Le Médecin Malgré Lui ("The doctor in spite of himself") is a comedy by Molière (1622–1673)[1].

The original French play

Written in 1666 and first performed at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal on 6th August, 1666 by La Troupe du Roi and published as a manuscript in early 1667.

Translations and adaptations

The Mock Doctor by Henry Fielding (English)

Loosely adapted into English by Henry Fielding (1707-1754)[2] as The Mock Doctor, or The Dumb Lady Cur'd. First produced on 23 June 1732 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Often referred to simply as The Mock Doctor

The Irish Doctor, or The Dumb Lady Cured by George Wood (English)

Altered from Fielding's translation, it was first performed in the Queen's Theatre, London, on November 19th, 1844, and published by J.Dicks, London.

Le Médecin Malgré Lui by Charles Gounod (French opera)

In 1858 turned into an opéra comique in three acts, entitled Le Médecin Malgré Lui, by Charles Gounod, to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré after Molière's play.

Der Wunderarzt by Heinrich Zschokke (German)

Translated into German as Der Wunderarzt by Heinrich Zschokke, published in 1805.

De Wonder Docter, of Le Médecin Malgré Lui by van Estveldt Holtrop (Dutch)

Translated into Dutch a number of times, under various titles but the most prominent in South Africa in the 19th century was De Wonder Docter, a translation from the German version by Zschokke, by J.S. van Estveldt Holtrop and published by H. Gartman, Amsterdam, 1806.

The name of the play is also written in various other forms in Bosman (both in the 1928 book and the one of 1980), e.g. as De Wonder Doctor, De Wonderdocter, De Wonder Docter, of Le Médecin Malgré Lui, De Wonderdocter, of De Zevende Zoon or De Wonderdocter, of De Zevende Zoon. Whether this was the way it appeared in Bosman's sources, and/or if this was sloppiness by Boniface (or the companies performing the work), or by Bosman himself, is uncertain.

Dutch adaptations of Le Médecin Malgré Lui and L'Amour Médecin

Jantje Puk, of Den Doctor tegen Wil en Dank is a text by an anonymous author, possibly a local variation on the text of Fielebout, of de Dokter tegen Dank (1780) or otherwise related to Molière's work. It is apparently only mentioned by F.C.L. Bosman, 1928: p. 340, as a performance in 1838 (see performances below).

Dokter teen Wil en Dank by Uys Krige (Afrikaans)

Translated and adapted into Afrikaans as Dokter teen Wil en Dank (or Dokter teen-wil-en-dank) by Uys Krige in 1966, to mark the play's tricentenary. Uys Krige's translation was published by J.L. van Schaik in 1971 and was awarded the Akademieprys ("Academy prize") for translated work in 1972.

Performance history in South Africa

1804: Performed in the original French by Het Fransche Liefhebbery Geselschap ("The French Amateur Company"), led by Charles Mathurin Villet. Also played was Le(s) trois Africaines (possibly Les Nègres by Louis-Edme Billardon de Sauvigny). The performances took place in the African Theatre on 23 June 1804. (The play's title was apparently spelled as Le Médecin Malgré-lui and cited as "by J.B.P. de Molière" in F.C.L. Bosman's source.)

1809: Performed by the Officers of the Garrison on Saturday 29 April, 1809 in the African Theatre, along with Katharine and Petruchio (Shakespeare). (The titles are given in free Dutch translation as De Bespotlyke Docter and Katharina en Petruchio in the Kaapsche Courant en Afrikaansche Berigter, as quoted by F.C.L. Bosman, 1928: p.78)[3].

1811: Performed as The Mock Doctor, or The Dumb Lady Cur'd in Cape Town on Saturday 17 August by the Garrison Players in the African Theatre, as afterpiece to The Rivals (Sheridan), under the "directorship" of Lt Col Dennis and Lt Prescott.

1815: Performed as The Mock Doctor in Cape Town on Saturday 18 November by the Garrison Players in the African Theatre, with as afterpiece Raising the Wind (Kenney).

1818: Performed as The Mock Doctor in Cape Town on Saturday 25 July by the Garrison Players, with the assistance of Mr Cooke and his professional company, in the African Theatre, as afterpiece to The Wandering Boys (Pixérecourt).

1823: Performed as The Mock Doctor by the English Theatricals company in the African Theatre Cape Town on 15 November 1823, as afterpiece to Rob Roy Macgregor Campbell (Scott/Pocock).

1834: Produced by Vlyt en Kunst as De Wonderdoctor in the Liefhebbery Toneel - Amateur Theatre, Cape Town on 24 May, as an afterpiece to Robert Maxwell, of De Offerdood (Kotzebue), with De Gekwetste Reputatie, of Het Komedielootje (Boniface) as interlude.

1836: Produced as De Wonder Doctor on 4 June in Stellenbosch by Door Yver Vruchtbaar, as afterpiece to De Ring (Schröder).

1838: A play called Jantje Puk, of Den Doctor tegen Wil en Dank produced in Cape Town by members of the Dutch amateur company Vlyt en Kunst in the Kaapschen Schouwburg in August, with De Jood en de Christen, of de Gevolge der Lichtzinnigheid (A bowdlerized Dutch version of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice).

1843: Produced by Door Yver Vruchtbaar as De Wonder Docter, of Le Médecin Malgré Lui in Cape Town on Tuesday 21 November, as an afterpiece to Robert Maxwell, of De Offerdood (Kotzebue)

1862. Produced in Wood's one-act English version as The Irish Doctor, or The Dumb Lady Cured in the Eastern Cape village of Keiskama Hoek's Garrison Theatre by the Band Amateurs (North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot) on June 19 featuring J. M'Kechnie (Sir Ralph Credulous), J. F. Gay (Walter Lovewell), F. Girton (Dr Fiantie), W. Dansie (Denis Murphy, a broom-maker), T. Paterson (Squire Robert), B. Sheeran (Dick), F. Doherty (Simon, servant to Sir Ralph), T. Manion (Dick, servant to Sir Ralph), J. Davies (Laura Credulous), J. Durney (Peggy, her maid), T. Smith (Bridget, wife of Denis). Also produced was Robert Macaire, or The Two Murderers of Lyons (Selby)

1880: Performed in Dutch as De Wonder Docter, of De Zevende Zoon at the Odd Fellows’ Hall, Cape Town, as De Wraak eens Vaders by De Eendracht, with Henry Burton - De Vader Moorder (Anon.).

1966: First performed in Afrikaans as Dokter teen Wil en Dank by PACT in 1966, directed by Francois Swart.

1970: Performed in Afrikaans as Dokter teen Wil en Dank, by CAPAB in 1970, directed by Brian Astbury, with Jannie Gildenhuys and Pieter Joubert.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moli%C3%A8re

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_M%C3%A9decin_malgr%C3%A9_lui

http://www.site-moliere.com/pieces/medecin.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_m%C3%A9decin_malgr%C3%A9_lui_(opera)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mock_Doctor

Facsimile version of Der Wunderartz, Google E-Book[4]

Facsimile version of Klaos Pompernikel; of, Den doktor tegen wil en dank, Google E-Book[5]

Facsimile version of Fielebout of de Dokter tegen Dank, Google E-Book[6]

F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [7]: pp. 78, 90, 110, 142, 148, 154, 197,255, 339-340, and 444

Go to ESAT Bibliography