Mathilde, ou la Jalousie

Mathilde, ou la Jalousie is a French comedy in three acts (with music) by Jean-François Bayard (1796-1853)[1] and Laurencin (Paul-Aimé Chapelle, 1806-1890)[2].

The original text

First performed at the Théâtre National du Vaudeville, Paris, on 3 June,1835. Published as Mathilde, ou la jalousie: comédie en trois actes, mêlée de chants by Dondey-Dupré in Paris in 1835.

Translations and adaptations

Freely adapted into English as a comedy in three acts by Leicester Silk Buckingham (1825-1867)[3] as Faces in the Fire, it was first performed St James’s Theatre, London, in March 1865.

Performance history in South Africa

1884: Performed in English as Faces in the Fire by Henry Harper company in the Theatre Royal, Burg Street, Cape Town on the 18th July with The Two Gregories (Sewrin/Dibdin) and a "Grand Inaugural March" by the musical director William Ramsden. The cast consisted of H.C. Sidney, Fred Ferrani, Charles Lobbett, J. Fox Turner, Mr Burton, Mr Herbert, Constance Moxon, Bella Murdoch and Miss Williams. The scenery was designed and constructed by William Thorne, mechanical stage matters arranged by Mr Kelly, the theatre leased by Henry Harper and managed by Charles Wilstone. This evening constituted the opening production in the newly reconstructed Theatre Royal, built to replace the one destroyed by fire in July 1883.