Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe on Rainbow Island
1917 Bill Poster
MusicHerbert De Pinna
Bert Rache
LyricsHerbert De Pinna
Bert Rache
Victor Prince
BasisSequel to Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Productions1917 Sydney
1917 Launceston
1917 Adelaide
1918 Brisbane
1920 Fremantle
1922 Adelaide
1923 Sydney
1924 Melbourne

Robinson Crusoe or long titled Robinson Crusoe on Rainbow Island was a musical written by Australian actor and theatre manager Victor Prince, with music supplied by Australian composers Herbert De Pinna and Bert Rache. The show was first produced in 1917 by Victor Prince in the lead role in partnership with the Fuller brothers theatre circuit.[1] The dialogue manuscript is lost, but many of the songs remain preserved. The original production had a successful run of 112 consecutive nights at the Grand Opera House, Sydney.[2]

Characters

The cast reformed at each revival, but the main selection are these actors.

  • Nellie Fallon was an attraction as principal girl Pollie Perkins [3]
  • Drag King Nellie Kolle played the principal boy Will Atkins.[4]
  • Demon of the Deep - an octopus king played by Lou Vernon
  • Chorus line of Sea nymphs to dance the harlequinade.
  • Pirate King - Charles Zoll [5]
  • Old Dame Crusoe - played by Walter Carnack[6]
  • Friday and Saturday - Played by comedy duo Vaude and Verne (Troop entertainers Charles Vaude and Will Verne)
  • Marom Erickson and three others played native islanders [7]

Synopsis

Robinson Crusoe arrives home with a treasure map. On the voyage to hunt for the treasure, the party is sunk and marooned on a distant island. The octopus king stirs up the natives to repel the intrusion. Crusoe is rescued by the principal boy and all ends happily.

Song numbers

  • Rainbow land - music by Herbert de Pinna [8]
  • Kewpie's parade : two step - by Reg. A.A. Stoneham
  • Oh! Mr. Robinson Crusoe - by Marsh Little
  • Loves Sweet Dream - by Reg. A.A. Stoneham
  • The demon of the deep / words and music by Reginald A.A. Stoneham
  • Moonlight surfing / words & music by Herbert de Pinna
  • The girls are after me by Herbert de Pinna
  • The rainbow isle / written and composed by Reg. A.A. Stoneham

Critical reception

The show was favourably mentioned by critics.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Ben Fuller (producer)
  2. ↑ "The Victor Prince Burlesque Company". Collie Mail. Vol. XVI, no. 792. Western Australia. 4 January 1924. p. 5. Retrieved 11 December 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "In The Theatres". The Sun. No. 775. New South Wales, Australia. 3 February 1918. p. 16. Retrieved 16 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "OPERA HOUSE—"ROBINSON CRUSOE."". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 24, 955. New South Wales, Australia. 29 December 1917. p. 13. Retrieved 17 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "OPERA HOUSE". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 24, 951. New South Wales, Australia. 24 December 1917. p. 5. Retrieved 17 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "ROBINSON CRUSOE". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 24, 944. New South Wales, Australia. 15 December 1917. p. 15. Retrieved 17 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ↑ "OPERA HOUSE". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 24, 951. New South Wales, Australia. 24 December 1917. p. 5. Retrieved 17 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ De Pinna, Herbert; Prince, Victor; Benjamin J. Fuller (Firm) (1918), Rainbow land [music] / words by Victor Prince & H. de Pinna ; music by Herbert de Pinna, W.H. Paling & Co
  9. ↑ "ROBINSON CRUSOE". The Sun. No. 769. New South Wales, Australia. 23 December 1917. p. 4. Retrieved 16 November 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
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