Mr Brougham

Mr Brougham was a British actor in the 1870s.

Also simply referred to as Brougham in programmes and articles.

Biography

There is a great deal of uncertainty about this person, for while he is referred to simply as Brougham in F.C.L. Bosman's 1980 study, he is actually listed as "John Brougham" in the Index to the book. This latter reference is dubious however. Some of Bosman's references are to clearly to an actor in Roebuck's employ, but the majority of times the reference to John Brougham is clearly to the prominent 19th century Irish-American playwright of that name (1814-1880)[1], whose plays were often performed in South Africa, but who did not visit the country himself.

Another possibility is that Mr Brougham is the same person as the J.S. Brougham who had been a soldier and amateur performer for the the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot in the early 1860s.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

A person referred to as Brougham visited Cape Town, Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth in 1873-4, as part of Disney Roebuck's first touring company to visit the country. Usually billed simply as Brougham, he started out in small supporting roles, playing figurants[2], and gradually progressed to more substantial roles, e.g. in Caste (Robertson) on 16 and 17 February 1874.

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 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.

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