H. Booth

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Mr H. Booth (**-**) was a professional British actor manager. Often referred to merely as Mr Booth.

Biography

A professional actor from the Theatre Royal in London. Apparently unrelated to any of the famous theatrical Booth families in England and the USA[1], but clearly experienced.

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

He arrived in Cape Town in 1829 on his way to New South Wales and soon gathered the various amateur groups in Cape town around him in a new company, later reviving the motto All the World's a Stage for his company.

Beginning in November, 1829, he initially presented a few works with the help of various local amateurs, playing the lead in such as standard works as Sheridan's Pizarro, or The Death of Rolla, Jerrold's Black-Eyed Susan, or All in the Downs, Shakespeare's Othello, or The Moor of Venice and Colman's The Wags of Windsor.

The success of these ventures led to him deciding to stay on for a while, he thus founded The New English (British) Amateur Company in 1830, under the revived motto of All the World's a Stage.

Between 1829 and 1833 the company presented (or Booth was involved in) plays such as The Castle Spectre, The Lying Valet, The Gambler's Fate (Thompson), The Miller's Maid (Saville), The Flying Dutchman (Fitzball), Weber's opera Der Freischütz, The Spectre Bridegroom (Montcrieff).

He ended his stay in the Cape with excerpts from the The Merchant of Venice.

The critic for the Commercial Advertiser criticised Booth's acting, particularly in the more serious roles, such as Shakespeare, but he was popular, as a professional in a predominantly amateur society had a recognisable influence on English theatricals in Cape Town and evidently did well enough to retire to England in 1833 on the proceeds.

[TH,JH]

Sources

F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [2]: pp. 194, 203-4, 209-220, 225, 242-3, 368, 370, 380 and 388

Fletcher, 1994

Du Toit, 1988

Go to the ESAT Bibliography


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