Het Misverstand, of Elk is Een Dief in Zijne Nering

Het Misverstand, of Elk is Een Dief in Zijne Nering ("The Misunderstanding, or Everyone's calling is to be a thief") is a Dutch musical comedy by an anonymous author who signed the Foreword as "K", from the Dutch town Ouderkerk aan de Ijssel.

Referred to the second edition as "Door de schrijver van Willem van Focquenbroch ("by the author of Willem van Focquenbroch), which is also only signed by "K" however.

The original text

Published published in Leiden, by Leendert Herdingh, 1811. A second printing, also by Leendert Herdingh en Zoon, 1834.

Bosman (1928) throughout insists that the play performed in Cape Town under this name (idiosyncratically spelled Het Misverstand, of Elk is Een Dief in Zyn Neering or Het Misverstand, of Elk is Een Dief in Zyne Nering) is a Dutch translation from (an unknown) other language by van der Vyver. Probably a mistake, since the other sources all contradict this.

Performances in South Africa

1818: Performed in Cape Town on 23 May 1818 as Het Misverstand, of Elk is Een Dief in Zyn Neering by Tot Nut en Vermaak, with De Broeders Op Den Toets (Volméranges)

1825: Performed in Cape Town on 9 July, 1825 by Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense, as Het Misverstand, of Elk is Een Dief in Zyne Nering with Luim en Goedhartigheid (Bindseil).

1843: Performed in Cape Town on 13 September 1843 as Het Misverstand, of Elk is Een Dief in Zyne Nering by Tot Nut en Vermaak, with Volsan, of De Menschenhater Door Tegenspoed (Villenhoven).

1846: Performed by Het Privaat Hollandsch Tooneellievend Gezelschap) as Het Misverstand, of Elk is Een Dief in Zyne Nering in Cape Town in the Bree Street Theatre (cnr of Dorp Street), on 3 April, as an afterpiece to Roland de Monglave, of De Zegepraal der Onschuld (Tréogate).

Sources

Advert by Antiquariaat A.G. van der Steur for a copy of the book on the Dutch website Lokale Geschiedenis[1]

Facsimile text of the first edition of the Dutch original, Google Books[2]

Facsimile text of the second printing of the Dutch original, Google Books[3]

F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [4]: pp.132, 284, 443, 450.

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