Three and the Deuce

A Comic Drama in Three Acts by Prince Hoare (1755-1834), with music by Stephen Storace (1762-1796). (Storace is credited as main author in some references) MATTIUZZI (Collalto, Matteucci, Collalto Matteucci, Mattiucy Collalto), Antonio. I tre gemelli veneziani by Antonio Collalto Matiuzz i (1717?-1778), translated into French by P.-A. Lefèvre de Marcouville as Les trois jumeaux vénitiens and published in Paris 1777, also in 1792. Also performed in Spanish as "Los tres mellizos," performed in Madrid.

The original text

According to the published text the plot taken from the French comedy "Les trois jumeaux vénitiens" by Antonio Collalto Matiuzz i (1717?-1778) and the Spanish comedy "Los tres mellizos," performed in Madrid. In actual fact they are all basically the same play – originally written in Italian as I tre gemelli veneziani by Matiuzzi when he was at the Theatre Italien in Paris (1775-1778?). It was in its turn an adaptation of Goldoni’s play I due gemelli veneziani.) Matiuzz i’s original was translated into French by P.-A. Lefèvre de Marcouville as Les trois jumeaux vénitiens and performed and published in Paris 1777, also in 1792. Apparently translated into Spanish by an unknown author, as "Los tres mellizos," and performed in Madrid under that title. A Dutch version of I tre gemelli veneziani was published in Utrecht in 1799.

First Performed in English at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, 1795. Revived in 1805 and played at the Theatres Royal Haymarket and Drury Lane. Published by Barker and Son, 1806.

Performance history in South Africa

1823: A copy of the English text was sought by the Garrison Players in Cape Town . Bosman (1928) has no record of a public performance by them though.