The Poor Gentleman

The Poor Gentleman is a comedy, in five acts by George Colman, the Younger (1762-1836)[1].

The original text

First performed at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden on the 11th of February 1801. Printed by A. Strahan, for T. N. Longman and O. Rees, 1802.

1808: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Officers of the Garrison on 12 September, with The Padlock (Bickerstaffe and Dibdin). Among the performers was a certain Billy Pitt.

1809: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Officers of the Garrison on 13 February as afterpiece to Katharine and Petruchio (Shakespeare/Garrick)

1812: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town on 3 August by the Garrison Players, with Hoare's Lock and Key as afterpiece (though cited by Bosman as The Lock and Key.)

1812: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town on 7 September by the Garrison Players, with The Waterman, or The First of August (Dibdin).

1816: Presented in Cape Town on Saturday 20 April by the Garrison Players in the African Theatre, with as afterpiece Raising the Wind (Kenney).

1822: Played by the Garrison Players on 4 October 1822 in the African Theatre, with The Irishman in London (Macready) as afterpiece.

1822: Played by the Garrison Players on 12 October 1822 in the African Theatre, with Amoroso, King of Little Britain (Planché) as afterpiece.

1824: Played by the Garrison Players on 5 November in the African Theatre, with The Irishman in London (Macready) as a benefit for Mrs Green and Mrs Johnson.

1828: Played by the Gentlemen Amateur Company (probably a reference to the Garrison Players) in August, in the African Theatre, with Billy Button (Astley).

1836: Performed in Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 23 September, with The Miller and his Men (Pocock) as afterpiece.

1858: Performed in the Cape Town Theatre on 25 June by Sefton Parry and his company, with Parry as "Dr Ollapod", Mr Lawson as "Sir Robert", Mr Carr as "Worthington", Mr Honnor as "Sir Charles", Gough as "Foss", Mrs Parry as "Emily", Mrs Delmaine as "Miss McNab" and two local amateurs as "Humphrey Dobbins" and "Frederick" (Bosman, 1980, suggests these may have been Mr Devere and Captain Hall). Also played: The Rough Diamond (Buckstone). The scenes painted by C.J. Smith.