Difference between revisions of "Babes in the Wood"
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== Performance history in South Africa == | == Performance history in South Africa == | ||
| − | 1859: Performed as ''[[The Babes in the Wood, or Harlequin and the | + | 1859: Performed as ''[[The Babes in the Wood, or Harlequin and the Cruel Uncle!]]'' by the [[Sefton Parry]] company on 27 in the [[Cape Town Theatre]], with an additional performance on 28 December at the request of the Governor. Billed by producer [[Sefton Parry|Parry]] as "The First Christmas Pantomime in South Africa", though there is some doubt about this. It was preceded by a performance of ''[[The Rough Diamond]]'' (Buckstone) |
Revision as of 09:32, 22 March 2018
Babes in the Wood is a generic title used for a number of works based on the tale of two children, abandoned deep in the forest upon the orders of their Wicked Uncle.
Many versions have alternative titles or subsidiary titles.
Contents
The original text
Based on an old English Ballad (preserved in the British Museum) printed by Thomas Millington in Norwich in 1595, it has been reworked in many forms and frequently appears attributed as a Mother Goose rhyme. The anonymous ballad was illustrated by Randolph Caldecott in a book published in 1879.
The expression a "babe in the wood" to refer to a naïve person derives from this tale.
Translations and adaptations
First presented on the stage in 1793 as an opera by Samuel Arnold called The Children In The Wood, performed at the Haymarket Theatre. In 1812 an operatic Burletta was done at the Surrey Theatre.
In 1827 the first pantomime version - called Harlequin and Cock Robin, or The Babes In The Wood was performed at the Drury Lane Theatre, London. This was done once more at the Haymarket Theatre, in 1856.
In 1867 the character of Robin Hood was introduced to the story, as the savior of the children.
Since then there have been a myriad of versions and approachesto the basic story, often adapted and reworked by the writers, directors and casts involved in a particular production. (See for example the It's Behind You website at http://www.its-behind-you.com/storybabesinthewood.html.)
Performance history in South Africa
1859: Performed as The Babes in the Wood, or Harlequin and the Cruel Uncle! by the Sefton Parry company on 27 in the Cape Town Theatre, with an additional performance on 28 December at the request of the Governor. Billed by producer Parry as "The First Christmas Pantomime in South Africa", though there is some doubt about this. It was preceded by a performance of The Rough Diamond (Buckstone)
1999: Performed as Babes in the Wood at the Barney Simon Theatre (Market Theatre), 17 November 1998 to January 1999, directed by Charmaine Weir-Smith. Called an "adult pantomime".
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babes_in_the_Wood
http://www.its-behind-you.com/storybabesinthewood.html
F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 78,
Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg: p. 88
William Groom. 1899-1900. Drama in Cape Town. Cape Illustrated Magazine, 10(4): 478-481, 517-520, 547-552, 580-584, 640-643, 670-672, 706-708.
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