Our Boys

Our Boys is a comedy in three acts drama in three acts by Henry James Byron (1835–1884)[1].

The original text

First performed on 16 January 1875 at the Vaudeville Theatre, London and at the New Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York, on 18 September, 1875. For almost 20 years it was the world's longest-running play, only surpassed by Charley's Aunt in the 1890s. Published by T.H. Lacy and Samuel French.

Performance history in South Africa

The popular comedy was well received when first performed in South Africa in 1877 by of Disney Roebuck and company, and according to Vane Bennett (1885, p.24), would become a "sure card in the managerial hand" in that period.

1877: Performed by the Disney Roebuck company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town on 15 to 17 October.

1877: Performed by the Disney Roebuck company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town on 18 and 19 October, with Awakening (Dandeau & Cecourcelle/Clarke).

1877: Performed by the Disney Roebuck company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town on 20 October, with Ben Bolt (Johnstone), as a benefit for E.V. Sinclair and Mrs Sinclair.

1878: Performed again by the Disney Roebuck company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, playing from 8 to 13 February, the last performance taking place under the patronage of Colonel Richard George Southey CB CMG (1844–1909)[2] and the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Volunteers[3].

1878: Performed again by the Disney Roebuck company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, playing from 27 March, with the orchestra of the Connaught Rangers and followed by a ballet. The evening under the patronage of the Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony, Sir A. Cunynghame[4] and his wife.

1878: Performed by the Disney Roebuck company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, on 4 July, with as The Captain's Not-A-Miss (Wilks).

1878: Performed by Disney Roebuck and his company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, on 5 July, with Poppleton's Predicaments (Rae).

1884-5: Performed by the Henry Harper Company in the new Theatre Royal, Cape Town, as part of Henry Harper's first season as lessee and manager of the venue.

April 1,2 and 4, 1895. Staged in the Port Elizabeth Opera House by the Port Elizabeth Amateur Dramatic Club under the direction of Henry Sims. Starring Mrs Bigg as Clarissa Champneys, Miss Leslie, Effie Stewart as Cousin Mary, Kathleen Edwards as Belinda, Mr Mieville as Sir Geoffrey Champneys, Henry Sims as Talbot, Hamilton Lane as Charles Middlewick, and Mr Val Davies as the butterman.

February 1901: Staged in the Port Elizabeth Opera House, by the Joseph Ashman Company by arrangement with Leonard Rayne.

Sources

Eastern Province Herald. April 1, 1895.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Boys

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_James_Byron

The Port Elizabeth Advertiser, Port Elizabeth, February 5, 1901.

Jim Davis (ed). 1984. Plays by H. J. Byron CUP Archive[5]

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 353, 361, 365-6, 370, 379, 380, 400.

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