Kathleen Mavourneen

Kathleen Mavourneen is the name given to a number of dramatic works, all deriving from Kathleen Mavourneen, a sentimental song written in 1837, composed by Frederick Crouch with lyrics by a Mrs. Crawford.

Among the works are several silent films, the first produced in 1906 starring Kitty O'Neil, Walter Griswoll and H.L. Bascomb. Other such silent films were produced in 1911, 1913 and 1919, the last of these starring Theda Bara. Two sound films with this title were produced, in 1930 and 1937.[] For more on the song and its influence, see the Wikipedia entry on Kathleen Mavourneen at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Mavourneen.

Discussed here are dramatic works produced in South Africa

Kathleen Mavourneen, or St Patrick's Eve by William Travers (1862)

The original text

Kathleen Mavourneen, or St Patrick's Eve is a drama in three acts by William Travers (c.1824-1880)[], first produced in 1862 at the Pavillion Theatre, to bad reviews. A review of a subsequent performance at the Royal Theatre, Scarborough, called it "a wretchedly bad copy of The Colleen Bawn and Peep o'Day combined" (The Era, 27 November, 1864[1])

Performance history in South Africa

1876: Performed as Kathleen Mavourneen by Disney Roebuck and his company in the Athenaeum Hall, Cape Town, on 22 April, with Black Ey'd Susan (Burnand).

1876: Performed as Kathleen Mavourneen by Disney Roebuck and his company in the Athenaeum Hall, Cape Town, on 23 May, with two poems (The Raven by E.A. Poe and Shamus O'Brien by J.S. Le Fanu) recited by Mr Fairclough, a song by Miss E. Seyton and a dance by Miss Duggan.

Sources

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

Janet Murphy and Eileen Chamberlain The Poor Man's Daughter, A Return to The Colleen Bawn, Lulu.com[2]

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 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.203-205

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