The Forty Thieves

The Forty Thieves is a musical drama in 2 acts by Richard Brinsley Sheridan and George Colman, the Younger (1762-1836)[1], with music by Michael Kelly (1762-1826) and choreography ("ballet and action") by D'Egville.

The original text

First performed in London at the Theatre Royal at Drury Lane on 18 April, 1806, and in New York and at the New Theatre, Philadelphia, in 1808. It is described variously as a "Grand Operatical Romance" (1806 and 1808 Lacey and Carey editions) and "Grand Romantic Drama" (1825 Duncombe edition).

Published in 1806 by Lacey (London), 1808 by M.Carey (Philadelphia), and by Duncombe (London) in 1825.

Performance history in South Africa

In the early part of the 19th century, there was a close link between Cape Town and the island of St Helena.

Circa 1825: Apparently one of the monthly plays performed on the island of St Helena by the garrison there, according to an article on "St. Helena Theatricals" in The South African Commercial Advertiser of 12 October 1825. Announced in the article as "The romance of the Forty Thieves and including in this case new scenery painted by an inhabitant of the island named Mr Julio.

Sources

Facsimile version of Carey's 1808 edition of the text: Hathitrust Digital Library[2]

Facsimile version of Duncombe's 1825 edition of the text, Google E-Book[3]

https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100593157

George Watson. 1971.The New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature: Volume 2 (1660-1800)[4]

F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [5]: pp. 390-1

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