When Knights were Bold

When Knights were Bold is a comedy by Charles Marlowe (pseudonym of Harriett Jay (1853-1932)[1])

The original text

The play tells of Guy De Vere, a British officer who has returned from service in India after inheriting an estate and a baronetcy in the village of Little Twittering. There he finds a number of eccentrics and his cousin Rowena, who falls in love with him.

The play was first performed in Nottingham and London during 1906-1907, with in the leading role of "Sir Guy de Vere" and his wife in the role of "Lady Rowena Eggington") and many times thereafter. In 1915 he actually purchased the rights to the play, which did well for them.

He was married to the actress Marjorie Bellairs and the two of them are said to have appeared in the farce When Knights were Bold over 6000 times over the course of his lifetime. He first played the leading role of "Sir Guy de Vere" (with his wife in the role of "Lady Rowena Eggington") in the premiere production in Nottingham and London during 1906-1907, and many times thereafter. In 1915 he actually purchased the rights to the play, which did well for them.

Translations and adaptations

The play was filmed four times, as a silent British film by Maurice Elvey (1916), an Italian adaptation by Aquila Films (1916), a third silent film by Tim Whelan (1929) and a sound version by Jack Raymond (1936).

Performance history in South Africa

1866: Performed as Lucretia Borgia by the Le Roy-Duret Company in the Harrington Street Theatre, Cape Town, on

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Knights_Were_Bold_(play)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Knights_Were_Bold

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriett_Jay

Obituary, The Argus, Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, 19 Dec 1935: p.12

J.P. Wearing. 2014. The London Stage 1920-1929: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel, Rowman & Littlefield: p.5 [2]

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.203-205

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