Le Gastronome sans Argent

Le Gastronome sans Argent ("The gourmet without money") is a vaudeville in one act by Eugène Scribe (1791–1861)[1] and the librettist Brulay.

The original text

First performed at the Théâtre du Gymnase Dramatique in Paris on 10 March 1821 and published by Fages in 1821.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into English as A Race for a Dinner, or "No Dinner Yet" (or also known as His Race for a Dinner, A Race for a Dinner or A Race for Dinner) by James Thomas Goodenham Rodwell (?-1825) (in some sources with George Daniel (1789–1864) [2], the long time editor for Cumberland's "British Theatre" series who signed himself "D-G", credited as co-author).

The translation was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre in 1828, apparently after Rodwell's death in 1825, and published the same year in London (Thomas Hailes Lacy and/or Samuel French). Performed and published in New York in 1829.

Performance history in South Africa

1833: Performed in English as A Race for Dinner by the All the World's a Stage on 21 September, withThe Day After the Wedding, or A Wife’s First Lesson, the comic sketch of The Actress Of All Work (by Oxberry, though the author is said to be unknown in the source) and the farce Rival Valets (Ebsworth).

1854: Performed in English as A Race for a Dinner by the City Amateur Theatrical Society on Wednesday, 26th July in the Dutch Company's Bree Street Theatre (corner of Dorp Street), Cape Town. It followed Hamlet (Act 3) and was followed by The Secret (Morris) and Ion (Talfourd).