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Source: State LIbrary of Victoria
Issue Details: First known date: 1896... 1896 Matsa, Queen of Fire ; Or, The Apples of Isis, the Dates of Osiris, and the Little People of the Mountains of the Moon, Onn and Oph
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

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).

Notes

  • Intended by Williamson and Musgrove to surpass the enormously successful Djin Djin (1895), Matsa was seen, at least by the Age critic, to have achieved its aim in most areas, notably its spectacles, ballets, and artwork. In this respect, J. C. Williamson described the production as the 'most elaborate spectacular... his firm [had] ever attempted' (Sydney Morning Herald 27 February 1897, p.4). The Herald similarly reported that Matsa had 'entirley eclipsed' its predecessor (2 January 1897, p.4 and 5 March 1897, p.2).
  • Following the end of the Melbourne revival in April/May 1897, Williamson and Musgrove formed the Matsa Vaudeville Company, with several members of the pantomime company taking part. Among those known to have been engaged were John Coleman, Alice Leamar, Frank Lawton, the Delavines, the Winterton Sisters, Little Gulliver, Ernest Fitts, and Mr Leoni Clarke (the 'Cat King'). The troupe is believed to toured New Zealand between June and August, with Williamson and Musgrove's representative, Harold Ashton, having sailed for Auckland in late May to begin arranging the tour.
  • Leon Caron's musical program, with additional assistance from George Pack, was viewed by the Age critic as along the 'lines of distinct originality, and as pleasing as any old favourites could be... [although] the paucity of topical songs and local allusions [was] noticeable' (17 May 1897, p.6). The musical highlights included Caron's original compositions 'It May Be Love' (sung by Nellie Young) and 'Some Things are Better Left Unsaid' (George Lauri), along with dances such as the 'Floral Ballet' and 'Fire Ballet.' Other hits are said to have been 'Love's Serenade', previously sung in the production of The Milk White Flag; 'The Honeymoon March'; and several numbers sung by Carrie Moore, including 'Only Me.' Described as 'a beautiful pathetic song' and 'the gem of the pantomime', the refrain from the latter song was published in the Age (9 Jan. 1897, p.12):

    'Only me, only me / One got the kisses and kindly words / Sobbed in a weary tone; / That was her pet, 'Marie' / Wrung from an innocent baby's heart, / One told her troubles to bees and birds / That felt so much alone. / That one was 'Only Me.'

    Another hit from the production, the children's song 'Won't You Come to My Tea Party', was claimed to be 'prettier and easier' than the great favourite 'I Don't Want To Play in Your Yard' (which had already sold some 100,000 copies in America and England). It also had its refrain published in the same edition of the Age (p.12):

    Won't you come to my tea party? / We will have, oh such a good time, / All my playmates will be there; / Lots of sweets and oh so much fun; / Come and bring your baby sweethearts, / Mamma told me to invite you. / Mamma says that she don't care. / To my tea party, won't you come?

Production Details

  • 1896: Princess's Theatre, Melbourne; 24 December 1896 - 12 February 1897.

    • Director/Stage Manager Walter Raynham; Producer Williamson and Musgrove; Conductor/Music Arranger Leon Caron; Scenic Art George and J. Gordon, John Brunton; Costumes W. R. Barnes and Emily Nathan; Chorus Mde Phillipini.
    • Cast incl. George Lauri (Col. Kidstone Boomley), May Pollard (Matsa), Howard Vernon (Pentaur), Florence Young (Prince Simbal), Carrie Moore (Nokatch, a Cairo donkey boy), Ernest Fitts (Phtha, Matsa's High Priest), Marietta Nash (Mrs McLonely, an Irish spinster), Gus Gregory (Cashup, Boomley's valet), P. Bathurst (Rameses III), F. England (Seti), Juliet Wray (Kitty Truelove), Mary Weir (Ariel), Annie Cubitt (Aetheria, Queen of the Air), Maie Saqui (Ahmed), Little Gulliver (Onn, King of the Pygmies), Little Ivy Scott (Oph, Queen of the Pygmies), Alma Vaughan, Lucy Cobb, Flora Graupner, Mr Leoni Clarke's Trained Cats, Rats, Mice, Monkeys, Canaries and Cockatoos.

    1897: Princess Theatre, Bendigo (Victoria); 15-17 February.

    • Cast and production mostly as for previous Melbourne season.

    1897: Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, 27 February - 10 April.

    • Cast and production mostly as for the previous Melbourne production.
    • Cast members not identified in the Melbourne production and/or new memmbers incl. Nellie Young (Zelica), D'Arcy Stanfield (Mrs McLonely, elderly Irish spinster), Minnie Hooper (Hassen), Miss M. Myers (Yorak), Lila Clifton (Caseira), Kitty Kehir (Muza), Miss Smith (Hafed), Linda Bergin (Soda), Madge Torrence (Husho), Miss F. McRae (Hene, Zelica's friend), P. Lear (Shu), H. Smith (Knua), W. Beaumont (Amasis).
    • According to an item in the Sydney Morning Herald's 'Musical and Dramatic Notes' column (27 February1897, p.4), Williamson and Musgrove transported the entire chorus, principal musicians, chief mechanist, wardrobe mistress, and numerous other leading production staff from the Melbourne season.

    1897: Theatre Royal, Adelaide; 19 Apr. - 8 May

    • Cast and production mostly as for previous Sydney season.

    1897: Princess's Theatre, Melbourne; 15 - 20 May (return season).

    • Cast and production mostly as for previous Sydney and Melbourne seasons.
    • Major changes in the cast were Millie Young (as Prince Simbal), Mina Phillips (Zelica), John Coleman (Mrs McLonely), Lila Clifton (Hene).

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Works about this Work

y separately published work icon J.C.W. : A Short Biography of James Cassius Williamson Ian Gordon Dicker , Rose Bay : Elizabeth Tudor Press , 1974 Z1522617 1974 single work biography

A publication based on the author's thesis.

y separately published work icon An Historical-Critical Study of the Career of James Cassius Williamson and his Contribution to Theatre in Australia Ian Gordon Dicker , Ann Arbor : 1972 Z1522626 1972 single work thesis
Princess Theatre : New Edition of 'Matsa' 1897 single work review
— Appears in: The Argus , 11 January 1897; (p. 6)

— Review of Matsa, Queen of Fire ; Or, The Apples of Isis, the Dates of Osiris, and the Little People of the Mountains of the Moon, Onn and Oph Bert Royle , J. C. Williamson , 1896 single work musical theatre
Theatre Royal 1897 single work review
— Appears in: The South Australian Register , 22 April 1897; (p. 3)

— Review of Matsa, Queen of Fire ; Or, The Apples of Isis, the Dates of Osiris, and the Little People of the Mountains of the Moon, Onn and Oph Bert Royle , J. C. Williamson , 1896 single work musical theatre
'Matsa' 1897 single work review
— Appears in: The South Australian Register , 20 April 1897; (p. 6)

— Review of Matsa, Queen of Fire ; Or, The Apples of Isis, the Dates of Osiris, and the Little People of the Mountains of the Moon, Onn and Oph Bert Royle , J. C. Williamson , 1896 single work musical theatre
Her Majesty's - 'Matsa' 1897 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 1 March 1897; (p. 7)

— Review of Matsa, Queen of Fire ; Or, The Apples of Isis, the Dates of Osiris, and the Little People of the Mountains of the Moon, Onn and Oph Bert Royle , J. C. Williamson , 1896 single work musical theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre 1897 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 27 February 1897; (p. 12)

— Review of Matsa, Queen of Fire ; Or, The Apples of Isis, the Dates of Osiris, and the Little People of the Mountains of the Moon, Onn and Oph Bert Royle , J. C. Williamson , 1896 single work musical theatre
A preview published on the day of the Sydney premiere of Matsa.
Princess's Theatre - 'Matsa' 1897 single work review
— Appears in: The Age , 17 May 1897; (p. 6)

— Review of Matsa, Queen of Fire ; Or, The Apples of Isis, the Dates of Osiris, and the Little People of the Mountains of the Moon, Onn and Oph Bert Royle , J. C. Williamson , 1896 single work musical theatre
Princess's Theatre - The Pantomime 'Matsa' 1896 single work review
— Appears in: The Age , 28 December 1896; (p. 6)

— Review of Matsa, Queen of Fire ; Or, The Apples of Isis, the Dates of Osiris, and the Little People of the Mountains of the Moon, Onn and Oph Bert Royle , J. C. Williamson , 1896 single work musical theatre
Musical and Dramatic Notes 1897 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 2 January 1897; (p. 4)

— Review of Matsa, Queen of Fire ; Or, The Apples of Isis, the Dates of Osiris, and the Little People of the Mountains of the Moon, Onn and Oph Bert Royle , J. C. Williamson , 1896 single work musical theatre
y separately published work icon J.C.W. : A Short Biography of James Cassius Williamson Ian Gordon Dicker , Rose Bay : Elizabeth Tudor Press , 1974 Z1522617 1974 single work biography

A publication based on the author's thesis.

y separately published work icon An Historical-Critical Study of the Career of James Cassius Williamson and his Contribution to Theatre in Australia Ian Gordon Dicker , Ann Arbor : 1972 Z1522626 1972 single work thesis

PeriodicalNewspaper Details

Note:
This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive
Last amended 4 Apr 2014 11:58:19
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