Difference between revisions of "Wheeler Theatre Company"
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In 1895 they brought out [[W.J. Holloway]] of the Lyceum, with a theatrical company, to do a series of Shakespeare plays at the [[Standard Theatre]] , Johannesburg. The plays included ''[[Othello]]'', ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', ''[[King Lear]]'', ''[[Much Ado About Nothing]]'', ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' and ''[[School for Scandal]]''. | In 1895 they brought out [[W.J. Holloway]] of the Lyceum, with a theatrical company, to do a series of Shakespeare plays at the [[Standard Theatre]] , Johannesburg. The plays included ''[[Othello]]'', ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', ''[[King Lear]]'', ''[[Much Ado About Nothing]]'', ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' and ''[[School for Scandal]]''. | ||
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| + | In 1910-11 their company seemed to be fading, according to the critic and diarist [[D.C. Boonzaier]] (1923, cited in Bosman, 1980: p.434). In 1910 they did ''[[Dorothy]]'', ''[[The Dollar Princess]]'', ''[[The Arcadians]]'', and they hosted the [[Walter Melville Dramatic Company]] and the [[De Jong-Black Company]] at the [[Opera House]]. In 1911 they began with ''[[Veronique]]'', ''[[The Balkan Princess]]'', and finally ended their long run of musical comedies with ''[[The Girl in the Train]]''. | ||
Revision as of 06:32, 17 October 2017
The Wheeler Theatre Company was founded in Cape Town in May 1886 by impressario Ben Wheeler (Benjamin, "the Gov'nor") and his son Frank Wheeler, two actor managers who focussed on musical comedy or comic opera which included farce, minstrel programmes, negro absurdity.
They came from Australia??**/England??** , to become among the foremost theatrical managers in South Africa in the period before the Anglo-Boer war.
In 1886 Luscombe Searelle was with the company for a year. Among other venues, they used the Good Hope Theatre and the Theatre Royal in Burg Street for their shows. The Hawtrey Comedy Company performed Charley's Aunt under the Wheeler Theatre Company management at the Good Hope Theatre in 18**
In 1895 they brought out W.J. Holloway of the Lyceum, with a theatrical company, to do a series of Shakespeare plays at the Standard Theatre , Johannesburg. The plays included Othello, Twelfth Night, King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice and School for Scandal.
In 1910-11 their company seemed to be fading, according to the critic and diarist D.C. Boonzaier (1923, cited in Bosman, 1980: p.434). In 1910 they did Dorothy, The Dollar Princess, The Arcadians, and they hosted the Walter Melville Dramatic Company and the De Jong-Black Company at the Opera House. In 1911 they began with Veronique, The Balkan Princess, and finally ended their long run of musical comedies with The Girl in the Train.
Sources
Bosman, 1980,
Bryant, 1979
Fletcher, 1994,
For more information
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