Cirrus@Austlit

Following its Australian debut in Melbourne, the Age proposed that Glass had 'found a truly romantic theme in his [this] popular story' and that 'his music transformed it' (16 April 1934, p12). The Argus critic agreed, suggesting that the songs were 'tuneful and varied' and 'fitted in gracefully with the story.' The review goes on the note, too, that they are 'very much better in texture and quality than the songs we expect in the usual musical play' (qtd. Irvin p.404).

The Australian critics appear to have been generally more positive than the British critics. The Times records, for example : '[Ranalow] has little to sing that is worth singing, but neither has anybody else; the music, in short, is characterless' (2 September 1927, p10). The Sydney Morning Herald's "Music and Drama" column also reproduces a number of comments published in London newspapers following the 1921 London premiere:

'Paragot would no doubt have detested jazz. Mr Glass was probably wise in harking back in his music to an earlier and far less strident mode and manner. On the whole he catches happily enough the spirit of Mr Adrian Ross's prettily-fashioned lyrics, and if his music nowhere reveals a personal note, the composer at least follows good models, and never offends the ear with vulgarity or meaningless noise. He aims, indeed, at refinement and generally achieves it' (Daily Telegraph).

The Daily News theatre critic disagreed, suggesting instead that Mr Glass had 'real talent for fluent vocal writing.'

With a run of 107 performances in London their version made the Who's Who in the Theatre listing of record West End runs.

Describing the Australian production as a 'smash hit,' theatre historian Eric Irvin suggests that 'population size for population size, this figure [48 performances in Melbourne] at least equals, and may even have excelled, the record London run' (404). The Sydney season was almost as successful as the Melbourne one, running for 41 performances.