Mrs Dooley's Little Joke

Mrs Dooley's Little Joke is a musical comedy by P. Finn ()[] and John F. Sheridan (1848-1908)[], with lyrics and music by Fred W. Weierter ()[].

Also found as Mrs Dooley's Little Joke!

The original text

It seems that it was first performed at the Opera House in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1903, with John F. Sheridan in the role of "Mrs Dooley".

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1904: Performed in South Africa as part of the repertoire of the Sheridan Comedy Company while on a six month tour of the country. They played during September in the Good Hope Theatre, Cape Town (under the management of Frank and Ben Wheeler). Besides the actor manager John F. Sheridan, the piece featured the popular Nmidget John Rumbelow (known as "Little Gulliver")

Sources

"John Rumbelow, "Little Gulliver" 14/1/1876-12/1/1906". Posted on the blog "In Loving Memory" by Otago Taphophile on Sunday, 27 January 2019[1]

Otago Witness, Issue 2705, 17 January 1906, Page 59, PapersPast website[2].

EVENING POST, VOLUME LXVI, ISSUE 49, 26 AUGUST 1903[3]

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: p.421

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