AustLit

Punchinello is described in the Brisbane Courier as 'an artistic dance play' and a 'novel Terpsichoran number' (13 Sept. 1919, p.12). The paper's theatre critic also indicates that Punchinello was a new version of the old French story, re-written and with an additional prologue. It is also recorded that it had previously been inserted into the revue Bric-a-Brac, staged at the Alhambra Theatre, London. The music, however, was especially written for the Brisbane season by Fred Whaite. The prologue was spoken by Elton Black (q.v.) and introduced the three principal characters: Columbine, Harlequin, and Punchinello.

One of the features of the 1919 production is said to have been Molly Asher's pantomime performance as Columbine.