A Cure for the Heartache

A Cure for the Heartache is a comedy, in five acts by Thomas Morton (1764-1838)[1].

Also listed in various sources as A Cure for the Heart Ache, A Cure for the Heart-Ache, The Cure for the Heart Ache, A Cure for the Heart Ache and so on. It may also be the play listed by F.C.L. Bosman (1980:p.) as being performed under the title The Cure in 1862 (see below).

The original text

First performed at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden on 10 January 1797. Printed by P. Wogan,1797.

Performance history in South Africa

1812: Performed in Cape Town on 12 July by the Garrison Players) in the The African Theatre, with The Jew and the Doctor (Dibdin). Lt Prescott and Lt Hanson are listed as Directors for the evening.

1816: Performed in Cape Town on 26 October by the English Theatricals company (former Garrison Players) in the The African Theatre, with Silvester Daggerwood (Colman Jr.).

1824: A performance was planned for 30 November, to be performed in Cape Town by the English Theatricals company (former Garrison Players) in the The African Theatre as a benefit performance for Sgt J. Corbishley, (with Love, Law and Physic by Kenney). However it was "unavoidably postponed" and according to Bosman (1928, p 187) no records appear to show whether it did actually occur or not.

1826: Performed in Cape Town on 20 September by the Garrison Amateur Company) in The Cape Town Theatre, with We Fly by Night (Colman Jr.). A quite comprehensive review of the production appeared in the The Commercial Advertiser on 26 September (though, interestingly, the names of performers are not mentioned, only roles.)

1832: Performed under the title The Cure for the Heart Ache in Cape Town on 21 July by the All the World's a Stage) in The Cape Theatre, with Raising the Wind (Kenney). According to the Cape Advertiser (13 June 1832, cit. in Bosman, 1828, p.222) the production was in aid of "The Philanthropic Society for the emancipation of slave children", under the direction of a Committee of some of the leading philanthropic gentlemen in the Cape; including Geo. Greig, Dr Fairbridge, Dr Bailey and D.J. Cloete. A very positive review of the productions appeared in the The Commercial Advertiser on 8 and 11 August 1832 (though, once more, the names of performers are not mentioned, only roles.)

1835: Performed in the African Theatre in Hope Street, Cape Town on 11 March by the Private Amateur Company, with The Two Gregories (Dibdin). The evening was "(F)or the benefit of the Sufferers of the Caffer Irruption".

1859: Performed in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town on 26 September by the Cape Town Dramatic Club, with Sarah's Young Man (Suter).

1862: Probably the play performed as The Cure (author unnamed) in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town on 23 September by a company known jointly as the Cape Town and Royal Alfred Dramatic Club, with Still Waters Run Deep (Taylor), the latter play performed by the Cape Town Dramatic Club alone.