Robinson Crusoe, or Friday and the Fairies

Robinson Crusoe, or Friday and the Fairies is an pantomime by Henry J. Byron (1835-1884)[1]

The original text

This is one of three works written (or at least co-written) by Henry J. Byron, all based on Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe. The others are a burlesque called Robinson Crusoe, or Harlequin Friday and the King of the Caribee Islands!(1860) and another burlesque called Robinson Crusoe, or The Injun Bride and the Injured Wife (1867).

Robinson Crusoe, or Friday and the Fairies is described as a pantomime and was first performed at Covent Garden theatre, Saturday, December 26th, 1868 printed by J. Miles and co., London in the same year. It probably is the main source for most of the subsequent pantomimes inspired by Defoe's novel.

Translations and adaptations

Disney Roebuck apparently based his version, simply called the Pantomime Robinson Crusoe, on Robinson Crusoe, or Friday and the Fairies, which Roebuck advertised as being "Arranged from H.J. Byron's 'Extravaganza' ".

Performance history in South Africa

1878: Performed as Robinson Crusoe by Disney Roebuck and his company, played regularly from 22April to 1 May, and billed as a "Pantomime" and said to have been "[a]rranged from H.J. Byron's 'Extravaganza' ". Miss Delaval took the role of "Crusoe" and the scenery was done by R. Thorne, W. Thorne and R. Cooper

1878: Performed as Robinson Crusoe by Disney Roebuck and his company, on 18 May. The matinee performance had a Juvenile Harlequinade (Anon.) as an afterpiece, while the evening performance had Jack and Jack's Brother (Anon) and Robinson Crusoe as afterpiece.

1878: Performed as "scenes from Robinson Crusoe" (Defoe) by the Disney Roebuck company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, on "Regatta Night", 24 May, with The Captain's not a Miss (Wilks) and Jack and Jack's Brother (Anon)

1878: Performed as "the main scenes from Robinson Crusoe" (Defoe) by the Disney Roebuck company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, on "Regatta Night", 24 May, with The Captain's not a Miss (Wilks) and Jack and Jack's Brother (Anon)

1878: Performed as Robinson Crusoe by Disney Roebuck and his company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, on 9 May, with The Loan of a Lover (Planché).

Sources

Facsimile version of the Miles edition of 1868, Hathi Thrust Digital Library[2]

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

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 1923. (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. 98-108

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