L. Meurant

(17**-1826?*) Possibly a Swiss immigrant and dance and/or music teacher. (Occasionally also listed simply as Meurant by F.C.L. Bosman, 1928)

It seems probable that he may have been the father of Louis Henri Meurant (the later journalist and language activist) and Miss L. Meurant, both of whom performed in French and Dutch plays in Cape Town as children in 1825. He was certainly someone involved in French theatre in the Cape.

Contribution to South African theatre

According to Bosman (1928, pp. 49 & 84), he was one of four important figures in the French theatre in Cape Town in the first two decades of the 19th century (the others were Rouvière, Riaux and Agron). A dance- and/or music- instructor at the Cape during the early 1800s, and appears to have worked with Charles Etienne Boniface till his untimely death round about 1926.

Specific productions mentioned include Les Plaideurs (Racine) on 22 February 1809, ,

He also created a presentation called La Fantasmagorie, possibly with Riaux, on 2 December 1809, as afterpiece to Les Fourberies de Scapin (Molière).

See also Miss L. Meurant and Louis Henri Meurant.

[TH]

Sources

F.C.L. Bosman, 1928: pp. 49, 84, 125-137, 171-174, 261-268, 282-297, 372.

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