A small-scale pantomime, the storyline rests largely on Widow Bunce, who becomes the tenth wife of Bluebeard after a mix-up over a love potion. The potion had been intended for her daughter, Fatima. Widow Bounce gathers the other hard-done-by wives together and they give Bluebeard a very bad time.
Songs incorporated into the 1917 production included 'Bright Eyes' and 'Over the Garden' (sung by Mattie Jansen) and 'Memories' and 'Sweetheart (sung by Emili Dani).
The first established staging of Bluebeard (as Modern Bluebeard) was at the Royal Standard Theatre, Sydney, in 1910. It was subsequently toured throughout Australia and New Zealand up until at least the early 1920s by several other companies.
For an extensive and inclusive inventory of producation dates see the Australian Variety Theatre Archive - 'Works: 1910' (sighted 22/04/2014).