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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

The synopsis of scenes held in the John N. McCallum section of the Nat Phillips Collection (Fryer Library), indicates the following:

Act 1: Scene 1. Port of Hull;

Scene 2. Toy Shop;

Scene 3. Between Decks on the Good Ship Saucy Sally;

Scene 4. Cabin of the Ship;

Scene 5. On the Main Deck;

Scene 6. Beneath the Waves;

Scene 7. The Wreck;

Act 2: Scene 1. Chinese Court of Chu Chin Chow;

Scene 2. The Beach at Discovery Island;

Scene 3. Interior of the Island;

Scene 4. On the Beach;

Scene 5. Finney's Hat Department;

Scene 6. The Beach at Discovery Island;

Scene 7. Coral Island;

Scene 8. The Corridor to the Hall of Lamp Shades;

Scene 9. The Palace of Lamp Shades.

The songs and dances written for or incorporated into the pantomime were 'Opening Chorus' (fisher girls), 'I'm Polly Perkins from Paddington Green' (Bennetto), 'Gather Around My Hearties' (Vernon), 'Fol De Rol Diddle Dol Dy' (Black and Gray), 'Oh! What a Beautiful Baby' (Bennetto and girls), 'Ho Ye Lads Ye Ho' (Mackay and Girls), 'I Hate to Lose You' (Bennetto and Raines), 'Off the Choral Island' (Raines and Girls), 'Wrap Me in a Bundle' (Baby Toppin and children), 'I'll Be Your Santa Claus' (Muir, Kennedy, and girls), 'My Wine Glass Girl' (Gray and girls), 'I'm Throwing Myself Away' (Black), 'Hurrah for the Rolling Sea' and 'Go to Sea' (Mackay and chorus), 'Hoko Moko Isle' (Jones and girls), 'Fairy Queen Song' (Muir), 'Mannequin Parade' (Gray, Muir, Bennetto, and Raines), 'Chu Chin Chow' (Harford), 'A Song of the Desert' (Jephcott), 'All Bound 'Round The Mason Dixie Line' (Bennetto and girls), 'Comic Song' (Sydney Jones), 'Lindemann's Champagne Bottles' (girls), 'She Trimmed Them all So Neatly' (Harford, Asher, and girls), 'A Song of the Rolling Sea' (Vernon), 'Dance of the Sea Shells' (solo dance by Mollie Asher), 'I'll Throw a Ring Around You' (Muir, Millette, and children).

Notes

  • Although it is unclear if any of the songs in this pantomime were written by Frederick Whaite (either by himself or in collaboration with other members of the company), it is likely that he contributed to this aspect of the musical programme along with the incidental and ballet music attributed to him.

Production Details

  • 1919: Cremorne Garden Theatre, Brisbane, 19 December 1919 - ca. January 1920.

    • Director Walter Johnston; Producer John N. McCallum (Dandies Qld Ltd); Scenic Art A. Desmond Kennedy; Chorus Belle Milette and Mollie Asher; Costumes Mary Glynn.
    • Troupe Walter Johnson's Town Topics Company.
    • Cast incl. Elton Black (Dame Crusoe), Gladys Raines (Robinson Crusoe), Alice Bennetto (Polly Perkins, Rob's Sweetheart), Yorke Gray (Archibald Crusoe), Percy Mackay (Jack Rogers, Captain of the S.S. Saucy Sally), Lou Vernon (Will Atkins, a pirate), Sydney Jones (Jim Judd, a pirate), Leslie Jephcott (Tim Tucker, a pirate), Belle Millette (Matilda Jenkins, in love with Dick), Olga Muir (Fairy Queen).
    • Other characters incl. fisher girls, pirates, cannibals, etc.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1919
      1919 .
      Link: U3780UQ eSpace digital resource Digital copy of items held in the Nat Phillips Collection
      Extent: 30+ pagesp.
      Description: Typed manuscript ; includes character sides, lyrics, handwritten notes and running order sheet
      Note/s:
      • Incomplete.

      Holdings

      Held at: University of Queensland University of Queensland Library Fryer Library
      Local Id: UQFL9

Works about this Work

Music, Drama and Pictures 1919 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 6 December 1919; (p. 12)

— Review of Robinson Crusoe Elton Black , 1919 single work musical theatre
Preview of the forthcoming Cremorne Theatre Christmas pantomime.
Music, Drama and Pictures 1919 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 6 December 1919; (p. 12)

— Review of Robinson Crusoe Elton Black , 1919 single work musical theatre
Preview of the forthcoming Cremorne Theatre Christmas pantomime.

PeriodicalNewspaper Details

Note:
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
Last amended 30 Apr 2014 07:42:59
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