Play with music.
Based on the novel Child of Storm (1913) by Sir H. Rider Haggard, the story revolves around Mameena, a young girl of both Zulu and English heritage, whose attempts to come to terms with both aspects of her identity - seen through her relationships with the white traders and black men of the tribe - creates a great deal of conflict for all.
Mameena did not excite the critics when it premiered at London's Globe Theatre in late September of 1914. 'Whatever the merits of the novel,' noted the Pall Mall Gazette critic, 'the dramatisation is not enthralling as a story, the various conflicting passions... being too remote to be very absorbing' (1 October 1914, p4). The critic went on to describe the play as being more like a museum exhibit that theatre. The Times agreed, suggesting that 'as a play, Mammena is naught' (1 October 1914, p9). The critics did agree, however, that in terms of an ethnological account of Zulu customs and life, the play 'was presented with a great deal of realism' (Pall Mall Gazette p4) and thus both "curious and amusing" (Times p9). The Times critic was especially impressed with Asche's novel and artistic setting, which he or she described as 'ingenious'. Despite the poor critical reception Mammena drew in terms of its dramatic organisation, it drew steady audiences over a three and a half month season, and it can be seen as an important step for Asche prior to his ground-breaking production Chu Chin Chow.
The musical element of the production, the composer of which remains unknown, involved quasi-traditional Zulu songs and dances, in addition to the usual incidental music. The Pall Mall Gazette describes this aspect of the production thus: 'a number of actual natives are also included, and their dances, singing and shouting add a heavy touch of the grotesque' (p4).
Permission to adapt Child of Storm was granted to Asche after he met up with H. Rider Haggard in Brisbane during his second Australian tour (ca. March 1913).
A manuscript is held in the Lord Chamberlain's collection, British Library.
1914 : Globe Theatre, London ; 30 September 1914 - 9 January 1915. Dir. Oscar Asche. - Cast incl. Oscar Asche (Saduka), Lily Brayton (Mameena), Harcourt Beatty (Allan Quartermain), Hubert Carter (King Mpande), Frederick Warlock (Prince Embuyazi), George D. Treloar (Prince Getshwayo), Herbert Grimwood (Zikali), Fred Lewis (Umbezi), Tom Mowbray (Masapo), Caleb Porter (Mapita), Dora Barton (Princess Nandi), Bessie Major (Unkomazi).
This entry has been sourced from on-going historical research into Australian-written music theatre being conducted by Dr Clay Djubal.
