Hearts are Trumps

Hearts are Trumps is a farce by Mark Lemon (1809–1870)[1]

Also found as Hearts are Trumps, or A Father's Love.

The original text

The play opened at The Strand Theatre in London on 30 July, 1849, and appears to have been quite popular during the 19th century. The text was published by Dicks (No 1058).

Translations and adaptations

According to F.C.L. Bosman (1980), citing the theatrical reminiscences of William Groom (1899-1900), a play with the strange name of Captain Charlotte, or Hearts and Trumps was performed by the Le Roy-Duret Company in Cape Town in 1866. Bosman suggests that the author may have been Edward Stirling (1809-1894)[2].

However, since no such work (by Stirling or an other author) has been traced to date, it seems far more likely that the title actually refers to a performance of Hearts are Trumps (or an adaptation thereof).

Performance history in South Africa

1866: The play referred to as Captain Charlotte, or Hearts and Trumps was performed by the Le Roy-Duret Company in the Harrington Street Theatre, Cape Town, on 29th March, with The Momentous Question, or Woman's Devotion (Fitzball).

Sources

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Lemon,_Mark_(DNB00)

Allardyce Nicoll. 1930. A History of Early Ninteenth Century Drama 1800-1850 Cambridge University Press (CUP Archive): Vol II, p.335 (Google E-book)[3]

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.203-205

William Groom. 1899-1900. Drama in Cape Town. Cape Illustrated Magazine, 10(4): 478-481, 517-520, 547-552, 580-584, 640-643, 670-672, 706-708.

Go to ESAT Bibliography