The Royal Quixote

The Royal Quixote is a three-act drama "arranged by members of the Dramatic Club" of the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot, based on a short novelette by the Canadian writer Susanna Moodie (1803-1885)[1]

The original text

The original novel by Moodie was apparently written in 1824 and first published in the Literary Garland (Volume 1, No 1) of 1838. John Thurston, editor of Mrs Moodie's short stories, calls it a "long and rather tedious story about King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden". The play is set in 1620 in Sweden, Mecklenburgh and Brandenburgh. The "arrangement" by members of the Dramatic Club" of the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot, seems to have been done in 1862.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1862: The Officers of the Garrison gave three performances of this work in the Keiskama Hoek Garrison Theatre on 30 August 30, 11 September and 19 September. The cast consisted of Captain G. E. Bulger (Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden), Captain C. Hudson (Prince George of Brandenburgh), C. H. Newbatt Esq. (Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburgh), G. P. Townsend Esq. (Prince Bernard of Brandenburgh), J. S. Brougham Esq. (Prince Otho of Mecklenburgh), E. Saunder Esq. (Oxenstiern, Chancellor of Sweden), T. H. Smith Esq. (Theodore Zuski), Private G. Dawe (Eric, Page to Gustavus Adolphus), Lance-Corporal W. Allan (Demetrius, servant to Theodore Zuski), Miss Pauline Davies {Private J. Davies} (Princess Sophia of Mecklenburgh), Miss Frances Hastings {A. H. Handley} Esq. (Princess Maria Eleonora of Brandenburgh), Mademiselle Claudine Saint_Germain {Drummer J. Murray} (Countess Aurora). Also performed were Thomas J. Williams' one-act farce, The Ugly Customer and John Maddison Morton's one-act farce, Don't Judge by Appearances. (For more on contemporary responses to the performances, see the entry on the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot).