The Boots at the Swan

The Boots at the Swan is an original burletta in one act by Charles Selby (1802?-1863)[].

Also found as Boots at the Swan.

The original text

First performed at the New Strand Theatre, London, on 6 June 1842, and the Park Theatre, New York in 1846. Published as The Boots at the Swan by T.H. Lacy in London, 1842[?] and as Boots at the Swan by William Taylor and Co. in New York, 1847.

Performance history in South Africa

1858: Performed in the New Music Hall in Buitekant Street, Cape Town, by J.E.H. English and company on 27 February, with The Victor Vanquished (Dance), and featuring among others "Miss Delmaine".

1858: Performed again in the New Music Hall in Buitekant Street, Cape Town, by J.E.H. English and company on 6 July, with The Victor Vanquished (Dance), and now also featuring Mrs Delmaine.

1862: Performed in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, by Sefton Parry and company on 27 February, with The Green Bushes (Buckstone), as a benefit for John Howard.

1869: Performed in February on Robben Island by an amateur company (of patients and possibly medical staff, apparently), with Turn him Out (Williams?), and supported by the Robben Island Brass Band. It is reported that 150 visitors had travelled to the island by boat, to swell the audience to 250 for the evening's entertainment.

1875: Performed as Boots at the Swan in the Bijou Theatre, Cape Town, by Disney Roebuck and company on 19 June, with The Happy Pair (Smith) and acts one and three of The Corsican Brothers (Grangé and De Montépin/Boucicault).

1875: Performed as Boots at the Swan in the Bijou Theatre, Cape Town, by Disney Roebuck and company on 21 June, with Catherine Howard (Dumas/Suter).

1876: Performed as The Boots at the Swan in the Athenaeum Hall, Cape Town, by the Disney Roebuck company on 10 August, with Nobody's Child (Phillips).

1877: Performed as The Boots at the Swan in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, by the Disney Roebuck company on 10 September, with Lost in London (Phillips).

Sources

Facsimile version of the 1842 Lacy edition of the original text, Hathi Trust Digital Library[1]

Facsimile version of the 1847 Taylor edition of the original text, The Internet Archive[2]

Ludwig Wilhelm Berthold Binge. 1969. Ontwikkeling van die Afrikaanse toneel (1832-1950). Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.

D.C. Boonzaier. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [3]: pp.

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 111, 120, 284, 324, 342, 360.

Conradie, Elizabeth. 1934. Hollandse skrywers uit Suid-Afrika. Deel 1 (1652-1875) 'n Kultuur-historische studie. Pretoria, J.H. de Bussy and Cape Town H.A.U.M..[4]

Conradie, Elizabeth, 1949. Hollandse skrywers uit Suid-Afrika. Deel 2 (1875-1905) 'n Kultuur-historische studie. Pretoria, J.H. de Bussy and Cape Town H.A.U.M..[5]

P.J. du Toit. 1988. Amateurtoneel in Suid-Afrika. Pretoria: Academica

Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg: p.

Sydney Paul Gosher. 1988. A historical and critical survey of the South African one-act play written in English. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Pretoria: University of South Africa.

William Groom. 1899-1900. Drama in Cape Town. Cape Illustrated Magazine, 10(4): 478-481, 517-520, 547-552, 580-584, 640-643, 670-672, 706-708.

Temple Hauptfleisch. 1997. Theatre and Society in South Africa: Reflections in a Fractured Mirror. Pretoria: Van Schaik[6]: pp.

Peter Joyce. 1999. A Concise Dictionary of South African Biography. Cape Town: Francolin Publishers.

J.C. Kannemeyer 1978. Geskiedenis van die Afrikaanse Literatuur I. Pretoria: Academica. (Second edition, 1984[7], pp.

J.C. Kannemeyer. 1984. ‘’Geskiedenis van die Afrikaanse Literatuur’’2[8]: pp.

Ingmar Koch. 1997. Het ochtendgloren boven Kaapstad. Nederlandse rederijkers in Kaapstad, Tydskrif vir Nederlands & Afrikaans. (4de Jaargang, Nommer 2. Desember)[9]

Loren Kruger 1999. The Drama of South Africa: Plays, Pageants and Publics Since 1910 London: Routledge

P.W. Laidler. 1926. The Annals of the Cape Stage. Edinburgh: William Bryce: p.

Anna Minnaar-Vos 1969. Die Spel Gaan Voort: Die Verhaal van Hendrik en Mathilde Hanekom. Kaapstad: Tafelberg, pp. 96-110.

Brian Astbury. 1979. The Space/Die Ruimte/Indawo. Cape Town: Moira and Azriel Fine.

Percy Tucker. 1997. Just the Ticket. My 50 Years in Show Business. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press.

Allardyce Nicoll. 1975. A History of English Drama 1660-1900: Late 19th Century Drama 1850-1900 Cambridge University Press[10]

J.A. Worp. 1972. Geschiedenis van het Drama en van het Tooneel in Nederland. Deel 2, Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren (DBNL)[11]

Joris Baers (1888-1975): Algemeene Tooneelbibliotheek Een[12]

http://www.domus.ac.za/afrikaans/images/Programme%20in%20DOMUS(2).pdf

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