Bombastes Furioso

Subtitled A Burlesque Tragic Opera, this piece was written in 1810 by William Barnes Rhodes (sometimes credited as Thomas Barnes Rhodes). The first authorized printed edition was published in 1822. It is a drama with comic songs, that satirizes the bombastic style of other tragedies that were in fashion at the time. It was very popular throughout the 19th century

Performed in South Africa as an afterpiece by the Gentlemen Amateurs, in association with Mr Cooke and his company of performers from the Theatre Royal, Liverpool in the African Theatre in Cape Town, on Saturday, 28th March 1818, four years before its publication.