snow Elves and Chrysanthemum Ballet;

Scene 4. Exterior of the Haunted Temple;

Scene 5. Interior of the Temple. Grand Demon Trap Scene. The Earthquake. The Eruption of Fuji San.

Act 3: Scene 1. The Shogun's Court; Grand Specialty Entertainment by John Coleman, the Banvards, the Ridgeways, Ivy Scott and Carrie Moore. Off to Fairy Land;

Scene 2. The Golden City; Grand Ballet - Dazzling Scene of Electric Splendour. Grand Harlequinade and old English Comic Scenes by the Ridgeway Family.

[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]