De Wees van Brussel

De Wees van Brussel ("The orphan of Brussels") is a Dutch drama in four acts with a prologue by Arie Ruijsch (1797-1871)

The play also found under the title as Brussel in 1573, De Drie Laatste Dagen van Alba's Schrikbewind in de Nederlanden.

The author's name often found as Arie Ruysch in later publications of the text and in South Africa.

The original text
Described as "eene episode uit de drie laatste dagen van Alba's schrikbewind in de Nederlanden, (1573)" the play is based on an episode in the last days of the reign of terror by Fernando Álvarez de Toledo (1507-1582), the third Duke of Alba, in the Netherlands. First published in by J.C. and W. Altorffer, 1848, in aid of the institution for needy workmen in Vlissingen and first performed in the Koninklijken Schouwburg, at Den Haag, in 1848.

Later also published in a shortened version as Brussel in 1573, De Drie Laatste Dagen van Alba's Schrikbewind in de Nederlanden by F.S. van Doosselaere, 1855 in Ghent.

Performance history in South Africa
1879: Performed by Aurora II in the Athenaeum Hall, Cape Town, on 3 April, as part of the "Koperen Feest" of Aurora II. (I.e. the "Copper Festival", a celebration the 12.5 years since its founding.)

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