AustLit

A political satire written as a pantomime but for reading only, The 'Ouse that Hi Built, revolves around the characters Sir Airyparks (the Great Hi-Ham of Jobberland); Tincan-Billys (Hi-Ham's rival - with a weakness for He-Bes); The Fairy Bulletin (a great and good genius); Grovel Gnome (a friend having special designs on Jobberland); Yorney, Sorney, Jorney, Horney and Newborny (five foolish princes of Jobberland); Socientania (cupbearer to the princes); and Stella (a mountain nymph in love with Airyparks). Other characters include: Good Fairies, Gnomes, Reptilte, Soldiers, Insects, Aides de-camps etc.

The four scenes are:

Scene 1. A sylvan valley in Jobberland, Elderly Fairies reclining upon heaps of artificial leaves and taking deep draughts of air from goblets of purest pasteboard;

Scene 2. Grovel Gnome's home in the purlieus of Sheol. Toads, worms, snakes, earwigs etc - in which the souls of dead grovellers have found refuge - are crawling, twisting and fooling round a boiling cauldron;

Scene 3. A Forrest in Jobberland. Fairy Bulletin and Stella discovered seated on a log. Stella (still in black tights) is weeping bitterly; and

Scene 4. Transformation Scene, commencing at the Darkest Depths of Ignorance and reaching climax at the Bower of the fairy Bulletin in the land of Dazzling Truth.