Although the Age theatre critic acknowledges that this version of The Babes in the Wood 'suggests high possibilities', they nevertheless observe that there was also 'no standard work in the dialogue. That is not expected,' writes the critic. 'The absence of undue inanity, a plentiful degree of point, an ingenious gilding of commonplaces with quaint allusion and a rippling of jocosity varied with infusions of genuine humour constitute its merits; and these are rare' (4 April 1898, p.7).
The story, presented in three acts, involved the following scenes:
Act 1: Scene 1. Nottingham Fair;
Scene 2. The Baron's Study;
Scene 3. The Nursery;
Scene 4. The Home of Santa Claus.
Act 2: Scene 1 . The Nursery;
Scene 2. The Fringe of the Forrest;
Scene 3. Amidst the Brake and Bracken;
Scene 4.The Heart of the Forrest.
Act 3: Scene 1. The Courtyard of the Castle;
Scene 2.The Baron's Study;
Scene 3. The Wedding Breakfast.
Instead of the customary transformation scene, director J. B. Watson arranged with William Hassan to create the 'Wedding Breakfast' spectacle, which included the construction of a giant wedding cake. The musical score was described as 'good, coherent and pleasantly operatic, including plenty of lively music hall songs and a general rollicking lilt that gets into one's circulation and stimulates the audience' (Age 4 April 1898, p.7).
Aside from the overture and incidental music, George Pack's choice and arrangement of additional songs and dances included 'The Bridal Chorus' from Cowan's Rose Maiden and Leon Caron's 'Bird Ballet.'
Songs known to have been incorporated into the Sydney (1897) production were Bert Gilbert's 'Susie-ue' (sung by Ada Reeve), 'Dainty Marian' (song and dance by Alice Lemar), 'The Nervous Man' (Bert Gilbert), and 'There's Only One Thing that Stops Me' (John Coleman).
The Melbourne production (1898) included 'Little Mascotte, the Simple Little Maiden of To-day' (sung by Ada Reeve) and 'She was One of the Early Birds' (Alice Rene).
