Montoni, ou Le Chateau d'Udolphe

Montoni, ou Le Chateau d'Udolphe is a French melodrama in 5 acts by Alexandre Duval (1767-1842)[1].

The original text

It is one of a number of Frecnh plays based on Mrs Ann Radcliffe's immensely popular 18th century gothic novel The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794)[2].

Duval's version was first performed at the Théatre de S.M. l'Impératrice, on 29 July 1813 and published in Paris by Fages in the same year.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Dutch as Montoni, of Het Kasteel van Udolpho by A Bruggemans and published in 1800.

The best known English stage version is The Mysteries of Udolpho, or The Phantom of the Castle, a drama in five acts by John Baylis, apparently based on a French version, most probably also Duval's. This was never performed in its time, but published in 1804.

Performance history in South Africa

1819: First performed in Dutch by Het Hollandsch Toneellievend Gezelschap (Men doet wat men kan) in the African Theatre, Cape Town, on 10 July 1819. Repeated on 25 September 1819

1836 Performed in Dutch by Vlyt en Kunst in the African Theatre on 10 September 1836, alongside the afterpiece Nognetzoo (Boniface), a one-act comedy called Het Fancy Bal!!!, and, as an interlude, a "zeer prachtig Transparant" ("a very beautiful transparency" (as cited by Bosman) by Den Heer Poortemans. Music provided by the musical group De Vriendschap