Adapted from H. J. Byron's extravaganza Jack the Giant Killer, or, Harlequin King Arthur and Ye Knights of Ye Round Table (1859), this production contained numerous local allusions.
The narrative, which has been dovetailed with the legend of King Arthur, sees Jack knighted by the king and given a mission to slaughter giants. Jack's zeal for the mission is given added incentive when his betrothed, Sybil, is carried off by the giant Gorgibuster. When Jack arrives at the giant's home, he is received hospitably. The giant intends, however, to dispatch his guest during the night. Jack tricks the giant by placing a jack boot in his bed and hiding elsewhere. When the giant strikes the bed with his club, he believes he has killed young Jack. Meanwhile, the hero rouses the servants and rescues Sybil, and together they attack Gorgibuster, bringing him to an ignominious end at the point of pitchforks and umbrellas. The final incident, prior to the traditional transformation scene, has the escapees enter a cave filled with burnished gold, fountains, and nymphs. The pantomime also finished with the traditional harlequinade (this time with a double cast of characters).
Two pantomimes based around the story of Jack the Giant Killer were staged simultaneously in Melbourne. The other production, also called Jack the Giant Killer (and lasting only seven nights), was put on at the Princess's Theatre by the Marsh Family Troupe.
1860: Pantheon Theatre, Cremorne Gardens (Melbourne), 24 December 1860 - 18 January 1861.
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: 1850-1869.