View source for Volsan, of De Menschenhater Door Tegenspoed

''[[Volsan, of De Menschenhater Door Tegenspoed]]'' ("Volsan, or the misanthrope through misfortune") is a [[Dutch]] play in three acts by J.D. Villenhoven.

== The original text ==

Described by [[F.C.L. Bosman]] (1928: p. 233) as a ''translation'' by an anonymous author of ''[[Volsan, ou Le Misanthrope Par Infortune]]'', a French original by Villenhoven. This is confirmed by the entry in the ''Ceneton''-website[http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/Dutch/GroteFiles/LijstCeneton56.html], which has the following: 

"Anoniem (naar het Frans van J.D. Villenhoven): Volsan, of de menschenhater door tegenspoed.
In: Zedelyk schouwtooneel der menschelyke hartstochten en daaden, of tooneelstukken van vernuft en smaak, derde deel, derde stuk. Amsterdam: Wed. Jan Dóll, 1797". Which suggests it may be a somewhat older play. (This is supported by a similar entry in the Catalogue of publications by Dòll contained in ''De neef van ider een: blyspel in een bedrijf'', Volume 1,  1797). 

However, the two extant versions of the play - both published in Amsterdam - also suggest the opposite scenario: The [[Dutch]] version having been published in 1797 and the French in 1798, both by  J. Dòll and, since no information could be found about the author beyond references to this one play, it ''could'' be argued that he (or she) may have been a bilingual [[Dutch]] or Belgian playwright, who wrote and published the play in both languages.

It is only known in South Africa in the [[Dutch]] version.

== Performance history in South Africa ==

1822: Performed in [[Dutch]] by [[Tot Nut en Vermaak]] in the [[African Theatre]], Cape Town,  with ''[[Der Deserteur|De Deserteur]]'' (Von Kotzebue). Originally announced for 21 September, but postponed to  24 September.

1843: Performed in [[Dutch]] by [[Tot Nut en Vermaak]] in the [[African Theatre]], Cape Town, on 13 September, with ''[[Het Misverstand, of Elk is Een Dief in Zyne Neering]]'' ("K"). 

1846: Performed in Cape Town in [[Dutch]] by  [[Tot Nut en Vermaak en Door Yver Vruchtbaar]] on 30 April, in the [[Roeland Street Theatre]], with ''[[De Kalkoen van Breda, of Menig Voordeel Komt Onverwacht]]'' (Van Ray) as afterpiece.

== Sources ==

http://books.google.co.za/books/about/Volsan_ou_le_misanthrope_par_infortune_d.html?id=UorWtgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y

http://www.amazon.com/Volsan-Menschenhater-Tegenspoed-Dutch-Edition/dp/116601360X

''De neef van ider een: blyspel in een bedrijf'', Volume 1, Dòll 1797, Google E-Book[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=kptpAAAAcAAJ&pg=PT2&lpg=PT2&dq=j+d+villenhoven&source=bl&ots=T-L4VM7982&sig=97C69Ttaf9mr8EeNsvOFe_NsL4A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjSmvqDg-7RAhVKLsAKHbmkCmc4ChDoAQg_MAg#v=onepage&q=j%20d%20villenhoven&f=false]

[[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, 443, 450

''Ceneton''-website (Census Nederlands Toneel), Department of Dutch Language and Literature University of Leiden[http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/Dutch/GroteFiles/LijstCeneton56.html], 

Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

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