Lovers' Quarrels, or Like Master Like Man

A farce in one act, attributed to Thomas King (1730-1805)[1], though often also credited to Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726)[2].

The original text

The King version was an adaptation of Vanbrugh's play The Mistake. The King version first performed as a benefit for King on 2 February 1790 at the Theatres-Royal, Drury-Lane and Covent-Garden.

Allardyce Nicoll (2009) also mentions two other adaptations under the same title, one by "D.L." (1816) and one by "Vic." (1864).

Published as "Lovers' Quarrels, or Like Master Like Man: an Interlude in One Act, Altered from The Mistake of Sir J.V. by T. King", inter alia by J. Roach, 1806.

Performance history in South Africa

1824: Performed on 1 June in Cape Town by the Amateur Company in The Cape Theatre, with The Heir at Law (Colman Jr). According to Bosman (1928), this was the Thomas King version.

1830: Played on 14 August by the All the World's a Stage in the African Theatre, as afterpiece to The Flying Dutchman, or the Phantom Ship (Fitzball).

1832: Performed on 20 October in Cape Town by the All the World's a Stage in The Cape Theatre, with The Slave, or The Revolt of Surinam (Morton). According to Bosman (1928), this was the Thomas King version.