The Dream at Sea

The Dream at Sea is a drama in three acts by John Baldwin Buckstone (1802-1879).

The title The Dream at Sea, or The Cornish Wreckers is also found, and (quaintly and probably inaccurately) referred to as The Dream at Sea, or The Cornish Wheelers by Sefton Parry (cited in F.C.L. Bosman, 1980) during the first South African performances in 1860.

The original text
First performed on 23 November, 1835 at the Adelphi Theatre, London

Published as The Dream at Sea by W. Strange, London, 1835 and later also in Boston by W.V. Spencer as no LXVIII in the series Spencer's Boston Theatre.

Performance history in South Africa
1860: Produced as The Dream at Sea, or The Cornish Wheelers by Sefton Parry on 22 March in the The Cape Town Theatre in Harrington Street with An Alarming Sacrifice (Buckstone). Thomas Baines painted a spectacular backdrop for the play.

1865: Performed as The Dream at Sea to packed houses in the presence of Governor Wodehouse, in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town by the Valorous Amateurs (amateur players from the visiting ship the H.M.S. Valorous). Also performed was Cool as a Cucumber, with music by the 10th Regiment.

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