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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
Written in 1873 by W. S. Gilbert and Gilbert à Beckett, The Happy Land is a blank verse comedy with music that burlesques The Wicked World, a play written by W. S. Gilbert and produced earlier the same year (1873).
Adaptations
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The Happy Land
Melbourne
:
1880
Z814001
1880
single work
musical theatre
burlesque
satire
fantasy
humour
— Appears in: The Star , 3 March 1880; (p. 3)Adapted by Marcus Clarke from W. S. Gilbert and Gilbert A' Beckett's burlesque of the same name (1873), The Happy Land is a two act satire in blank verse and prose, which targets a tinder-dry political subject - the row between Graham Berry's Liberal government and the Legislative Council. Clarke's text, which adheres fairly closely to the English play in all but the local detail, contains explicit and controversial references to Melbourne politics, personalities and issues, was not surprisingly banned in Melbourne by the government censor.
The story begins with reports being brought to Fairyland from Melbourne which indicate that Victoria must be the Eldorado as claimed in the press. The fairies send Victoria three of their most popular 'statesmen' to teach the government the principles of 'Popular Government.' The fairy statesmen form into government and opposition and examine the former's suitability for office by distributing portfolios to the most venal and incompetent. The opposition grow discontented and determine to strike a blow for liberty. In the end the Fairies decide that Popular Government is too expensive a luxury.
- NB: Robert Percy Whitworth and Henry E. Walton have also been credited authorship of The Happy Land. See 'Note' below for further insight into this issue.
[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
Notes
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Gilbert was credited as author under the pseudonym F. Latour Tomline.
Production Details
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First produced at the Royal Court Theatre, London on 3 March 1873.
