The Irish Tiger

The Irish Tiger is a farce in one act by J.M. Morton (1811-1891)[1]

The original text

Apparently first performed at the Royal Haymarket Theatre in April 1846 and published in London by T.H. Lacy in the same year. It was later performed in various theatres in the USA (circa 1859) and published in New York by Samuel French in 1859(?)

Performance history in South Africa

1860: Performed as The Irish Tiger by Charles Fraser in the Cabinet Theatre, Cape Town, on 7 February, along with Villikins and his Dinah (Burnand). The presentation "Under the Patronage of the Naval Forces in the Bay".

1860: Performed as The Irish Tiger by Charles Fraser in the Cabinet Theatre, Cape Town, on 16 February, along with A Hopeless Passion (Morton).

1862: Performed as The Irish Tiger in the Eastern Cape village of Keiskama Hoek's Garrison Theatre by the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot on June 21, with a cast that included J. F. Gay (Sir Charles Lavender), J. M'Kechnie (Alderman Marrowfat), F. Girton (Mr Bilberry), W. Dansie (Paddy Ryan, The Irish Tiger), F. Doherty (John), B. Buckley (Miss Julia Marrowfat), J. Davies (Nancy). Also performed was a scene from Alarcos (Disraeli), followed by Locked in with A Lady (Addison). (For more on contemporary responses to the performances, see the entry on the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot)

Sources

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

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.126-7,

Facsimile version of the Samuel French edition, Hathi Trust Digital Library[2]

North Lincoln Sphinx Vol 1, No 13, July 23, 1862. (Keiskama Hoek)

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page