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Play with music.
Advertised as a drama, Crohoore na Bilhoge concerns Pierce Shea and Alley Dooling, at whose wedding the hunchback Crohoore vows vengeance on the bride's family. When the family is found murdered with Crohoore's bill hook and Alley abducted, suspicion falls on the hunchback. John Doran, a rejected lover of Alley's suggests that Pierce join the Whiteboys and attempt to save his bride. Pierce is later arrested and tried for treason. Crohoore arrives and denounces Doran as the abductor and reveals that he is Alley's brother. The story was adapted from Michael Banim's short story Crohoore of the Bill-Hook, published in the John and Michael Banim book Tales of the O'Hara Family, itself written under the pseudonym 'The O'Hara Family'.
The music element is included in several scenes, notably the wedding.
Notes
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Original music was written for the 1866 production by C. Rice (q.v.). The 1867 revival included new music by Edward King (q.v.).
Production Details
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1866 : Royal Victoria, Melbourne ; 14-23 November. Scenic Art Mr Burbury and J. R. Setright ; Cost. Mrs Stapleton. - Troupe: Australian Star Company. - Cast incl. Mrs Robert Heir, Mrs Moore, Harriet Gordon [Hyde], Mrs Charles Jones, Julia Hudson, James Hasker, Charles Miran, A. Fitzgerald, Mr Manley, J. Raynor, W. O'Neil, Charles Young, J. P. West, S. Chambers, Mr Mason, Mr Chandler, A. Chambers, C. Walsh, Maxwell Brown.
1867 : Princess's Theatre, Melbourne ; 30 March - 5 April. Dir. J. H. Allen and Mrs Robert Heir ; Lessee/Mngr. J. H. Allen ; Music Arr. Annie Livingstone ; Scenic Art. Mr Freyberger ; Assist Mngr. John Bryan. - Cast incl. Mrs Robert Heir, Miss Somers, Fanny Wiseman [Mrs South], Mrs Lyons, Mr Francis Belfield, F. C. Appleton, W. South, J. H. Allen, Mr Lewis, John Dunn, James Milne, Mr Cull, J. Batson, Mr Wilton, Mr Dyas, Mr Haygarth, Mr Hoskins, Mr George, Mr Clarke.
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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 Annotated Calendar of Plays Premiered in Australia: 1850-1869 (q.v.).
