''The Foundling of the Forest'' is an 1809
melodrama
A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...
by the British writer
William Dimond, also featuring music composed by
Michael Kelly. It premiered at the
Theatre Royal, Haymarket in
London on 10 July 1809. The original Haymarket cast included
Charles Mayne Young
Charles Mayne Young (10 January 1777 – 1856) was an English actor. He was born to a respected London surgeon (doctor). His first stage appearance was in Liverpool on 20 September 1798, where he played a Young Norval in Home's blank verse trag ...
as Count De Valmont,
Richard Jones Richard Jones may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*F. Richard Jones (1893–1930), American filmmaker
*Dick Clair (Richard Jones, 1931–1988), American producer, actor and TV writer
*Richard Jones (The Feeling), British bass guitarist
*Richard J ...
as Florian,
Edmund John Eyre
Edmund John Eyre (1767–1816), was an English actor and dramatist.
Early life
Eyre, son of Mary (née Underwood) (c1740-c1796) and the Rev. Ambrose Eyre (c1740 - c1796), rector of Leverington and Outwell, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, was born ...
as Baron Loungeville,
Charles Farley
Charles Farley (1771–1859) was an English actor and dramatist.
Career
Farley was born in London and entered the theatrical profession at an early age, making his first appearance as a page at Covent Garden Theatre, London, in 1782. He came to ...
as Bertrand,
John Liston as L'Eclair,
Maria Gibbs as Geraldine,
Sarah Liston
Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch and prophetess, a major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious ...
as Rosabelle,
Mary Ann Davenport
Mary Ann Davenport ée Harvey(1759 – 8 May 1843) was a British Shakespearean actress.
Life
She was born at Launceston, Cornwall. She first appeared on the stage at Bath in December 1784, as Lappet in Henry Fielding's ''The Miser''. After two ...
as Monica and
Julia Glover
Julia Betterton Glover (8 January 1779 – 16 July 1850) was an Irish-born stage actress well known for her comic roles in the late 18th and 19th centuries.
Biography
Glover was born Julia Butterton in 1779
or 1781 in Newry, Ireland.
In Lo ...
as Unknown Female. The Irish premiere was at the
Crow Street Theatre
Crow Street Theatre was a theatre in Dublin, Ireland, originally opened in 1758 by the actor Spranger Barry. From 1788 until 1818 it was a patent theatre.
History
Spranger Barry and Henry Woodward
The actor Spranger Barry (1719–1777), born i ...
in
Dublin in December 1810. It also appeared at the
Park Theatre in
New York City. Dimond dedicated the published version to
Sophia Lee
Sophia Lee (1750 – 13 March 1824) was an English novelist, dramatist and educator. She was a formative writer of Gothic fiction. She and her sister Harriet also wrote a number of ''Canterbury Tales'' (1797).
Life and literary production
She ...
.
Synopsis
Florian is abandoned in the woods as a small child and grows up living on his own resources. It is only at the conclusion of the story that he is revealed to be of
aristocratic birth.
[Miller p.24]
References
Bibliography
* Greene, John C. ''Theatre in Dublin, 1745-1820: A Calendar of Performances, Volume 6''. Lexington Books, 2011.
* Miller, Julie. ''Abandoned: Foundlings in Nineteenth-century New York City''. NYU Press, 2008.
* Nicoll, Allardyce. ''A History of English Drama 1660–1900: Volume IV''. Cambridge University Press, 2009.
1809 plays
West End plays
British plays
Plays by William Dimond
Plays based on novels
Plays set in France
{{1800s-play-stub