The Camp at Chobham

The Camp at Chobham is a farce in one act by Mark Lemon (1809-1870)

The original text

A farce ridiculing anti-war groups at the start of the Crimean War, it was first performed at the Theatre Royal, Adelphi, on Thursday, June 30th, 1853. Published in Volume 192 of Webster's Acting series of National Drama

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1860: Performed on the Eastern Cape border by the Sergeants of the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot on 8 October. Special backdrops were painted for the play "Sunset on the Chenaub River near Wuzeerabad, Punjaub, India," from an original sketch by Captain H. Henderson "The Marine Parade" by Captain H. Henderson, "King's Mead Fields" by Captain J. E. Whaite, and "Mrs Malaprop's Lodging" by Private F. Beikempe. Cast: Sergeant-major T. H. Smith (Captain Damer), Corporal G. Brown (Captain Rossly), Sergeant J. Lydon (Mr Cadbury), Sergeant T. Coughlin (First Sapper), Sergeant J. Chester (Second Sapper), Sergeant J. Murray (Jones), Sergeant H. Davies (Rooster), and Lance Corporal J. Davies (Fanny). This was preceded by The Rivals (Sheridan), performed by the Officers of the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot, and the Regimental Band performed the overture to Rossini's opera of Guillaume Tell. (See the entry on the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot for contemporaneous commentary on the performance.)

1860: There was a repeat performance of The Camp at Chobham and The Rivals by the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot on 12 October, with the same cast in both cases. The Regimental Band, however, played the overture from Auber's opera Masaniello in this instance.

1860: There was a repeat performance of The Camp at Chobham by the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot on 15 October, this time as afterpiece to Macbeth, by the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot, once again with the same cast.