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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).
Notes
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Although the identity of the librettist for this burlesque pantomime is unknown, he (or possibly they) is likely to have been a local writer. In this respect, the Sydney Morning Herald review of opening night indicates that this 'new version ... appeared too talky, but this was probably only a first night defect, which can soon be remedied', suggesting that the libretto had not been tested previously on overseas audiences (28 December 1897, p.8).
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It is unlikely that any relationship exists between this production and a similarly titled pantomime, Babes In The Wood, or, Bold Robin Hood and His Foresters Good, previously staged by George Coppin and Bland Holt at Melbourne's Theatre Royal (1892), and written 'up to date for [that] theatre' by Wilton Jones. The latter production contained only music that had been 'selected and arranged' by music director Thomas Zeplin.
Production Details
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1897: Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, 27 December 1897 - 11 February 1898.
- Director J. B. Watson; Producer Williamson and Musgrove; Music Director George F. Pack; Scenic Art George Gordon, John Gordon and Phil Goatcher; Chorus Madame Phillipini and J. B. Watson; Costumes Emilie Nathan.
- Cast incl. Ada Reeve (Robin Hood), Alice Lemar (Maid Marion), Bert Gilbert (Baron Bounder), Carrie Moore (Sweet Will, a Babe), Lily Titheridge (Cissy, a Babe), John Coleman (Burglar Bill), John J. Burke (Joe Ugly), George De Lara (Dame Tabitha), Little Gulliver (Tommy, the Baron's Page), Stella Esdaile (Little John), Bel Loel (Will Scarlet), Ruby Kennedy (Allan-a-Dale), Dorothy Landor (Much-the-Miller), Edie Smith (George-a-Green), Lucy Cobb (Gilbert the Good), Minnie Hooper (Ulrie the Ready), Dora D'Amele (Peter the Pinder), Ada Page (Rudolph the Ready), Evelyn Murst (Harold of the Heights), Daisy Lascelle (Will the Piper), Miss Cecil Englehardt (Bob-o-the-Mill), Stannis Leslie (Showman), R. Vernon (Binks the Pedler), H. Cadden (Hamlet), R. Holden (Romeo), B. Keiley (Mercutio), F. England (Laertes), Minnie Everett [aka Gordon] (Dorothy), Joey Casillus (Dorcas), Lena Casillus (Phyllis), Alice Mitchell (Margery), May Flower [aka Hillas] (Joan), Bertha Caldwell (Lillian), Connie Hamilton (Celia), Bertha Bergin (Nancy), Charles Beetham (Walter), Patrick Beetham (Ernest the Strong), J. Balfour (Robert O' Nights), W. Beaumont (Henry), Alice Rene (Christmas Fairy).
- A second edition of the pantomime was presented from 15 January onwards.
- The 'Giant Wedding Cake' novelty was designed and built by William Hassan.
1898: Princess's Theatre, Melbourne, 2 April - .
- Production mostly as for previous Sydney season.
- Major changes to the cast saw Ada Reeve play Maid Marion and Alice Rene cast as Robin Hood. Other new cast members were Connie Solomon (Sweet Will), Isabel Henley (Cissy), George Lauri (Joe Ugly), Charles Berkely (Burglar Bill), Blanche Wallace (Harold of the Heights), Dora Wallace (Will the Piper), Eve Newton (Bob-o-the-Mill), Florrie McRay (Lillian), and Miss Cecil Englehardt (Christmas Fairy).
1898: Theatre Royal, Adelaide, 9 May
- Cast and production mostly as for previous Melbourne season.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
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Works about this Work
-
Theatre Royal
1898
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 10 May 1898; (p. 5)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre -
Amusements: Theatre Royal - Babes in the Wood
1898
single work
review
— Appears in: The South Australian Register , 10 May 1898; (p. 6)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre -
Princess's Theatre - Babes in the Wood
1898
single work
review
— Appears in: The Argus , 4 April 1898; (p. 7)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre -
Princess's Theatre - 'The Babes in the Wood'
1898
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 4 April 1898; (p. 7)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre -
Her Majesty's Theatre - 'The Babes in the Wood'
1897
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 28 December 1897; (p. 5)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre
-
Her Majesty's Theatre - 'The Babes in the Wood'
1897
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 28 December 1897; (p. 5)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre -
Princess's Theatre - 'The Babes in the Wood'
1898
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 4 April 1898; (p. 7)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre -
Princess's Theatre - Babes in the Wood
1898
single work
review
— Appears in: The Argus , 4 April 1898; (p. 7)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre -
Amusements: Theatre Royal - Babes in the Wood
1898
single work
review
— Appears in: The South Australian Register , 10 May 1898; (p. 6)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre -
Theatre Royal
1898
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 10 May 1898; (p. 5)
— Review of The Babes in the Wood 1897 single work musical theatre
