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Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre single work   musical theatre   burlesque   fantasy   humour  
Alternative title: Sinbad the Sailor, or, The Sweet Princess, the Demon Ogre and the Fairy Silver Star
Adaptation of Sinbad the Sailor ; Or, Harlequin Tinbad the Tailor, the Wicked Ogre and the Good Fairy Percy St John , 1893 single work musical theatre
Issue Details: First known date: 1898... 1898 Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

A burlesque version of Percy St John's earlier pantomime Sinbad the Sailor (1893), the story was likely a loose adaptation of the classic Arabian tale, as re-told in Richard F. Burton's The Book of One Thousand and One Nights.

Although various changes to the Sinbad burlesque were made by St John between its 1898 Sydney production and the 1899 Queensland tour, these were likely made largely in relation to the music and comedy business. The Brisbane Courier records in 1899, for example, that St John's Sinbad had been first staged in Brisbane some six years previously (the original pantomime version), but that since then it 'had been revised and brought up to date both in dialogue and music' (11 February 1899, p.7). According to advertising in the Sydney Morning Herald the 1898 version was played out over seven scenes: scene one, the Port of Bustarorah; scene two, the Vestibule of the Palace; scene three, the Port of Bustarorah (including Grand Lantern March); scene four, the Vestibule of the Palace; scene five, the Tropical Island (including Serpentine Dance and Primrose Ballet); scene six, the Palace; and scene seven, the Gardens of the Palace. The production ended with a vocal finale and tableaux of Australia.

The 1899 Brisbane revival is reported to have been staged with 'many very pretty costumes, pretty dancing, good local hits and fresh song' (Brisbane Courier 13 February 1899, p.3). One of the songs incorporated into that production was 'Sons of Britannia' (sung by Arthur Crane).

Notes

  • How similar the Sinbad burlesque was to St John's pantomime version is unclear. However, the burlesque was invariably presented as a second-half entertainment on his variety programmes in the late 1890s and early 1900s, while the pantomime comprised the whole of a programme. Another of his pantomimes to be staged as a burlesque was Cinderella (1891). It is likely that the burlesques were simply cut down and re-worked versions of the pantomimes (with more contemporary references and up-to-date songs, for example).

Production Details

  • 1898: Alhambra Theatre, Sydney, 1-16 October.

    • Director Percy St John; Producer/Manager Percy St John and W. J. Wilson; Music Director/Conductor David Cope Jnr; Scenic Art W. J. Wilson; Chorus Bel Ponsonby; Costumes Mdme Howard.
    • Cast incl. Lillian Carew (Sinbad), R. E. Watson (Caliph of Bustorarah), Violet Bishop (Princess Sweetcreetur), Miss E. St Clair (Zobeide), Will Stevens (The Duenna), Sam Wilson (The Ogre), Maud Fanning (Envoy), Alf Josephs (Sultan of Tomatoas), Lilian Lynton (Fairy Silverstar), Bel Ponsonby (Hafiz), Daphne Rowe (Courtier), T. Edmond Leonard (Tinbad the Tailor).

    1899: Theatre Royal, Brisbane, 11-20 February (return season: 13-16 June).

    • Director Percy St John; Producer/Lessee Delohery, Craydon, and Holland.
    • Troupe Elite Vaudeville Company.
    • Cast incl. Eva Eilson (Sinbad), Jessie Thornton (Princess Sweetcreetur), Tom Delohery (Ogre), Lena Young (Fairy Silverstar), Arthur Albert (Caliph), Ted Holland (Duenna), Harry Cowan (Tinbad the Tailor), Amy Thornton, Daphne Rowe, Gladys Cortroy, Alice Dalleen, Victoria Webster, Lennon Brothers (acrobats), Mae Marlow.
    • Both seasons were staged as Sinbad the Sailor, or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre.

    1899: Regional Queensland tour, ca. February/March.

    • Producer Delohery, Craydon and Holland.
    • Troupe Elite Vaudeville Company.
    • Tour itinerary incl. Gympie (22 Feb.), followed by Maryborough, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, and Townsville (ca. Easter).

    1901: Queensland regional tour ; ca. July-August.

    • Director/Producer Percy St John.
    • Troupe Percy St John's Variety and Burlesque Company (aka St John's Cinderella Company).
    • Cast incl. Daphne Rowe, Arthur Crane, Violet Elliott (1), Amy Thornton, Emmie Smith, Mr Watkins, Jay Walker, Arthur Albert, Miss Lynne.
    • Musician Jeannie Johnstone (piano).
    • Subtitled Or, The Sweet Princess, the Demon Ogre and the Fairy Silver Star.
    • Tour itinerary incl. Queen's Theatre, Bundaberg (24 July) and Theatre Royal, Rockhampton (ca. August)
    • The Violet Elliott in this production is identified in AustLit as Violet Elliot (1), being born ca. 1879-1881, and therefore not the daughter of Maud Fanning and Arthur Elliott.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1898
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()

Related Works

Sinbad the Sailor ; Or, Harlequin Tinbad the Tailor, the Wicked Ogre and the Good Fairy Sinbad the Sailor, or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1893 single work musical theatre pantomime fantasy

The story opens in the seaport of Busterorah, where the hand of Princess Suchasweetcreetur, the Caliph's only daughter, is demanded in marriage by an envoy of the Wicked Ogre. The Caliph, who is in financial straits, is about to comply with the Ogre's desires when Sinbad and his sailors arrive, thereby providing the Caliph with possible way out. Sinbad agrees to sail to the Diamond Valley in search of enough precious stones to pay off the Ogre and in turn marry the Princess himself. Before he leave, however, Ogre abducts the Princess and her handmaiden, Zobeide, and has a spell cast on the legs of Sinbad and his men which sees then rooted to the floor. Sinbad removes the spell with the aid of a talisman and in the second act sails for the Diamond Valley where he encounters the Tailor and becomes involved in all sorts of adventures.

The third act takes place in the Sultan of Tomatoes, in whose charge the Princess has been placed by the Ogre. When Sinbad arrives there he is arrested by the Sultan, thus allowing the Ogre to retake Princess awaya without a fight. The Sultan, however, has been smitten by her charms and realising her fate decides to release Sinbad so that he can rescue her. Sinbad tracks the Ogre down and with the aid of the fairies defeats him. The Princess is then restored into the arms of her faithful Sinbad.

[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
Sinbad in Fifteen Minutes Percy St John , Percy St John , 1900 single work musical theatre sketch (theatrical)

An abridged, farcical version of St John's 1898 Sinbad burlesque, which was itself an adaptation of his 1894 pantomime.
VIEW ALL RELATED WORKS (2)

Works about this Work

Theatre Royal - St John's Company 1901 single work review
— Appears in: The Morning Bulletin , 31 July 1901; (p. 6)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre ; Cinderella; Or, The Lover, the Lackey, and the Little Glass Slipper Percy St John , 1891 single work musical theatre
Local and General News 1901 single work review
— Appears in: Bundaberg Mail and Burnett Advertiser , 24 July 1901; (p. 2)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre ; Cinderella; Or, The Lover, the Lackey, and the Little Glass Slipper Percy St John , 1891 single work musical theatre
Theatre Royal - 'Sinbad the Sailor' 1899 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 13 February 1899; (p. 3)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre
Theatre Royal 1899 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 14 June 1899; (p. 5)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre
Theatre Royal 1899 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 11 February 1899; (p. 7)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre
The Alhambra Theatre 1898 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 3 October 1898; (p. 3)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre
Local and General News 1901 single work review
— Appears in: Bundaberg Mail and Burnett Advertiser , 24 July 1901; (p. 2)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre ; Cinderella; Or, The Lover, the Lackey, and the Little Glass Slipper Percy St John , 1891 single work musical theatre
Theatre Royal 1899 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 11 February 1899; (p. 7)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre
Theatre Royal 1899 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 14 June 1899; (p. 5)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre
Theatre Royal - 'Sinbad the Sailor' 1899 single work review
— Appears in: The Brisbane Courier , 13 February 1899; (p. 3)
— Review of Sinbad the Sailor; Or, The Sweet Princess and the Wicked Ogre Percy St John , 1898 single work musical theatre
VIEW ALL WORKS ABOUT (6)

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 24 Nov 2014 11:04:04
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