View source for De Liefhebbery Tooneel

[[De Liefhebbery Tooneel]] was a Cape Town theatre founded by the amateur company [[Tot Nut en Vermaak]]  in 1825. 


[[Tot Nut en Vermaak]], who had been using [[The African Theatre]] since 1822, opened this venue in Hope Street, Cape Town  in 1825, as an alternative venue to the [[Afrikaansche Schouwburg]]. It was also referred to simply as [[Liefhebbery Tooneel]] and [[Kaapsche Liefhebbery Tooneel]] on occasion, and as "[[The Amateur Theatre]]" by the English press.  

It was this society's exclusive venue until 1834 (with the exception of sporadic appearances by English companies). Later the children’s dramatic society [[Tot Oefening en Vermaak]] played there (from 1835-1836) and from 1834 to 1838 the venue was also used by [[C.E. Boniface]]'s [[Vlyt en Kunst]]. From 1837, [[Tot Oefening en Vermaak]] played there. Also referred to as the [[Amateur Theatre]], or often bilingually as the [[Liefhebbery Tooneel-Amateur Theatre]], depending on the company using it. 

It was later known as both the [[Hope Street Theatre]] and (from 1846, when it was overhauled) the [[Victoria Theatre]], under which names it continued to exist until 1851. It was also briefly known as the [[Sans Souci Theatre]] in 1848, when [[Thêàtre de L'Union]] played there. 

The [[Liefhebbery Tooneel]] should however not be confused with another venue also situated in Hope Street, and briefly used in 1849, which was known as [[Haupt's Warehouse]] or [[Haupt's Theatre]]. 

[JH/TH]

= Sources =

[[F.C.L. Bosman]], 1928. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika'', Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: [[J.H. de Bussy]]. [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/bosm012dram01_01/]: pp.233-249, 

Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

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