The Heir at Law

The Heir at Law is a popular English comedy in five acts by George Colman the Younger (1762 – 1836)[1].

The original text

Opened at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in London on 15 July 1797 and for the next two decades played everywhere and frequently. Published 1808(?*) First performed in the United States at the Park Theatre in New York in April 1799.

Productions in South Africa

1811: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 10 July, with The Citizen (Murphy).

1813: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 28 August, with The Mayor of Garratt (Foote).

1816: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 14 September, with Silvester Daggerwood (Colman Jr).

1823: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players (now billed as the Amateur Company) on 27 May, "with the original epilogue" and The Village Lawyer (Macready)

1824: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Amateur Company on 1 June, "with the original epilogue" and Lovers' Quarrels (King)

1826: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town on 16 August by the Garrison Amateur Company, along with Love, Law and Physic as afterpiece. The performers were: Sgt Corbishley, Mr Sandford, H. Hanson, Mr Hanson, Mr Goodwin, Mr Kelly, Mr Walker, Dr Fitzgerald Mrs Johnson, Mrs O'Brien and Mrs Black.

1834: Performed in the Barracks Theatre, Cape Town on 10 September by the Garrison Amateurs, along with Comfortable Lodgings (Peake).

1878: Performed (as The Heir-at-Law) in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town on 21 June by Disney Roebuck and his company, along with a song by Miss Wynne and Whitebait at Greenwich (Morton).