The Flying Scud, or A Four-legged Fortune

The Flying Scud, or A Four-legged Fortune is an equestrian melodrama by Dion Boucicault (1820-1890)[1].

Often simply called The Flying Scud.

The original text

A melodrama (or "sensation drama") about horse-racing that featured a live horse on stage, the work was ostensibly written as opening piece for The Holborn Theatre, Sefton Parry's new venue in London, where it had its first performance on 6 October 1866. The text was published by in the same year.

Translations and adaptations

In 1885 it was rewritted by Boucicault as The Jilt (published by Samuel French, c1909).

Performance history in South Africa

1877: Performed in the Theatre Royal on 26 January by Disney Roebuck and his company, featuring a "real horse". It was presented with The Spectre Bridegroom (Moncrieff ) and a ballad by Miss Wynne (i.e. Gertrude Wynne).

1878: Performed by Disney Roebuck and his company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, on 26, 28 and 29 January, with as The Goose with the Golden Eggs (Mayhew and Edwards).

1878: Performed in the Theatre Royal on 30 January by Disney Roebuck and his company, with The Area Belle (Brough and Halliday).

Sources

https://books.google.co.za/books/about/Flying_Scud_or_A_Four_legged_Fortune.html?id=dmqnnQEACAAJ&redir_esc=y

David Mayer. 2004. "Encountering Melodrama", In: Kerry Powell (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Victorian and Edwardian Theatre, Cambridge University Press:pp.158-162[2]

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

A List of Dion Boucicault's Major Dramatic Works, The Victorian Web [3]

Facsimile version of the text of The Jilt (1909 edition by Samuel French), Hathi Trust Digital Library [4]

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 117, 364-5

William Groom. 1899-1900. Drama in Cape Town. Cape Illustrated Magazine, 10(4): 478-481, 517-520, 547-552, 580-584, 640-643, 670-672, 706-708.

Go to ESAT Bibliography