The original text

The story "Holly Bush Hall, or The track in the snow. A tale for Christmas" was written by Malcolm J. Errym (pseudonym for James Malcolm Rymer, 1814-1884) and serialized in Reynolds's Miscellany (London): nos. 602-.

Dramatizations, translations and adaptations

The story saw no less than three adaptations for the stage in 1860:

Holly Bush Hall, or The Track in the Snow by John Mordaunt (fl. 1860s)

First performed at the Standard Theatre, London, on 7 February, 1860

Holly Bush Hall, or The Track in the Snow by William Seaman

First performed at the Effingham Saloon, London 8 February, 1860

Holly Bush Hall, or The Track in the Snow by William E. Suter

Adapted as a light comedy by William E. Suter (1811?-1882), it was first performed at the Queen's Theatre, London, on 25 February, 1860 and published by Thomas Hailes Lacy.

Performance history in South Africa

1865: The Suter version was performed as Hollybush Hall, or The Track in the Snow by the officers of the 1st Batallion of the 10th Regiment in the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, on 11 and 14 March, along with Wanted 1000 Spirited Young Milliners for the Gold Diggings (Coyne).

Sources

Price One Penny. A Database of Cheap Literature, 1837-1860[1]

Books by William E. Suter, The Online Books Page [2]

Allardyce Nicoll. 1975. A History of English Drama 1660-1900: Late 19th Century Drama 1850-1900 Cambridge University Press[3]

Allan Stuart Jackson. 1993. The Standard Theatre of Victorian England. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.p.127, Google E-book [4]

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

Go to ESAT Bibliography