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Adapted from John Strachan's Humpty Dumpty (1873, Prince of Wales Theatre, Birmingham, England), with songs to operatic and other music, the Age proposed that this localised version by Messrs Carrington and J. Eville 'received an Australian complexion that adds to its native cleverness. Thanks to the labours of these gentlemen', wrote the paper's theatre critic, 'several leading incidents of the past year have been turned to merry account, and folly and fraud are held up to ridicule and contempt' (28 December 1874, p.3).
The story concerns Flameau the Fire King, who attempts to increase his power by forcing Princess Roseleaf to marry his close ally, the evil and ugly Humpty Dumpty. With the aid of Fairy Fern, queen of the fairies, Prince Prettyboy overcomes their dire intentions and wins the hand of the princess. A review of the premiere production notes that, as the pantomime progressed, the growth of Humpty Dumpty's head was 'cultivated at the expense of the other portions of his body, and he [came] on stage looking like a goblin that [had] just stepped out of an illustrated children's fairy book' (28 December 1874, p.3).
Numerous references to the Melbourne scene, politics, theatre (including J. C. Williamson's Struck Oil and Trollope's Bogus Clarke productions) were incorporated into the storyline. One of the topical hits saw J. R. Greville dressed as an overgrown boy dressed in knickerbockers and socks singing 'the song of the lively larrikin, in which an altogether groundless aspersion [was] cast upon a recent decision given in the Melbourne General Sessions' (28 December 1874, p.3).
Notes
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The incidental music, including the overture, was composed and arranged by Frederick Coppin.
Production Details
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1874: Theatre Royal, Melbourne, 26 December 1874 - 6 February 1875
- Lessee/Producer Harwood, Stewart, Hennings and Coppin; Director Henry R. Harwood; Music Arranger Mr Hore (vocal music) and Frederick Coppin (incidental music and overture); Scenic Art Charles Brew, K. Douglass, John Hennings, Henry Holmes, Harry Grist; Chorus Mons. Massartic; Costumes Mde Jager; Stage Manager Mr Dampier.
- Cast incl. Richard Stewart (Flambeau the Fire King), Jenny Bryce (Will O' the Wisp), Docy Stewart (The Fern Fairy), Nellie Stewart (Maidenhair), Tom Lewis (Humpty Dumpty), Tilly Earle [Mrs John Eduoin] (Princess Roseleaf), Maggie Oliver (Prince Prettyboy), Maggie Stewart (Prince Tol de Rol), J. R. Greville (Prince Boubee), Harry Leston (Chancellor), Charles H. Taylor (Queen Gracemair), John Dunn (King Arthur), Miss Wallace, Julia Milne, Tom Wieland, Mr Gladstone, Boleno Brown, Mons. Massartic (dancer), Rosalie and Heloise Duvalli (dancers), Master Hernandez, Master Delavanti, Les Petites Coryphees; Harlequinade - Mons. Massartic (Harlequin), Heloise Duvalli (Columbine), Rosalie Duvalli (Harlequin a la Watteau), Boleno Brown (Pantaloon 1), Charles H. Taylor (Pantaloon 2), Master Hernandez (Sprite 1), Master Delavanti (Sprite 2), Tom Wieland (Clown 1), Tom Lewis (Clown 2).
- Musicians B. Levy, Mr Wilson.
- 37 performances.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Theatre Royal Pantomime
1874
single work
review
— Appears in: The Argus , 28 December 1874; (p. 6)
— Review of Humpty-Dumpty (Who Sat on the Wall) ; Or, Harlequin King Arthur, His Three Sons, the Princess Roseleaf, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Fairies of the Fern Tree Gully 1874 single work musical theatre -
The Pantomimes : Theatre Royal
1874
single work
review
— Appears in: The Argus , 22 December 1874; (p. 10)
— Review of Humpty-Dumpty (Who Sat on the Wall) ; Or, Harlequin King Arthur, His Three Sons, the Princess Roseleaf, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Fairies of the Fern Tree Gully 1874 single work musical theatre -
Theatre Royal
1874
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 28 December 1874; (p. 3)
— Review of Humpty-Dumpty (Who Sat on the Wall) ; Or, Harlequin King Arthur, His Three Sons, the Princess Roseleaf, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Fairies of the Fern Tree Gully 1874 single work musical theatre
-
Theatre Royal
1874
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 28 December 1874; (p. 3)
— Review of Humpty-Dumpty (Who Sat on the Wall) ; Or, Harlequin King Arthur, His Three Sons, the Princess Roseleaf, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Fairies of the Fern Tree Gully 1874 single work musical theatre -
The Pantomimes : Theatre Royal
1874
single work
review
— Appears in: The Argus , 22 December 1874; (p. 10)
— Review of Humpty-Dumpty (Who Sat on the Wall) ; Or, Harlequin King Arthur, His Three Sons, the Princess Roseleaf, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Fairies of the Fern Tree Gully 1874 single work musical theatre -
Theatre Royal Pantomime
1874
single work
review
— Appears in: The Argus , 28 December 1874; (p. 6)
— Review of Humpty-Dumpty (Who Sat on the Wall) ; Or, Harlequin King Arthur, His Three Sons, the Princess Roseleaf, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Fairies of the Fern Tree Gully 1874 single work musical theatre
PeriodicalNewspaper Details
This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive
Details have also been derived in part from the Annotated Calendar of Plays Premiered in Australia: 1870-1890.