Difference between revisions of "Ici on Parle Français"
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| − | ''[[Ici on Parle Français]]'' is | + | ''[[Ici on Parle Français]]'' ("Here we speak French") is an English farce in one act by Thomas John Williams (1824-1874)[http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupname?key=Williams%2C%20Thomas%20J.%20(Thomas%20John)%2C%201824-1874] |
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| + | Sometimes found as '''''[[Ici on Parle Français, or The Major's Mistake]]''''' or wrongly written as '''''[[Ici on Parle Francais]]'''''. | ||
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Published as Issue 297 of French's minor drama, by Samuel French | Published as Issue 297 of French's minor drama, by Samuel French | ||
| − | The title | + | The title given as '''''[[Ici on Parle Français, or The Major's Mistake]]''''' in the new 1889 publication of the text by H. Roorbach, New York. |
==Translations and adaptations== | ==Translations and adaptations== | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 1891 a mimed burlesque version of Williams's play, called '''''[[Ici on (ne) Parle (pas) Français]]''''' ("Here we (do not) speak French") and described as "a farce without words", was devised and performed by the comedian J.L. Toole (1830–1906)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lawrence_Toole], who had performed in the original Williams play over a 1300 times. ''[[Ici on (ne) Parle (pas) Français]]'', with deliberately incongruous musical accompaniment by W. S. Robins, was first played by Toole in Toole's Theatre, London, 13-27 June, 1891 and repeated in 1892. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In his 1980 publication, [[F.C.L. Bosman]] ascribes the play ''[[Ici on Parle Français]]'' done in South Africa to the musician "W.S. Robins" on one occasion (p. 361), and also lists it thus in his Index. Since he never mentions Williams as the author, the book seems to suggest that all the performances of the work were the burlesque version - which is not true, since the burlesque was only performed in 1891, long after the South African performances listed by Bosman. | ||
== Performance history in South Africa == | == Performance history in South Africa == | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1861: Performed as ''[[Ici on Parle Français]]'' by [[Sefton Parry]] and his company in the [[Theatre Royal]] on 1 July, with ''[[The Bonnie Fishwife]]'' (Selby) and ''[[The Rough Diamond]]'' (Buckstone) | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1861: Performed by [[Sefton Parry]] and his company in the [[Theatre Royal]], Harrington Street, Cape Town, on 4 July, as afterpiece to ''[[Rob Roy Macgregor, or Auld Lang Syne]]'' (Pocock). | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1861: Performed as ''[[Ici on Parle Français]]'' on 14 October in the new [[Theatre Royal]], Cape Town by the [[Sefton Parry]] company, followed by ''[[Aladdin, or The Wonderful Lamp]]''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1868: Performed as ''[[Ici on Parle Français]]'' by the [[Lanarkshire Dramatic Club]] (amateur players from the [[99th Regiment]]) in the [[Garrison Theatre]], Cape Town, on 21 October, with ''[[The Irish Post]]'' (Planché), Irish songs by [[Lieutenant Tanner]] and a song ("The Long-tail'd Blue"") by "the infant phenomenon". | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1876: Performed as ''[[Ici on Parle Français]]'' on 12 May in the [[Athenaeum Hall]], Cape Town, by the [[Disney Roebuck]] company, as afterpiece to ''[[Robert Macaire]]'' (Byron). | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1877: Performed as ''[[Ici on Parle Français]]'' (here wrongly ascribed to "W.S. Robins" by Bosman) on 8 October in the [[Theatre Royal]], Cape Town, by the [[Disney Roebuck]] company, as afterpiece to ''[[The School for Scandal]]'' (Sheridan), as a benefit for [[E.V. Sinclair]] and [[Maude Clifford]]. | ||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
| + | https://books.google.co.za/books/about/Ici_on_Parle_Francais.html?id=TRkQ85WihWAC&redir_esc=y | ||
| + | |||
| + | Online Books by Thomas J. Williams, [[The Online Books Page]][http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupname?key=Williams%2C%20Thomas%20J.%20(Thomas%20John)%2C%201824-1874] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Facsimile version of the 1889 text, ''[[The Internet Archive]]''[https://archive.org/stream/icionparlefran00will#page/n0/mode/2up] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''The Era Almanack and Annual'', 1892: p.68, [[Google E-book]][https://books.google.co.za/books?id=5a1JAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA68&dq=Ici+on+Parle+Fran%C3%A7ais+W.S.+Robins&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiH0Nn2-evoAhVGDOwKHaysDO4Q6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q=Ici%20on%20Parle%20Fran%C3%A7ais%20W.S.%20Robins&f=false] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''The Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art'', Volume 71, 1891. John W. Parker and Son, ''[[Google Books]]''[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=HPxYihBevBUC&pg=RA1-PA745&dq=Ici+on+(ne)+Parle+(pas)+Fran%C3%A7ais+a+burlesque+by+Toole&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjyvc26hOzoAhXS66QKHZXsA-gQ6AEINzAC#v=onepage&q=Ici%20on%20(ne)%20Parle%20(pas)%20Fran%C3%A7ais%20a%20burlesque%20by%20Toole&f=false] | ||
| + | |||
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lawrence_Toole | ||
| + | |||
| + | Tracy C. Davis. 2012. ''The Broadview Anthology of Nineteenth-Century British Performance'' Broadview Press: p.562, , ''[[Google Books]]''[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=J88fLaFswBAC&pg=PA562&lpg=PA562&dq=Ici+on+(ne)+Parle+(pas)+Fran%C3%A7ais&source=bl&ots=MSC-DInwuE&sig=ACfU3U2oCmoacemxpHzQ9qWlK2l49wpF-A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiqt_2dgezoAhVKyqQKHbsDDdwQ6AEwBXoECAwQKw#v=onepage&q=Ici%20on%20(ne)%20Parle%20(pas)%20Fran%C3%A7ais&f=false] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1980. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916''. Pretoria: [[J.L. van Schaik]]: pp. 99, 262-3, 339, 361 | ||
| + | |||
| + | Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Return to == | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]] | ||
| + | Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]] | ||
| − | + | Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]] | |
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[The ESAT Entries]] | ||
| − | + | Return to [[Main Page]] | |
Latest revision as of 05:43, 12 June 2023
Ici on Parle Français ("Here we speak French") is an English farce in one act by Thomas John Williams (1824-1874)[1]
Sometimes found as Ici on Parle Français, or The Major's Mistake or wrongly written as Ici on Parle Francais.
Contents
The original text
First performed at the Adelphi Theatre, London in 1859.
Published as Issue 297 of French's minor drama, by Samuel French
The title given as Ici on Parle Français, or The Major's Mistake in the new 1889 publication of the text by H. Roorbach, New York.
Translations and adaptations
In 1891 a mimed burlesque version of Williams's play, called Ici on (ne) Parle (pas) Français ("Here we (do not) speak French") and described as "a farce without words", was devised and performed by the comedian J.L. Toole (1830–1906)[2], who had performed in the original Williams play over a 1300 times. Ici on (ne) Parle (pas) Français, with deliberately incongruous musical accompaniment by W. S. Robins, was first played by Toole in Toole's Theatre, London, 13-27 June, 1891 and repeated in 1892.
In his 1980 publication, F.C.L. Bosman ascribes the play Ici on Parle Français done in South Africa to the musician "W.S. Robins" on one occasion (p. 361), and also lists it thus in his Index. Since he never mentions Williams as the author, the book seems to suggest that all the performances of the work were the burlesque version - which is not true, since the burlesque was only performed in 1891, long after the South African performances listed by Bosman.
Performance history in South Africa
1861: Performed as Ici on Parle Français by Sefton Parry and his company in the Theatre Royal on 1 July, with The Bonnie Fishwife (Selby) and The Rough Diamond (Buckstone)
1861: Performed by Sefton Parry and his company in the Theatre Royal, Harrington Street, Cape Town, on 4 July, as afterpiece to Rob Roy Macgregor, or Auld Lang Syne (Pocock).
1861: Performed as Ici on Parle Français on 14 October in the new Theatre Royal, Cape Town by the Sefton Parry company, followed by Aladdin, or The Wonderful Lamp.
1868: Performed as Ici on Parle Français by the Lanarkshire Dramatic Club (amateur players from the 99th Regiment) in the Garrison Theatre, Cape Town, on 21 October, with The Irish Post (Planché), Irish songs by Lieutenant Tanner and a song ("The Long-tail'd Blue"") by "the infant phenomenon".
1876: Performed as Ici on Parle Français on 12 May in the Athenaeum Hall, Cape Town, by the Disney Roebuck company, as afterpiece to Robert Macaire (Byron).
1877: Performed as Ici on Parle Français (here wrongly ascribed to "W.S. Robins" by Bosman) on 8 October in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, by the Disney Roebuck company, as afterpiece to The School for Scandal (Sheridan), as a benefit for E.V. Sinclair and Maude Clifford.
Sources
https://books.google.co.za/books/about/Ici_on_Parle_Francais.html?id=TRkQ85WihWAC&redir_esc=y
Online Books by Thomas J. Williams, The Online Books Page[3]
Facsimile version of the 1889 text, The Internet Archive[4]
The Era Almanack and Annual, 1892: p.68, Google E-book[5]
The Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art, Volume 71, 1891. John W. Parker and Son, Google Books[6]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lawrence_Toole
Tracy C. Davis. 2012. The Broadview Anthology of Nineteenth-Century British Performance Broadview Press: p.562, , Google Books[7]
F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 99, 262-3, 339, 361
Go to ESAT Bibliography
Return to
Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays
Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays
Return to PLAYS III: Collections
Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances
Return to South African Festivals and Competitions
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
