Faust et Marguerite

Faust et Marguerite is a "drame fantastique" in three acts and 4 tableaux, by Michel Carré (1819-1872)[1] and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)[2]

The original text

Written by Carré and loosely based on Goethe's Faust, the play was first performed and published in Paris, 1850(?).

Translations and adaptations

Adapted and translated into English as Faust and Marguerite, romantic drama in three acts, by T. W. Robertson (1829-1871)[3]. Published in London by Samuel French, [187-?]), and was first played at the Princess's Theatre, London, in April, 1854

The play formed the basis for Gounod's opera Faust, for which Carré also wrote the libretto with Jules Barbier in 1859.

Robertson's translation may have been the play that, at least according to D.C. Boonzaier (1923), was performed in South Africa as A Deal with the Devil. Boonzaier lists it as an anonymous play, but F.C.L. Bosman, (1980: p. 434), citing Boonzaier, credits T.W. Robertson.

Performance history in South Africa

1862: Performed as Faust and Marguerite in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town on 29 December by Clara Tellett and her company, with Paul Pry (Poole). The evening was a benefit for Mr Raymond. F.C.L. Bosman (1980, p.137) claims that this was the very first performance of any version of Faust in South Africa.

1865: Selections from Faust and Marguerite performed in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town on 13 November by the Ray and Cooper company, with Pepper's Ghost, said by Groom (cited in Bosman, 1980: p.192) to be "illustrating the drama of Faust" , The Harvest Storm (Hazlewood) and Which shall I Marry? (Suter).

1875: Performed in the Bijou Theatre, Cape Town, on 17 July as Faust and Marguerite by Disney Roebuck and his company, with The Area Belle (Brough and Halliday).

1910: A play called A Deal with the Devil (Robertson) was performed in Cape Town towards the end of the year by the De Jong-Black Company.