Nance Oldfield

Nance Oldfield is a one-act play by "M.A." (Mildred Aldrich, 1853-1928).

The original text

Based on the story "Art: a dramatic tale" by Charles Reade (1814-1884), Aldrich's play was first performed in 1891 by Ellen Terry, who had purchased the rights. The play is often accredited to Charles Reade rather than Aldrich, particularly by Terry.

Published in the series Baker's edition of plays by W. H. Baker & co., Boston, in 1894, crediting "M.A." as the author, and stating that it had been .

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1891-2: Performed by the Geneviève Ward Company during a nine months' tour of South Africa, under the auspices of Luscombe Searelle, featuring Geneviève Ward and W.H. Vernon in the leading roles.

Sources

Facsimile version of the 1894 edition of the text by Baker, Hathi Trust Digital Library [1]

Allardyce Nicoll. 1975. A History of English Drama 1660-1900 (Volume 5, Late Nineteenth Century) Cambridge University Press:p.396 [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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