The Rose of Ettrick Vale, or The Bridal of the Borders

The Rose of Ettrick Vale, or The Bridal of the Borders is a romantic comedy in three acts by Thomas J. Lynch, Comedian (fl. 1820-1830s)

Also known as The Rose of Ettrick Vale, as well as Wandering Steenie or Steenie, the Wanderer after its central character.

The original text

First performed at the Queen Street Theatre Glasgow in 1824, and later performed in Edinburgh and at the Royal Aldwych theatre in London. The text was revised by James Aitken of the Drury Lane Theatre after Lynch's death, and was published in Glasgow by Dugald Moore and James Duncan in 1836. Published as a play in three acts, it is sometimes referred to as a comedy in two acts, in playbills and the like.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1861: Performed as a comedy in two acts in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, on 4 November by the Sefton Parry company, with Pas Seul performed by Miss Powell and Family Jars (Lunn and Perry).

1861: Performed as a comedy in two acts in Grahamstown on 4 November by a Garrison company called the Amateurs of the Band (North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot) with a cast consisting of W. Dansie (Red Ronald, the River, alias the Stranger), T. Paterson (Old Adam of Teviot), J. Davies (Albert, his adopted son), J. Chesters (Glenbrae, a hunter of the highland border), J. F. Gay (Guy o' the Gap), J. M'Kechnie (Wandering Steenie, a mindless rower), W. Allan (Brand o' the Brae), J. Mann (Black Wylie), T. Manion (Murdoch), B. Sheeran (Fergus), (the latter three were Freebooters in the pay of Red Ronald.) B. Buckley (Officer), J. Grennan (Laurette, "The Rose of Ettrick Vale"), J. Durney (Jessie, sister and Bridesmaid to Laurette), T. Smith (Amy, Jessie's sister and Bridesmaid to Laurette). Also performed was The Spectre Bridegroom, or A Ghost in Spite of Himself (Moncrieff). (For more on contemporary responses to the performances, see the entry on the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot)

1867: Performed as The Rose of Ettrick Vale on 3 April by the 9th Regiment in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, with Turn Him Out (Williams).

1867: Performed as The Rose of Ettrick Vale, a "beautiful Scotch National Drama", on 15 June by the 9th Regiment in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town. Part of a Dramatic and Gymnastic Entertainment" which also included a "Gymnastics Display" and Le Bal Masqué (Ward).