A burlesque version of Percy St John's earlier pantomime Sinbad the Sailor (1893), the story was likely a loose adaptation of the classic Arabian tale, as re-told in Richard F. Burton's The Book of One Thousand and One Nights.
Although various changes to the Sinbad burlesque were made by St John between its 1898 Sydney production and the 1899 Queensland tour, these were likely made largely in relation to the music and comedy business. The Brisbane Courier records in 1899, for example, that St John's Sinbad had been first staged in Brisbane some six years previously (the original pantomime version), but that since then it 'had been revised and brought up to date both in dialogue and music' (11 February 1899, p.7). According to advertising in the Sydney Morning Herald the 1898 version was played out over seven scenes: scene one, the Port of Bustarorah; scene two, the Vestibule of the Palace; scene three, the Port of Bustarorah (including Grand Lantern March); scene four, the Vestibule of the Palace; scene five, the Tropical Island (including Serpentine Dance and Primrose Ballet); scene six, the Palace; and scene seven, the Gardens of the Palace. The production ended with a vocal finale and tableaux of Australia.
The 1899 Brisbane revival is reported to have been staged with 'many very pretty costumes, pretty dancing, good local hits and fresh song' (Brisbane Courier 13 February 1899, p.3). One of the songs incorporated into that production was 'Sons of Britannia' (sung by Arthur Crane).
