Defiance et Malice, ou Le Prete Rendu

Defiance et Malice, ou Le Prete Rendu is a one act French comedy in verse, by Michel Dieulafoy (1762-1823)[1].

Also found simply as Defiance et Malice.

The original text

A play about two lovers who disguise themselves to test each other's affections, first published in Paris by Barba in "An X" (i.e.1802). , 1-act comedy in verse, premiered at the Théâtre Français de la République 17 fructidor an IX [fr]. This comedy with only two characters was met with much success. Originally performed by Saint-Fal and Joséphine Mézeray.[1]

Translations and adaptations

First adapted into English as an afterpiece in one act called Doubt and Conviction by James Wild (active 1803-1816)[]. The text was published in London by J. Hayes, 1804.

The play was then adapted as Personation, or Fairly Taken In, a comic interlude in one act, by Mrs. Charles Kemble (née Maria Theresa Decamp, and later known also as Marie Thérèse Kemble De Camp). It is very often (wrongly) cited as an original piece by Mrs Kemble, though some editions do mention that it had been "taken from the French"). First performed under this title at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 29 April, 1805, with the Mrs Kemble herself as "Lady Julia".

The Kemble version was published a number of times, i.a. by Samuel French, in The Minor Drama series no CXX, in 1860 and by John Dicks (748 Dicks' Standard Plays, one volume with Antony and Cleopatra, Married and Settled by Charles Selby) in 1886.

Performance history in South Africa

1868-69: Probably performed as part of their repertoire by the W.J.S Bennee and Fanny Raynor (his wife), done in association with local amateurs, while on a 15 month tour in the Eastern Cape and the Orange Free State. Definitely done as Personation or Fairly Taken In (and ascribed to Decamp) when they presented a farewell benefit in Cape Town under the auspices of the Governor and the Freemasons in on 31 May, 1869. Also performed were Hamlet (Shakespeare) and How to Win a Widow ().

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Dieulafoy

Catalogue entry, National Library of Australia (Bib ID: 66592182)[2]

Catalogue entry, National Library of Australia (Bib ID: 2548029)[3]

The Monthly Mirror, Vol. XIX, 1805: p. 346[4]

Facsimile version of the 1860 edition by Samuel French, Google E-book[5]

Facsimile version of the 1886 version by Dicks, Warwick Digital Collections[6]

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.241,

Go to ESAT Bibliography