L'Anglais, ou Le Fou Raisonnable

L'Anglais, ou Le Fou Raisonnable is a comedy by Joseph Patrat (1733-1801)[1].

The original text

Originally written as a one act revue with the title Le Fou Raisonnable, ou L'Anglais, and performed for the royal family at La Muette on 22 September, at Versailles on 20 and 25 December 1780(?), First performed for the general public at the Théâtre Variétés Amusantes in Paris on 9 July 1781. Published with the title Le Fou Raisonnable, ou L'Anglais by Cailleau, in 1781 and in a revised form as a comedy now entitled L'Anglais, ou Le Fou Raisonnable in Paris by Brunet, 1782

Translations and adaptations

Translated into English and adapted as Blue Devils by George Colman the Younger (1762–1836)[2]. The translation was first performed at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, London on the 24th of April, 1798. Printed by W. Burton for J. Cawthorn, 1808.

Also called The Blue Devils in some cases, e.g. apparently in a performance by the English Theatricals in Cape Town,1823 (as cited in F.C.L. Bosman, 1928: p.197).

Performance history in South Africa

1803: Performed in French (with title given as Le Fou Résonnable, ou L'Anglais and billed as a comedy in two acts by Bosman, 1928) on 10 December in the African Theatre by Het Fransche Liefhebbery Geselschap, with Les Deux Chasseurs et La Laitière (Anseaume).

1823: Listed as performed in English under the title The Blue Devils (cit. in Bosman, 1928, p.197) on 26 July 1823 in the African Theatre by the English Theatricals company, as an afterpiece to The Honey Moon (Tobin).

1826: Was listed for performance in English as Blue Devils on 20 October, by the Garrison Players, with to Catherine and Petrucchio and A Roland for an Oliver. However, this particular performance did not take place.

1831: Performed in English as Blue Devils on 12 November, by All the World's a Stage in the African Theatre, as an between The Innkeeper of Abbeville, or The Ostler and the Robber (Fitzball) and The Two Galley Slaves (Ducange/Payne).