Adapted by Lance Lenton from the popular pantomime story, the libretto is said to have contained numerous local jokes and topical hits. Although the Sydney Morning Herald theatre reviewer was critical of the storyline, suggesting that it had 'an almost total absence of plot', this deficiency apparently did not interfere with the show's success (28 December 1886, p.3).
In 1894-95, Lance Lenton was employed as business manager for Frank York and George A. Jones at the Gaiety Theatre, Brisbane. This connection suggests that the production staged there in January 1895 was a revival of Lenton's 1886 version of Dick Whittington. The revival would nevertheless have included new comic material along with up-to-date songs and new local hits and allusions.
1886: Royal Standard Theatre, Sydney, 27 December 1886 - 22 January 1887
1895: Gaiety Theatre, Brisbane, 5 January -
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
Details have also been derived in part from the Annotated Calendar of Plays Premiered in Australia: 1870-1890.