AustLit

A burlesque extravaganza, adapted from James Robinson Planché's similarly titled fairy extravaganza The Yellow Dwarf (1854) and interspersed with local allusions.

This one-act pantomime, adapted from James Robinson Planché's extravaganza The Yellow Dwarf and the King of the Gold Mines (1854), contained numerous topical references and local allusions (including unruly MLAs, John Long Innes's pending Sharebrokers' Bill, the Sydney scene, and local personalities) and a burlesque of Shakespeare's tragedy Richard III.

Set to operatic and other music, the pantomime begins in the Hawkins' Hill gold mine, where the Yellow Dwarf Gambogie makes a pact with the mine manager to swindle the owner. Each resolves, however, to swindle the other. The Fairy Queen Indulgenta, en route to the Desert of Lyons, crosses paths with the dwarf, who forces her to promise him Princess Allfair (who has refused all suitors). The princess decides, upon meeting the dwarf, that she is now willing to marry Meliodorus, but the two young lovers are kidnapped. Meliodorus is given a magic sword by the Mermaid Syrena, but is nevertheless killed. Princess Allfair suicides, but Syrena is still able to procure a happy ending.

One song known to have been incorporated into the pantomime the duet 'What Will it Go to the Ton?' (sung by S. H. Banks and W. B. Gill).

An adaptation of J. R Planché's 1854 fairy extravaganza, this production 'served to introduce some pretty costumes and catchy musical items, [with] the finale of the burlesque enhanced by the limelight tableau of 'heroes of the War' - Generals French, Roberts and Baden-Powell - the curtain finally descended on a faithful portrait of Her Majesty the Queen, all of which were heartily cheered' (Brisbane Courier 16 July 1900, p.6).