Florodora

Florodora is a musical comedy with a book by Owen Hall (1853-1907)[1], lyrics by Edward Boyd-Jones and Paul Rubens (1875-1917)[2] and music by Leslie Stuart (1866-1928)[3].

The original text

Florodora opened on 11 November 1899 at the Lyric Theatre, London and ran for 455 performances. The New York production at the Casino Theatre on Broadway opened in 1900 and ran for 552 performances. The piece went on to be produced throughout the English-speaking world and beyond, and would remain popular - especially with amateur theatre groups, into the 1950s.

Published London : Francis, Day & Hunter, c1899.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1901: Performed at the Good Hope Theatre under the auspices of the Wheeler Brothers, as part of a season of Gaiety musical comedy and light opera by a cast that included Mabel Nelson, Harold Thorley and Mr Danby.

1902: Performed once again at the Good Hope Theatre by the Wheeler Comedy Company, as part of its new season of Gaiety musical comedy and light opera.

1904: Performed at the Good Hope Theatre with a new ensemble brought together by the Wheeler Brothers, opening on 18 July. The cast included Myles Clifton, Arthur Grover, Victor Gouriet, Norah Brocklebank, Gertie Lester and Maud Marsland.

Sources

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

https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/101977500

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.409, 412, 420-1.

Go to ESAT Bibliography