French Theatrical Company

The concept of a French Theatrical Company in Cape Town appears in a number of guises over the course of the first half of the 18th century:

In 1808-1809 a group of amateur and professional players, apparently referred to as the "French Theatrical Company", produced a number of French works, including Les Plaideurs (Racine), Le Petit Matelot, ou Le Mariage Impromptu (Pigault Lebrun),

A French Theatre company reported by “Sam Sly” to have opened the Drury Lane Theatre on Constitution Hill in Cape Town on June 19th, 1848, with “tragic Scenes, Vaudevilles, and Interludes of music and dancing”. May have been Dalle Case and the company from Mauritius which was billed as "French Dramatic Artistes".

Sources

Bosman 1928, pp.93, 94, 125,

Fletcher, 1994

For more information

See also French Dramatic Artistes and French theatre in South Africa

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