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Notes
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A burlesque on Gilbert and Sullivan's popular operetta H. M. S. Pinafore; Or, The Lass that Loved a Sailor (1878), this version was advertised in Sydney Morning Herald as the 'first production of an extraordinary, exciting and extravagant extraction of Pinafore' (11 March 1882, p.2). The show had been staged the previous year in New Zealand, however.
It is not clear whether it was also adapted from an earlier production written by Bent (staged as H.M.S. Pin-A-4 at St George's Hall in 1880 by Kelly and Leon's Minstrels) or if was an entirely new burlesque.
A later production staged as H.M.S. Pinafore (In Black) by Frank Smith at the Alhambra Music Hall (Sydney) in 1889, while possibly founded on Bent's burlesque, nevertheless contains some different characters. The cast in the later production included, however, several long-time associates of Bent's, including J. S. Porter and Beaumont Read.
Production Details
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1881: Queen's Theatre, Dunedin (New Zealand); 27 Sept. -
- Lessee R .G. Bachelder and W. Horace Bent; Manager R. G. Bachelder; Stage Manager W. Horace Bent; Advance Agent . J. Gardner.
- Troupe: Bent and Bachelder's Revised and Reorganised Christy's Minstrels.
- Cast incl. W. Horace Bent, C. S. Fredericks, William Ball,Beaumont Read, William Hugo, Edwin Rowley, Amy Rowe.
- H.M.S. Pinafore-in-Black was likely staged a number of times in New Zealand during the troupe's tour (which continued into early 1882).
1882: Opera House, Sydney, 11-25 March.
- Lessee/Manager W. J. Wilson; Business Manager R .G. Bachelder; Stage Manager W. Horace Bent.
- Troupe Bent and Bachelder's Christy's Anglo-American Minstrels.
- Cast incl. W. Horace Bent (The Left Hon. Sir Joe Half-and Half, M.L.C.), H. A Williamson (Cap. Cork O'Ram), C. S. Fredericks (Ralph Haystack), William Ball (Dead Dickeye), Beaumont Read (Bob Billstray), G. Glider (Beck Bobbit), W. Leake (Tuck Tommer), Charles Hugo (Little Butter-tub), Sam Keenan (Hebe), William Hugo (Shebe), Amy Rowe (Josephine).