Operetta.
Adapted by William Akhurst from Offenbach's 1859 operetta Un Mari Á La Porte (libretto by A. Delacour and L. Morand), the action is played out in one scene. A review in the Argus proposes that the drama amounts almost to an absurdity and that the term 'melodrama' would be a more suitable term (9 November 1868, p6).
The operetta was scored from a pianoforte copy belonging to the music director, Stephen Hale Marsh, who also conducted the orchestra. The Argus critic suggests that the accompaniments in some instances were too loud for the voices, and that Marsh and the leader of the orchestra did not appear to be thoroughly in accord (9 November 1868, p6).
1868 : Duke of Edinburgh Theatre, Melbourne ; 7 - 19 November, 5 December (12 performances). Mngr. Gilbert Roberts ; Music Dir. Stephen Hale Marsh. - Cast incl. Kate Ryder, Milly Parker, E. Reeves, H. Humphreys.
This entry has been sourced from on-going historical research into Australian-written music theatre being conducted by Dr Clay Djubal.
Details have also been derived in part from the Annotated Calendar of Plays Premiered in Australia: 1850-1869.