Het Huishouden van Jan Steen

Het Huishouden van Jan Steen ("the household of Jan Steen") is a two-act Dutch comedy, including songs, by Marten Westerman (1775-1852).

The original text
The play is based on the life of the theatrical Dutch painter Jan Steen, whose lively scenes portraying everyday events were so filled with chaos and lustfulness, that the phrase "een huishouden van Jan Steen" ("a Jan Steen household"), referring to a messy scene, became a Dutch proverb.

Written about 1800 and published in Amsterdam by J.C. van Kesteren in 1806 (the second edition is dated 1823). A performance is reviewed in De Tooneelkijker of 1817.

Performance history in South Africa
1844: Performed by the joint company Tot Nut en Vermaak en Door Yver Vruchtbaar on 18th September 1844 in Cape Town, as an afterpiece to Armoede en Grootheid (Von Kotzebue).

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