Who's Bones?

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Who's Bones? is a performance piece in the minstrel tradition by an anonymous creator.

The original text

Probably a scene created featuring the traditional minstrel character "Mr Bones", so named after his practice of "rattling the bones" (i.e. a pair of clappers, named after the original material from which they were made)[1]. He often appeared with other characters such as "Mr. Tambo" was and the "MC". [2]

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1868: Performed as Who's Bones?, and billed as "a comic scene", by the Phoenix Club in the St Aloysius Hall, Cape Town, in October along with The Mischievous Nigger. Among the performers mentioned in the farce were Mr Williams, Mr Tinus, Mr Samuels, Mr Redmonds, Mr Edwards and Mr Joseph.

Sources

https://www.britannica.com/art/Mr-Bones

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_670132

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: p.273

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page