The Heir at Law

The Heir at Law is a popular English comedy in five acts by George Colman the Younger (1762 – 1836)[1].

The original text

Opened at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in London on 15 July 1797 and for the next two decades played everywhere and frequently. First performed in the United States at the Park Theatre in New York in April 1799.

The text was published circa 1808.

Productions in South Africa

1811: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 10 July, with The Citizen (Murphy).

1813: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 28 August, with The Mayor of Garratt (Foote).

1816: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 14 September, with Silvester Daggerwood (Colman Jr).

1823: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players (now billed as the Amateur Company) on 27 May, "with the original epilogue" and The Village Lawyer (Macready)

1824: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Amateur Company on 1 June, "with the original epilogue" and Lovers' Quarrels (King)

1826: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town on 16 August by the Garrison Amateur Company, along with Love, Law and Physic as afterpiece. The performers were: Sgt Corbishley, Mr Sandford, H. Hanson, Mr Hanson, Mr Goodwin, Mr Kelly, Mr Walker, Dr Fitzgerald Mrs Johnson, Mrs O'Brien and Mrs Black.

1834: Performed in the Barracks Theatre, Cape Town on 10 September by the Garrison Amateurs, along with Comfortable Lodgings (Peake).

1878: Performed (as The Heir-at-Law) in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town on 21 June by Disney Roebuck and his company, along with a song by Miss Wynne and Whitebait at Greenwich (Morton).