Les Héritiers Rabourdin

Les Héritiers Rabourdin ("The Rabourdin Heirs") is a comedy in three acts by Emile Zola (1840-1902).

The original text
Inspired by the central idea of Ben Johnson's Volpone, though the relationship is scarcely recognizable, Zola having made substantial changes to the plot and characters.

First performed in the Théâtre de Cluny on 3 November 1874.

Translations and adaptations
Translated into English as The Heirs of Rabourdin by A. Teixeira de Mattos, and published in London by Henry & Co., 1892.

Translated and adapted into Afrikaans from the original French by Gustav Preller with the title Erasmus s'n Erfgename (later known as Erasmus se Erfgename). Published by Van Schaik, 1924. Also found as Erfgename van Erasmus.

Performance history in South Africa
1925: Produced in Afrikaans as Erasmus se Erfgename, produced by Paul de Groot with the Volksrust Amateur Spelers ("amateur players") on 10 December 1925,  before his company’s tour with Oorskotjie.

1935: Produced in Afrikaans as Erasmus se Erfgename by the Krugersdorp Municipal Dramatic and Operatic Society

1938: Produced in Afrikaans as Erasmus se Erfgename by D.K.T. Teaters (Edms) Bpk in Pretoria.

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