L'Homme Blasé

L'Homme Blasé is a "comédie-vaudeville" in two acts by Félix-Auguste Duvert (1795-1876)[1] and Augustin-Théodore de Lauzanne de Vauxroussel (1805-1877)[2],

The original French version

First performed in Paris at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris on 18 November 1843, and published by Lelong, 1843.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into English and adapted as is a "petite comedy" in two acts called Used Up, or The Peer and the Ploughboy by Dion Boucicault (1820-1890)[3]. (Also referred to simply as Used Up.)

The English version was originally performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket by Charles James Mathews, Tuesday, February 6th, 1844.

Originally published in London in Dicks' Standard Plays, 1844 as a work by Dion Boucicault, but apparently Mathews had influenced the play during production, and also helped with the translation and the title, and later claimed part authorship. Indeed a later version (London & New York: S. French & Son, n.d.[4] ) states emphatically: "Rather, Adapted by D. Bourcicault [sic] and Charles J. Mathews from L'Homme Blasé of F.A. Duvert and A.T. de Lauzanne de Vauxroussel."

Performance history in South Africa

1855: Performed in English under the full title of Used Up, or The Peer and the Ploughboy on Wednesday 13 June in a Drawing Room Theatre which he had constructed in the Commercial Rooms in Cape Town. It was Sefton Parry's first production at Cape Town, in which he and his wife played the leads, helped by members of the Garrison Players. It was accompanied by a musical interlude and the musical farce Family Jars (Lunn) as afterpiece.

1855: Repeated for a benefit performance announced for J.R. Taylor, along with Monsieur Jacques (Barnett) (Originally announced for Monday 9 July , but postponed to make way for the patriotic Fund production. Possibly done 14 July.)

1860: Performed on 22 June in the Cape Town Theatre, Cape Town, by the Sefton Parry company, with a dance by Miss Powell and The Cross of Gold, or The Orphan's Vow (Anon.).

1868: Performed as Used Up on 22 July in the Cape Town Theatre, Cape Town, by the Sefton Parry company, Robert Macaire, or Les Auberges des Adrits (Selby).

1864: Performed as Used Up by the Garrison Players (the 2nd Batallion of the 10th Regiment) in the Garrison Theatre on the 5 October, with The Irish Tutor (Glengall).

1874: Performed as in the Bijou Theatre, Cape Town by Captain Disney Roebuck's company on 4 February, with Little Toddlekins (Mathews).

Sources

Facsimile version of the text of L'homme Blasé, Google E-Book[5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9lix-Auguste_Duvert

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustin-Th%C3%A9odore_de_Lauzanne_de_Vauroussel

Peter Thompson: Introduction to Plays by Dion Boucicault[6]

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

Google Books "Used Up" (London & New York: S. French & Son, n.d.)[7]

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, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [8]: pp. 428, 431.

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.70, 74, 80, 256, 311

Facsimile version of the text of L'homme Blasé, Google E-Book[9]

Go to ESAT Bibliography