Used Up, or The Peer and the Ploughboy

Used Up, or The Peer and the Ploughboy is a "petite comedy" in two acts by Dion Boucicault (1820-1890)[1].

Also referred to simply as Used Up.

The original text

The original French version

Used Up is an English translation and adaptation of the French play L'Homme Blasé by F.A. Duvert and Augustin-Théodore de Lauzanne de Vauxroussel, first performed in Paris at the on 18 November 1843, and published by Lelong, 1843.

The Boucicault and Mathews English version

The English version was originally performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket by Charles Mathews, Tuesday, February 6th, 1844.

Originally published in London in Dicks' Standard Plays, 1844 as a work by Dion Boucicault, but apparently Charles Mathews had influenced the play during production, and also helped with the translation and the title, and later claimed part authorship. Indeed a later version (London & New York: S. French & Son, n.d.[2] ) states emphatically: "Rather, Adapted by D. Bourcicault [sic] and Charles J. Mathews from L'Homme Blasé of F.A. Duvert and A.T. de Lauzanne de Vauxroussel."

Performance history in South Africa

1855: Performed on Wednesday 13 June in a Drawing Room Theatre which he had constructed in the Commercial Rooms in Cape Town. It was Sefton Parry's first production at Cape Town, in which he and his wife played the leads, helped by members of the Garrison Players. Performed under the full title of Used Up, or The Peer and the Ploughboy, it was accompanied by a musical interlude and the musical farce Family Jars (Lunn) as afterpiece.

1855: Repeated for a benefit performance announced for J.R. Taylor, along with Monsieur Jacques (Barnett) (Originally announced for Monday 9 July , but postponed to make way for the patriotic Fund production. Possibly done 14 July.)