The French Company
A general English name given to an amateur theatrical company known as Het Fransche Liefhebbery Geselschap in Dutch.
Het Fransche Liefhebbery Geselschap (also referred to as Een Fransch Gezelschap van Liefhebbers van het Theater in some instances, or simply The French Company in English) was an amateur company active in Cape Town in the Batavian period, (1803-1806). Performing in the African Theatre with the motto Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense (which they never used as a name however), it was run by French and Dutch citizens. In the earlier period (1803-1805) it appears to have been run by Charles Mathurin Villet, with Mr Delémery (possibly a passing professional actor on his way to Mauritius) as a leading figure from 1805 onwards. Later the names of Nelson and Martin are given as directors.
The group performed a large number of French plays in the original language, including:
In 1803: Les Prisonniers de Guerre (Rousseau), Arlequin Afficheur (Desfontaines and Barré), Les Deux Jumeaux de Bergame (De Florian), Le Revanche Forceé, Toinon et Tounette (Desboulmiers), Le Tableau Parlant (Anseaume), Le Tonnellier (Audinot), Pygmalion (Rousseau), Le Directeur de la Comedie
Later Nelson and Martin are given as directors.
They performed a large number of French plays in the original language, including .
This particular French company declined after 1806 and had apparently died out by the end of 1809.
In 1814 French theatre would be briefly revived once more under the guidance of C.E. Boniface and his multilingual company Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense.
Sources
Bosman, 1928: pp 83-92; 116-7; .
Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography
Return to
Return to South African Theatre Venues, Companies, Societies, etc
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
