Difference between revisions of "Les Frères Corses"
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| − | ''[[Les Frères Corses]]'' is a French play in three acts and five tableaux by Eugène Grangé and Xavier de Montépinthe. | + | ''[[Les Frères Corses]]'' ("The Corsican brothers") is a French play in three acts and five tableaux by Eugène Grangé (1810-1887)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Grang%C3%A9] and Xavier de Montépin (1823–1902)[https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Xavier+de+Mont%C3%A9pin] |
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| + | The name "Montépin" is written "Montépinthe" in some sources. | ||
==The original text== | ==The original text== | ||
| − | The play, called a "drame fantastique en trois actes et cinq tableaux", is a dramatization of the French novella ''[[Les Frères Corses]]'' by Alexandre Dumas, père (1802–1870)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Dumas], first published in 1844 by Souverain. The work tells the adventurous story of two conjoined brothers who, though separated at birth, can still feel each other's pains and fears and seek to aid each other. | + | The play, called a "drame fantastique en trois actes et cinq tableaux", is a dramatization of the French novella ''[[Les Frères Corses]]'' by Alexandre Dumas, père (1802–1870)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Dumas], first published in 1844 by Souverain. The work tells the adventurous and melodramatic story of two conjoined brothers who, though separated at birth, can still feel each other's pains and fears and seek to aid each other. First performed at the Théâtre-Historique in Paris on 10 July, 1850. |
==Translations and adaptations== | ==Translations and adaptations== | ||
Translated and adapted into English as '''''[[The Corsican Brothers]]''''' by Dion Boucicault (1820-1890)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dion_Boucicault]. Boucicault's version was written for the actor-manager Charles Kean and it was first performed at the Princess's Theatre on 24 February 1852, directed by Kean, who also played both of the brothers. It went on to become a hugely popular melodrama, much performed in the late 19th century. | Translated and adapted into English as '''''[[The Corsican Brothers]]''''' by Dion Boucicault (1820-1890)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dion_Boucicault]. Boucicault's version was written for the actor-manager Charles Kean and it was first performed at the Princess's Theatre on 24 February 1852, directed by Kean, who also played both of the brothers. It went on to become a hugely popular melodrama, much performed in the late 19th century. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The original French work has also been translated directly by a number of other playwrights, including Frank J. Morlock. | ||
== Performance history in South Africa == | == Performance history in South Africa == | ||
| + | 1858: Performed as ''[[The Corsican Brothers]]'' by [[J.E.H. English]] and his company in the [[Harrington Street Theatre]], Cape Town, on 21 September, with [[J.E.H. English]], [[Mr Beverley]], [[Mr Walter]], [[Mr Dell]], [[Mr Dillon]], [[Mr Welson]], [[Mr Harton]], [[Mr Seaton]], [[Mr Rennox]], [[Mr Loeber]], [[Mr Morly]], [[Mrs Delmaine]], [[Miss Delmaine]] and [[Miss Belmont]]. Remarkably, the role of "Griffo" was billed as being played by "A Domestic". The evening also included a "comic scene in one act" called ''[[A Conjugal Lesson]]'' (Danvers). | ||
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| + | 1858: ''[[The Corsican Brothers]]'' repeated by [[J.E.H. English]] and his company on 1 October, this time with ''[[Othello]]'' (Shakespeare). | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1860: Performed as ''[[The Corsican Brothers]]'' on the Eastern Cape border by the [[Band Amateurs]] of the [[North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot]] on July 9 and 16, with a cast consisting of [[W. Dansie]] (Twin brothers), [[J. C. Wools]] (M. de Chaserd Rensud), [[M. Rafferty]] (M. Alfred Meynard), [[T. Brooker]] (Le Baron de Montgiron), [[J. Mann]] (Gaetano Orlando), [[T. Brooker]] (Marie Colonna), [[T. Patterson]] (Grifio), [[W. Allen]] (Boissee, a Wood cutter), [[T. Patterson]] (A Surgeon), [[J. F. Gay]] (Madame Sevillia dei Franchi), [[J. Grennan]] (Emilie de Lasparre), [[J. Durney]] (Marie, a domestic), [[A. Vogado]] (Estelle, lady of the ballet), [[W. Foster]] (Celestine, lady of the ballet). ''[[The Wandering Minstrel]]'' (Mayhew) was played as the afterpiece, and the evening included [[W. Allen]] on the violin ("in seven different positions") after which [[J. M. M'Kechnie]] sang a comic song, "Solomon Lob". | ||
| + | 1861: Advertised as a play "to be performed" by [[Sefton Parry]] in the [[Cape Argus]] of 1 June, but no record of such a performance by Parry has been found yet. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1875: Acts 1 and 3 of ''[[The Corsican Brothers]]'' performed in the [[Bijou Theatre]], Cape Town, by [[Disney Roebuck]] and company on 19 June, with ''[[The Happy Pair]]'' (Smith) and ''[[Boots at the Swan]]'' (Selby). | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1876: Performed in the [[Athenaeum Hall]], Cape Town, by [[Disney Roebuck]] and company on 26 September, with ''[[Little Don Giovanni]]'' (Byron). | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1876: Performed in the [[Athenaeum Hall]], Cape Town, by [[Disney Roebuck]] and company on 12 October, with ''[[Nemesis, or Not Wisely but Too Well]]'' (Farnie). | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1877: ''[[The Corsican Brothers]]'' performed in the [[Theatre Royal]], Cape Town, by [[Disney Roebuck]] and company on 8 September (apparently a two-act version), with ''[[Lost in London]]'' (Phillips). | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1906 Performed as ''[[The Corsican Brothers]]'' (credited to Dumas/Boucicault) at the [[Opera House]], Cape Town, by the [[Leonard Rayne]] company, with Rayne and [[Joseph Ashman]] playing the two brothers. | ||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
| + | |||
| + | Facsimile version of the French stage text, ''BnF Gallica''[http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5801079m] | ||
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Corsican_Brothers_(play) | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Corsican_Brothers_(play) | ||
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Dumas | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Dumas | ||
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| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Grang%C3%A9 | ||
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dion_Boucicault | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dion_Boucicault | ||
| Line 25: | Line 49: | ||
[[D.C. Boonzaier]]. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in ''SA Review'', 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]] 1980: pp. 374-439.) | [[D.C. Boonzaier]]. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in ''SA Review'', 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]] 1980: pp. 374-439.) | ||
| − | [[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1980. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916''. Pretoria: [[J.L. van Schaik]] | + | [[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1980. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916''. Pretoria: [[J.L. van Schaik]], pp. 105, 121-2, 324, 342-7, 360, 406, 425. |
| + | |||
| + | ''[[North Lincoln Sphinx]]'' Vol 1, No 1. January 1, 1860. | ||
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| + | |||
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]] | Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]] | ||
Latest revision as of 05:20, 18 September 2021
Les Frères Corses ("The Corsican brothers") is a French play in three acts and five tableaux by Eugène Grangé (1810-1887)[1] and Xavier de Montépin (1823–1902)[2]
The name "Montépin" is written "Montépinthe" in some sources.
Contents
The original text
The play, called a "drame fantastique en trois actes et cinq tableaux", is a dramatization of the French novella Les Frères Corses by Alexandre Dumas, père (1802–1870)[3], first published in 1844 by Souverain. The work tells the adventurous and melodramatic story of two conjoined brothers who, though separated at birth, can still feel each other's pains and fears and seek to aid each other. First performed at the Théâtre-Historique in Paris on 10 July, 1850.
Translations and adaptations
Translated and adapted into English as The Corsican Brothers by Dion Boucicault (1820-1890)[4]. Boucicault's version was written for the actor-manager Charles Kean and it was first performed at the Princess's Theatre on 24 February 1852, directed by Kean, who also played both of the brothers. It went on to become a hugely popular melodrama, much performed in the late 19th century.
The original French work has also been translated directly by a number of other playwrights, including Frank J. Morlock.
Performance history in South Africa
1858: Performed as The Corsican Brothers by J.E.H. English and his company in the Harrington Street Theatre, Cape Town, on 21 September, with J.E.H. English, Mr Beverley, Mr Walter, Mr Dell, Mr Dillon, Mr Welson, Mr Harton, Mr Seaton, Mr Rennox, Mr Loeber, Mr Morly, Mrs Delmaine, Miss Delmaine and Miss Belmont. Remarkably, the role of "Griffo" was billed as being played by "A Domestic". The evening also included a "comic scene in one act" called A Conjugal Lesson (Danvers).
1858: The Corsican Brothers repeated by J.E.H. English and his company on 1 October, this time with Othello (Shakespeare).
1860: Performed as The Corsican Brothers on the Eastern Cape border by the Band Amateurs of the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot on July 9 and 16, with a cast consisting of W. Dansie (Twin brothers), J. C. Wools (M. de Chaserd Rensud), M. Rafferty (M. Alfred Meynard), T. Brooker (Le Baron de Montgiron), J. Mann (Gaetano Orlando), T. Brooker (Marie Colonna), T. Patterson (Grifio), W. Allen (Boissee, a Wood cutter), T. Patterson (A Surgeon), J. F. Gay (Madame Sevillia dei Franchi), J. Grennan (Emilie de Lasparre), J. Durney (Marie, a domestic), A. Vogado (Estelle, lady of the ballet), W. Foster (Celestine, lady of the ballet). The Wandering Minstrel (Mayhew) was played as the afterpiece, and the evening included W. Allen on the violin ("in seven different positions") after which J. M. M'Kechnie sang a comic song, "Solomon Lob".
1861: Advertised as a play "to be performed" by Sefton Parry in the Cape Argus of 1 June, but no record of such a performance by Parry has been found yet.
1875: Acts 1 and 3 of The Corsican Brothers performed in the Bijou Theatre, Cape Town, by Disney Roebuck and company on 19 June, with The Happy Pair (Smith) and Boots at the Swan (Selby).
1876: Performed in the Athenaeum Hall, Cape Town, by Disney Roebuck and company on 26 September, with Little Don Giovanni (Byron).
1876: Performed in the Athenaeum Hall, Cape Town, by Disney Roebuck and company on 12 October, with Nemesis, or Not Wisely but Too Well (Farnie).
1877: The Corsican Brothers performed in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, by Disney Roebuck and company on 8 September (apparently a two-act version), with Lost in London (Phillips).
1906 Performed as The Corsican Brothers (credited to Dumas/Boucicault) at the Opera House, Cape Town, by the Leonard Rayne company, with Rayne and Joseph Ashman playing the two brothers.
Sources
Facsimile version of the French stage text, BnF Gallica[5]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Corsican_Brothers_(play)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Corsican_Brothers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Dumas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Grang%C3%A9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dion_Boucicault
D.C. Boonzaier. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)
F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik, pp. 105, 121-2, 324, 342-7, 360, 406, 425.
North Lincoln Sphinx Vol 1, No 1. January 1, 1860.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
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Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays
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