The Post Boy

The Post Boy is a play in two acts by Henry Thornton Craven (1818-1905)[1]

The original text

First performed in the Strand Theatre, London, on 31 October, 1860. Published by Thomas Hailes Lacy, 1861, also No 59 of De Witt's Acting Plays.

Performance history in South Africa

1861: Performed by Sefton Parry and his company in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, on 26, 27 and 29 August, with Robinson Crusoe or The King of the Carribee Islands (possibly a burlesque version of Byron's pantomime, Robinson Crusoe, or Harlequin Friday and the King of the Caribee Islands!).

November 28, 1861: Performed as a double-feature by Sefton Parry and his company in the premises of the Port Elizabeth Boating Company in Commerce Street, Port Elizabeth, with the celebrated farce, The Bonnie Fishwife. The populace recognised the need for a proper theatre and funds were collected for the “New Theatre”. Reserved seats cost £3, Family Tickets for four people cost £10/10/0, Stalls cost 5s and Amphitheatre, 3s. Tickets were available at Wasley's Hotel and the Eastern Province Herald offices.

Sources

Facsimile version of the 1861 edition by Lacy, Google E-book[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Thornton_Craven F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.98-9, 108

Undated 1861 clipping from the Eastern Province Herald.

Port Elizabeth, A Social Chronicle to the end of 1945 by Margaret Harradine.

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