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Another of Horace Bent's popular burlesques, Robbery Over Arms sends up the famous Australian novel by Rolf Boldrewood and the dramatic version recently staged by Alfred Dampier. The 1891 production was advertised as being produced 'by arrangement with Rough Bolder(Colling)Wood' (Age 21 February 1891, p.12).
Exhibitions
Notes
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The 1891 production is erroneously referred to as Robbery Under Arms in the Age. It is unlikely that Bent would have retained Boldrewood's title, however, as it was traditional with minstrel burlesque to spoof both the original work and its name.
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The 1895 revival is believed to have been similar to the 1891 version, even though its advertised cast list contains only five characters (Sydney Morning Herald 9 November 1895, p.2).
The extent to which music was incorporated into this burlesque is unclear. As Bent's burlesques invariably incorporated some musical performance within the story it is likely that this production included a similar musical programme.
Production Details
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1891: Victoria Hall, Melbourne, 21-27 February.
- Producer/Manager J. Billin; Music Director Owen Conduit.
- Troupe US Minstrel, Specialty, Variety Comedy and Burlesque Combination [aka Representative Metropolitan Company]
- Cast incl. Will Whitburn, W. Horace Bent, Alf Holland, Tom Holland, Anderson Sisters, Mr Fuller, Lillie Warren.
1895: Sydney Music Hall (aka Lawler's Building or Lawler's Music Hall); 9-22 November (as Robbery Over Arms).
- Manager W. P. Morrison; Proprietor/Producer John Lawler; Music Director Henry Hawkins.
- Cast incl. W. A. Ball (Captain Moonstruck), Sam Rowley (King Billy Murrumbidgee), W. Horace Bent (King Charley Jugiong), Mr Six [?] (Major Porridge), Mr Sevens [?] (Captain Thin Soup).
- Alfred Dampier's version of Robbery Under Arms had been playing at Her Majesty's Theatre (Sydney) from the week before the Sydney Music Hall burlesque production.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Lively Art, Dismal Science : A Century of Queensland Playwriting
2002
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Hot Iron Corrugated Sky : 100 Years of Queensland Writing 2002; (p. 200-213) -
The Australian Character on the Nineteenth Century Stage
2001
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Defining Acts : Australia on Stage : A Centenary of Federation Exhibition Celebrating the Australian Character on the Popular Stage over the Past 100 Years 2001; (p. 8-13) 'Pity Eliza and Ann Winstanley. They came to Australia as children in 1833 and a few years later became two of Sydney's star actors, only to be yelled off the Royal Victoria Theatre stage by the cabbage-tree mob because they were 'un-Australian'. The cabbage-tree youths were the first European children born in Australia. They were the sons and daughters of convicts, soldiers and settlers. Fiercely proud of their 'native' status, they wore hats woven from cabbage-tree palm leaves and tied with black ribbon. Already, it was being noticed that they spoke with a different accent and that with sunshine and plenty of fresh meat they were growing taller than their parents: 'cornstalks''. (p. 8) -
The Lyceum : Sydney's Home of Melodrama
1898
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Cosmos Magazine , 30 July vol. 5 no. 1 1898; (p. 704-707)
-
The Australian Character on the Nineteenth Century Stage
2001
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Defining Acts : Australia on Stage : A Centenary of Federation Exhibition Celebrating the Australian Character on the Popular Stage over the Past 100 Years 2001; (p. 8-13) 'Pity Eliza and Ann Winstanley. They came to Australia as children in 1833 and a few years later became two of Sydney's star actors, only to be yelled off the Royal Victoria Theatre stage by the cabbage-tree mob because they were 'un-Australian'. The cabbage-tree youths were the first European children born in Australia. They were the sons and daughters of convicts, soldiers and settlers. Fiercely proud of their 'native' status, they wore hats woven from cabbage-tree palm leaves and tied with black ribbon. Already, it was being noticed that they spoke with a different accent and that with sunshine and plenty of fresh meat they were growing taller than their parents: 'cornstalks''. (p. 8) -
The Lyceum : Sydney's Home of Melodrama
1898
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Cosmos Magazine , 30 July vol. 5 no. 1 1898; (p. 704-707) -
Lively Art, Dismal Science : A Century of Queensland Playwriting
2002
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Hot Iron Corrugated Sky : 100 Years of Queensland Writing 2002; (p. 200-213)
