The Magic Basket Explained

The Magic Basket is a musical play written in 1940 for children by Australian composer Alfred Wheeler.^[1] The score includes dialogue and fourteen tunes. Action occurs on a single magical moon-scape set. There are twelve speaking parts and additional chorus.

Synopsis

The plot involves a group of children whisked to a magical land in the moon, where they help the Sandman to recover his bag of sleep-dust from the Goblin. The children are transported in a basket, hence the title.

Musical Numbers

• Oh isn't it fun to live in the moon?
• Whatever can we do
• I sweep the sky
• My basket brave and I
• Derry derry down Oh!
• Galloping, galloping up in the sky
• The sandman
• Tippetty tippetty toe
• Goblins bold are we
• If you will be a meddlesome Matty
• The deed is done
• Bong! goes the gong
• One song before we part
• Lullaby

Performances

• 1940 Lauriston Girls' School, Melbourne (premiere)^[2]
• 1940 Wyalong, New South Wales^[3]
• 1940 Mount Barker, South Australia^[4]
• 1943 Cloncurry, Queensland^[5]
• 1943 Adelaide, South Australia^[6]
• 1944 Benalla, Victoria^[7]
• 1945 Port Pirie, South Australia^[8]
• 1945 Newcastle, New South Wales^[9]
• 1946 Adelaide^[10]
• 1946 Newcastle, New South Wales^[11]
• 1946 North Lismore, New South Wales^[12]
• 1946 Newcastle, New South Wales^[13]
• 1947 Broken Hill^[14]
• 1947 Wagga Wagga, New South Wales^[15]
• 1947 Lismore, New South Wales^[16]
• 1947 Shepparton, Victoria^[17]
• 1947 Grafton, New South Wales^[18]
• 1948 Mackay^[19]
• 1949 Wyalong, New South Wales^[20]
• 1949 Southport, Queensland^[21]
• 1949 Scone, New South Wales^[22]
• 1950 Nanson, Western Australia^[23]
• 1950 Hay, New South Wales^[24]
• 1950 Maddington, Western Australia^[25]
• 1951 Launceston, Tasmania^[26]
• 1951 Sunshine, Victoria^[27]
• 1951 Burnie, Tasmania^[28]
• 1952 Maryborough, Queensland^[29]
• 1952 Braidwood, New South Wales^[30]
• 1952 Adelaide, South Australia^[31]
• 1952 Grafton, New South Wales^[32]
• 1953 Southbrook, Queensland^[33]
• 1954 Kygole, New South Wales^[34]
• 1954 Broken Hill, South Australia^[35]
• 1954 Townsville, Queensland^[36]
• 1954 Lithgow, New South Wales^[37]
• 1955 Parramatta District Primary Schools, starring Bob Winley as Mr Moonshine and Elaine Marriott as The Queen
• 1957 Penrith, New South Wales^[38]

Notes and References

1. Web site: AusStage.
2. Web site: Untitled. 24 July 1940. 12. Trove.
3. Web site: DISTRICT SCHOOL CONCERT. 5 December 1940. 1. Trove.
4. Web site: SUMMERTOWN. 12 December 1940. 3. Trove.
5. Web site: Grand Concert . Cloncurry Advocate . 26 November 1943 .
6. Web site: Rosary School Annual Concert . Southern Cross . 3 September 1943 .
7. Web site: Benalla . Advocate . 22 November 1944 .
8. Web site: Warnertown Children Present ThreeAct Play . Recorder . 17 December 1945 .
9. Web site: Concert at N. Lambton for Children's Homes . Newcastle Sun . 15 December 1945 .
10. Web site: St. Aloysius College Annual Concert . Advertiser . 5 October 1946 .
11. Web site: Brevities . Newcastle Sun . 25 March 1946 .
12. Web site: Operetta Night at North Lismore School . Northern Star . 15 November 1946 .
13. Web site: Brevities . Newcastle Sun . 25 March 1946 .
14. Web site: "The Magic Basket". 6 October 1947. 6. Trove.
15. Web site: Bright Concert at St. Andrew's . Daily Advertiser . 11 October 1947 .
16. Web site: NTH. Lismore School Operetta . Northern Star . 11 November 1946 .
17. Web site: Lemnos Ss Concert . Shepparton Advertiser . 23 December 1947 .
18. Web site: School Concert at Tucabia . Daily Examiner . 29 December 1947 .
19. Web site: District News . Daily Mercury . 4 December 1948 .
20. Web site: Successful Concert Held at Ungarie . West Wyalong Advocate . 22 December 1949 .
21. Web site: St. Hilda's Concert . South Coast Bulletin . 7 December 1949 .
22. Web site: Personal . Scone Advocate . 27 April 1949 .
23. Web site: Nanson Convent School . Geraldton Guardian . 9 November 1950 .
24. Web site: St. Andrew's Sunday School Concert . Riverine Grazier . 10 October 1950 .
25. Web site: Maddington News . South Western Advertiser . 24 August 1950 .
26. Web site: Happy Party at St. Giles . Examiner . 17 December 1951 .
27. Web site: The Magic Basket . Sunshine Advocate . 19 October 1951 .
28. Web site: St. Giles' Home Christmas Party . Advocate . 17 December 1951 .
29. Web site: Crowd Liked the Children's Efforts . Maryborough Chronicle . 15 October 1952 .
30. Web site: School News . Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal . 5 December 1952 .
31. Web site: News in Brief . Advertiser . 20 May 1952 .
32. Web site: Maclean Convent Concert Well Attended . Daily Examiner . 8 December 1952 .
33. Web site: Southbrook News . Pittsworth Sentinel . 8 December 1953 .
34. Web site: Infants School Staff Are Very Busy. 25 September 1951. 7. Trove.
35. Web site: Church News . Barrier Daily Truth . 2 October 1954 .
36. Web site: St. ANne's SCHOOL SPEECH NIGHT . Townsville Daily Bulletin . 30 November 1954 .
37. Web site: Happy Contest by Juveniles . Lithgow Mercury . 4 October 1954 .
38. Web site: The Idea of Education Week is Being Well Received by Adults . Nepean Times . 8 August 1957 .