The Boots at the Swan

The Boots at the Swan is an original burletta in one act by Charles Selby (1802?-1863)[1].

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.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1858: Performed as The Boots at the Swan 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 as The Boots at the Swan 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 as The Boots at the Swan 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 as The Boots at the Swan 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 Theatre Royal, Burg Street, 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[2]

Facsimile version of the 1847 Taylor edition of the original text, The Internet Archive[3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Selby

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

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.

Go to ESAT Bibliography