Waiting for the Verdict, or Falsely Accused

Waiting for the Verdict, or Falsely Accused is a domestic drama in three acts by Colin H. Hazlewood ()[].

Not to be confused with the 1868 novel, Waiting for the Verdict, by Mrs. R. H. Davis.(Davis, Rebecca Harding, 1831-1910)[1] nor the 1908 monologue Waiting for the Verdict by Adrienne Roucolle ()[2].

The original text

The title page bears the statement: "Founded on and embodying the celebrated Picture of that name by A. Solomon Esq., in the Royal Academy.", referring to a painting depicting a forlorn family, seated in darkened part of the passage in the courtrooms, awaiting the verdict in some court case. The picture - and the sequel, Not Guilty - were apparently well received, with printed reproductions selling well across the country.

(For more on the painting see "Abraham Solomon. Waiting for the Verdict, 1857", on the Tate Gallery's website[3])

The play was first performed in the City of London Theatre, in 29 January 1859 and published in London and New York by Samuel French (in 1859?) and in New York by T.H. French.

Facsimile version of the 1859 published text by Samuel French, the Hathi Trust Digital Library [4]

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

Sources

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.203-205

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