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Bert Ray Bert Ray i(A106274 works by)
Born: Established: ca. 1890 Melbourne, Victoria, ;
Gender: Male
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1 2 Beauty and the Beast Bert Ray , O'Donnell and Ray , Fullers' Theatres , 1928 single work musical theatre pantomime fantasy

Beauty and the Beast begins in the traditional pantomime style, with the Demon and Fairy Queen voicing their claims over the destiny of the sleeping Beauty. The second scene, however, sees Fairy Prosperita's powers on the wane. Beauty has returned to the village of Puddlebridge, escorted by Prince Rupert of Kingswood, but things turn nasty shortly afterwards. Demon Malvino enters the palace of the Prince in a cloud of fire and brimstone and turns the noble Prince back into a monstrous beast. Beauty, Baron and Maggie Dooley, Johnny Smart, Trixie and former bailiffs turned servants of the Baron, Flip and Flop, must now battle the evil forces of Malvino in order to save the Prince from his former self.

Songs known to have been incorporated into the production were: 'My Mommy and Moonbeams' (sung by Nellie Kolle) and 'When the Sun Goes Down' (Rene Dixon).

[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
1 1 Sinbad the Sailor Bert Ray , O'Donnell and Ray , 1926 single work musical theatre pantomime fantasy

Written (or adapted) by Bert Ray, the production was described by the Age reviewer as 'glorified vaudeville' (28 December 1926, p.7). The The Argus 1848-1957 theatre critic wrote that although the 'the story begins as an Arabian Nights story should... before the first act is over the thread of the narrative becomes tangles, and disappears altogether before the play ends. Like other pantomimes, too, Sinbad the Sailor is amusing not so much for the jokes contained in the book of the piece, which have all been heard many times before, as for the bewildering anachronisms it contains' (28 December 1926, p.16).

The scenic effects included: 'Wonders of the Deep,' 'The Sunken Pirate Ship', 'The Maze of Coral,' 'Frolic of the Mermaids,' 'The Ocean Monster,' 'The Garden of the Deep,' 'Neptune's Throne,' 'Treasure Island,' 'The Sultan's Palace,' 'The Magic Wood,' and 'Flowerland' (Age 25 December 1926, p.16).

[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
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