Charles Utting

Charles Utting (1818-1898) was a South African author, poet, playwright, journalist, and bookseller.

Also known as or Chas. Utting or C. Utting.

Biography

Born in King's Lynn, Norfolk, England, on 7 July, 1818, emigrating to Cape Town round about 1863, where he worked as a journalist on the staff of the The S.A. Advertiser and Mail and apparently also ran a bookshop.

He was married to Jane Aickman Utting, with whom he is said to have had 15 children. Utting died in Cape Town on 8 February, 1898 and is buried there.

Contribution to South African theatre, media and performance

Besides other publications, he wrote a historical play called Governor van Noot, or Things as They Were (also known simply as Governor van Noot or Things as They Were), performed in 1866, and a satire called Municipal Muddles, or Love in the Dark (also known simply as Municipal Muddles), performed in 1867.

[TH, JH]

Sources

https://www.geni.com/people/Charles-Utting/6000000034168811185

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 1932. (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.201, 212-218, 226-228, 293.

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.

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