La Forêt périlleuse, ou les Brigands de la Calabre

A prose play in three acts by Joseph-Marie Loaisel de Tréogate.

The original French text

Premièred in the Théâtre de la Cité, Paris, on 17 May 1797. Printed in Paris by Jean Mossy and by Delavigne in 1798.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Dutch as De Struikroovers van Kalabrien, of De Onveilige Wildernis by Martinus Gerardus Engelman. Printed in Amsterdam in 1800. (The Dutch title also written "Die Struikrovers... on occasion)

Performance history in South Africa

1815: Performed in Cape Town by Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense in the African Theatre on 28 October, with Jocrisse in eenen Nieuwe Dienst (Dorvigny) , plus dances and fencing demonstrations.

1815: This play repeated by Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense on 11 November, with the addition of Men Doet wat Men Kan, Niet wat Men Wil (Dorvigny) as first piece, and "an introduction in 3 languages (Dutch, English and French)" entitled Jean-Pierre-Diogenes, of L'Orateur dans un Tonneau, spoken by "a certain black Gentleman previously one of the most eminent Actors in the Kingdom of Acte". (Original Dutch: "Dit zal door een zeker zwart Heer gesproken worde, die voormaals een de voornaamste Acteurs in het Koningkryk Acte was." (cit: Bosman, 1928, p 140 - Bosman believes it to have been the first appearance on the formal stage by a black actor in the Cape.)