Belgravia, or Servantgalism

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Belgravia, or Servantgalism is a variety sketch from the 19th century.

F.C.L. Bosman (1980) gives the title as Belgravia, or Servantgolism, but this is almost certainly a misspelling by his source.

The original text

The sketch most probably derives from the wonderful series of satirical sketches in Punch magazine in the 1850s, drawn by John Leech and others to illustrate a phenomenon they called "Servantgalism", referring to the "servant problem" and especially the phenomenon of servants "getting above themselves" and trying to act or dress like their masters.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1871: Performed (according to Bosman, 1980, as Belgravia, or Servantgolism) three times by the D'Arcy Read Company in the Mutual Hall, Cape Town (on 9, 16 and 23 October), with The Ring and the Keeper (Wooler) and "reminiscences of" Sheridan Knowles's The Cousins.

Sources

"The Servant Problem: Servantgalism" in the Servants' Stories Blogspot, Friday, 4 September 2015. [1]

John Leech Archive, John Leech Sketches: keyword "servants"[2]

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: p. 250

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page