The Old Maid

A comedy in two acts by Arthur Murphy (1727 – 1805)[1].

The original text

According to Murphy's own "Advertissement" in his published edition, the play was based on the one-act French play, L'Etourderie by "Monsieur Fagan" (Christophe-Barthélemy Fagan), first performed in Paris by Les Comédiens François ordinaires du Roi on 18 July, 1737. Published in Vienna by Jean Pierre van Ghelen in 1754 (the author given as "Fagand") and in Paris by Duchenne in 1760 and 1761.

The English version first performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1761, and printed in London by P. Vaillant in the same year.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1807: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 9 July, 1807, with The Rivals (Sheridan) and an epilogue written an spoken by Captain Collins.

1807: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 8 August, 1807, as afterpiece to The Beaux' Stratagem (Farquhar), with an interlude written by Captain Frazer and spoken by Mr Napier in the role of "Cherry", and an Epilogue written and spoken by Captain Frazer as "Mrs Sullen".

1808: Performed in the African Theatre, Cape Town by the Garrison Players on 3 June, 1808, with The Lying Valet (Garrick) and and occasional comic songs, as a benefit for the Widows and Orphans of the Royal Artillery and Engineers. and an epilogue written an spoken by Captain Collins. Rather uniquely Bosman (1928, p75) however, quotes the names of the plays from the bilingual newspaper The Cape Town gazette and African advertiser = Kaapsche Stads courant en Afrikaansche berigter in Dutch ( as De Oude Meid [sic!], and De Liegende Knegt) - but they were clearly performed in the original English.

1939: Produced in about this year by Leontine Sagan with speech-training students in the Little Theatre, starring John Caro, among others.