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Beauty and the Beast single work   musical theatre   pantomime   fantasy  
Issue Details: First known date: 1928... 1928 Beauty and the Beast
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

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]

Production Details

  • 1928: Palace Theatre, Melbourne; 26 December 1928 - 1 January.

    • Director Bert Ray; Producer Jack O'Donnell (in association with Fullers Theatres Ltd); Scenic Art Rege Robins; Choreographer Polly McLaren.
    • Cast incl. Nellie Kolle (Prince Rupert), Rene Dixon (Beauty), Ivy Davis (Prosperita), Jack Kearns (Baron Dooley), William Innes (Demon Malvino), Bert Ray (Dame Maggie Dooley), Bertha Beaumont (Johnny Smart), Hazel Nutt (Trixie), Vera Nicholson (Kitty), Lynn St Louis (Flip), Harry Taylor (Flop), Frank Karno (The Beast/Dog Tiny), Polly McLaren, Abdy's Performing Animals, the Ginger Megg's Trio, The Eight Acrobat Wonders, Leonora De Vere.

    1929: Bijou Theatre (Melb); 2-8 February

    • Cast and production mostly as for previous Palace Theatre season.
    • The production transferred to the Bijou Theatre for one week due to the Palace Theatre having been leased for another production. Bert Ray remained at the Bijou following the closure of Beauty and the Beast, presenting his own revue company there beginning 9 February.

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Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1928
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()

Works about this Work

Beauty and the Beast at Melb. Palace 1929 single work review
— Appears in: Everyone's , 16 January 1929; (p. 40)
— Review of Beauty and the Beast Bert Ray , 1928 single work musical theatre
'Beauty and the Beast' : Beautiful Ballet and Amusing Incidentals 1928 single work review
— Appears in: The Age , 27 December 1928; (p. 9)
— Review of Beauty and the Beast Bert Ray , 1928 single work musical theatre
'Beauty and the Beast' : Beautiful Ballet and Amusing Incidentals 1928 single work review
— Appears in: The Age , 27 December 1928; (p. 9)
— Review of Beauty and the Beast Bert Ray , 1928 single work musical theatre
Beauty and the Beast at Melb. Palace 1929 single work review
— Appears in: Everyone's , 16 January 1929; (p. 40)
— Review of Beauty and the Beast Bert Ray , 1928 single work musical theatre
VIEW ALL WORKS ABOUT (2)

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 6 May 2014 08:57:56
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