Robert, Chef de Brigands

Robert, Chef de Brigands is a French play in five acts by Jean-Henri-Ferdinand Lamartélière (1761-1830)

The original text

Lamartelière's play was based on Schiller's five act German play, Die Räuber. The French version was published as a "drame en cinq actes, en prose, imité de l'allemand, par le citoyen La Martelière" in Maradan (Paris) by Barba in 1793. Performed in Paris.

Another French translation of the Schiller work, by Augustin François Creuzé de Lesser, was entitled Les Voleurs and printed in 1795.

In 1803 a novelization of the French play was done by J.A. Gardy, entitled , Robert de Moldar, Chef de Brigands ou L’mystère d’iniquité. Published in 1803.[1])

Translations and adaptations

Lamartelière's French text was translated into Dutch translation by Pieter Gerardus Witsen Geysbeek, and called Robert, of De Struikrovers (or on some occasions, e.g. by F.C.L. Bosman, written Robert, of De Struikroovers). Printed in Amsterdam in 1796, performed in 1797 in the Amsteldamschen Schouwburg.

Performance history in South Africa

1809: The Lamartélière French version was adapted for production by Charles Etienne Boniface and performed as Robert, Chef de Brigands by Tot Nut en Vermaak in French on 24 April, in the African Theatre, along with Le Tonnelier (Audinot). Repeated on 3 June 1809, but the play now listed as "by C. Boniface".

1831: Performed by Tot Nut en Vermaak in Cape Town on 28 May in Dutch (as Robert, of De Struikroovers, translated by Geysbeek), with De Kalkoen van Breda (Van Ray).

1832: Performed by Tot Nut en Vermaak in Cape Town on 16 June in Dutch (as Robert, of De Struikroovers, translated by Geysbeek), with De Gevaarlyke Buurman (Von Kotzebue).

1847: Performed in Dutch as Robert, of De Struikroovers by the combined company, Het Privaat Hollandsch Tooneellievend Gezelschap playing under the combined motto Tot Nut en Vermaak en Door Yver Vruchtbaar, in the Hope Street Theatre, Cape Town on 8 June, with as afterpiece De Gevaarlyke Buurman (Von Kotzebue).