AustLit

The second Grand Christmas Pantomime produced by John N. McCallum at the Cremorne Garden Theatre, Cinderella again utilised the talents of his Town Topics variety company (under the direction of Elton Black). Concerning the story line, the Brisbane Courier critic records that 'following modern tendencies, which have almost developed into an accepted tradition, the plot was, of course, more apparent than real. There were sufficient incidents in the action, however, to make the story intelligible to young and old' (18 December 1920, p.7).

The same critic reports that the singing was a feature of the production, as it was 'not often that a pantomime was fortunate enough to secure interpretation by vocalists - to use the word in its true sense' (p.7). One of the songs known to have been written or incorporated into the pantomime was 'The Gypsy Warned Me' (sung by Elton Black).

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).

This production is set on the deck of a boat in Sydney Harbour, with most of the male characters dressed in naval uniforms. The narrative includes a courtroom scene, in which a prisoner is being tried by a magistrate. Elton Black is also said to have incorporated an impersonation of Scottish comedian Harry Lauder into his role. The storyline had a strong patriotic sensibility, particularly in songs such as 'Our Boys' and 'Australia will lend a Hand.'

With regard to the storyline, a review in the Theatre Magazine records that 'the performers come on - and disappear - in such a way as to suggest the development of a story. But it is ... only the slenderest attempt that is made in the way of connecting things up' (September 1915, p.45).