Les Deux Billets

Les Deux Billets is a one act "Arlequinade" by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian (1755-1794)[1].

The original text

First performed by the Comédiens Italiens Ordinaires du Roi on 9th February, 1779.

Translations and adaptations

The Italian original was apparently translated into Dutch as De Loterijbriefjes, of De Bedrogen Schoenlapper ("The lottery tickets or the cheated shoe repairer") by the Dutch theatre manager and actor Ward Bingley (1757 -1818)[2], and first performed at the Amsterdamsche Schouwburg (possibly in 1794), it was published in Amsteldam by Dempter 1794 and credited to Bingley.

Apparently the title was adapted to De Loterijbriefjes, of De Bedrogen Schoenmaker ("The lottery tickets, or the cheated shoemaker") in later publications.

Simply called De Lotery Briefjes in South Africa.

Performance history in South Africa

1822: Performed in Dutch as De Lotery Briefjes (and credited to Bingley) in the African Theatre, Cape Town on 23 November by Tot Nut en Vermaak, with Makin, of De Ontdekking van Madera (Barbaz) and Het Losse Schot (Von Kotzebue).

Sources

Liesbeth Sparks, Bingley, Ward, in: Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland URL: http://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/bwn1780-1830/lemmata/data/Bingley, Ward [12/11/2013]

From Rotterdam theater playbills (1791-1887) of the Stadsarchief Rotterdam [3]

http://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/bwn1780-1830/lemmata/data/Bingley,%20Ward

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Claris_de_Florian

Facsimile version of Les Deux Billets (1782): Google E-book[4]

F.C.L. Bosman. 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [5]: p. p.234

Go to ESAT Bibliography