Der Bibliothekar

Der Bibliothekar ("The librarian") is a German comedy by Gustav von Moser (1825-1903) .

The original text

Translations and adaptations

The play was translated into English and adapted by Charles Hawtrey and re-titled as The Private Secretary. The English play originally had five acts, but was soon reduced to three acts and became very successful, running at the Cambridge Royal Theatre in 1883 before being brought to London in 1884, and playing there until 1886. Hawtrey himself revived the play twice, in 1892 at the Comedy Theatre, and in 1895 at the Avenue Theatre.

Performance history in South Africa

1892: Performed in the Vaudeville Theatre, Cape Town, by the visiting Emilie Bevan Comedy Company as part of a three-and-a-half month season of 20 plays which began on 8 August.

1929: Presented in English as by the Kokstad Amateur Dramatic Society, produced by S.J. Halford, with A.L. Moon, Douglas Halford, Eric Haird, Tom Christie, Mrs T. Scott Warren, Maud Sandwich, Gertrude Wallace. Scenery imported from Messrs Samuel French from London, adapted for local requirements by Joe Cuthbert.

1958: A production at the Little Theatre, Cape Town, was directed by Gordon Roberts.

Sources

Wikipedia [1].

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.394-5

Footlights 1(5):12, 1929.

Inskip, Donald P., 1972.

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