Don Juan, or The Libertine Destroyed

Don Juan, or The Libertine Destroyed is a grand pantomimical ballet, in two parts, by Carlo Antonio Delpini (??-1828)[1]. (Title also found as Don Juan, or the Libertine Destroy'd.)

The original text

Founded on The Libertine a tragedy written by Thomas Shadwell (1642 –1692)[2] in 1676 (published by Henry Herringman in the same year). The pantomimic version was first performed at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane, on Tuesday, the 26th. of October, 1790, "with songs, duets and choruses by Mr Reeve and music by Mr Gluck".

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1814: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town as a "grand ballet" (attributed to Thomas Shadwell) on 16 April by Mr Cuerton's company, in association with the Garrison Players, followed by a pantomime called Three Witches, or Harlequin Reanimated.

1814: Repeated by Mr Cuerton's company on 13 August with a Pantomime Farce featuring Mr Arnot as "Harlequin" and Mr Cuerton as "Clown".

1860: A performance of a pantomime of Don Juan formed part of the repertoire of the M'Collum's Circus, which played to acclaim in Cape Town for five months. Bosman (1980: p.140) suggests this may be a version based on Shadwell's play The Libertine.)