''The Three and the Deuce'' is a 1795 English afterpiece with libretto by Prince Hoare and music by Stephen Storace.Thre Three and the Deuce!
(1806) (Google books) It was first performed at the

Theatre Royal Haymarket The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre on Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foot ...

on 2 September 1795.London Stage Database
/ref>(July 1807)
Prince Hoare, Esq.
''The Cabinet'', p. 291 It was later revived at

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster. Notable landmarks ...

,(November 1808)
The London Theatres
''The Cabinet'', p. 354 ("The ''Three and the Deuce'', which followed it, is another instance of it. It has been twice damned; on its original representation at the Haymarket, and afterwards on its revival at Drury-Lane; and now it is received with reiterated shouts of praise.") and "with great success" by

Robert William Elliston Robert William Elliston (7 April 1774 – 7 July 1831) was an English actor and theatre manager. Life He was born in London, the son of a watchmaker. He was educated at St Paul's School, but ran away from home and made his first appearance on ...

. The piece was first printed in 1806.Biographa Dramatica, Vol. III
p. 333 (1812) Some sources suggest it was originally not very popular but grew into a very favorably received piece.Encyclopedia Brittannica
Volume 22, p. 605 (1891).(August 180
Memoranda Dramatica
''The Monthly Mirror'', p. 130 ("another performance which could scarcely obtain an audience at this house when first produced, and afterwards in vain attempted to establish itself at Drury-Lane, has also become a special favourite") The piece was known for having one actor play three different roles, the three "Singles". One song in the piece. "Little Taffline", is referenced in the Dickens' novel '' David Copperfield''.David Copperfield
p. 897 n. 411 (Oxford University Press Ed. 2008 reissue) The ''Memoirs of John Bannister'' published in 1839, provide this summary of the play:Adolphus, John
Memoirs of John Bannister, Vol. 1
p. 356 (1839)

Toward the close of the season, (2nd September,) "The Three and the Deuce," a new comedy by Prince Hoare, called forth Bannister's versatile powers. The author has placed in the same inn at
Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...
three brothers, Pertinax, Peregrine, and Percival Single, not less alike than the
Menaechmi ''Menaechmi'', a Latin-language play, is often considered Plautus' greatest play. The title is sometimes translated as ''The Brothers Menaechmus'' or ''The Two Menaechmuses''. The ''Menaechmi'' is a comedy about mistaken identity, involving a se ...
of Plautus, or the Antipholises of
Shakspeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
, but very different in their propensities. Pertinax is studious, grave, sententious; Peregrine volatile, active, enterprising; while poor Percival, a mere idiot, is only permitted to leave home under the protection of an Irish tutor (God save the mark!) named Mac Floggum. Bannister played the three brothers, and preserved, with admirable fidelity, their separate identity. The mistakes and confusion which arise from each being seen separately, and mistaken for one of the others, form an amusing, and sometimes interesting entanglement. Grizzle, a servant of Pertinax, is driven almost beyond his senses at the unexpected sallies of his master; and, at last, Percival is rescued from the stern dominion of Mac Floggum, to undergo a more gentle captivity with Taffline, an interesting little Welsh girl, admirably played by Mrs. Bland. The piece was very favourably received; and Bannister, and, after him, Elliston, acquired great applause in the three Singles.

The story was said in contemporary British sources to directly derive from the Spanish comedy ''Los Tres Mellizos'' popular in Madrid, though remodeled and made English by Hoare.1831 printing
p. 3 Italian playwright

Antonio Collalto Antonio Collalto may refer to: * Antonio Collalto (dramatist), Italian actor and dramatist * Antonio Collalto (mathematician), Italian mathematician See also

* Collalto (disambiguation) {{hndis, Collalto, Antonio ...

wrote ''Tre gemelli veneziani'' (Three Venetian Twins) in 1773, which was inspired by ''

The Venetian Twins ''The Venetian Twins'' ( it, I due gemelli veneziani, links=no, or "The two Venetian twins") is a 1747 play by Carlo Goldoni, based on Plautus's ''Menaechmi''. It was performed by Il Teatro Stabile of Genoa at the 1965 Edinburgh International F ...

'' (1747) by Carlo Goldoni, but to which the twins were made into triplets.,MATTIUZZI, Antonio
''Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (2008)'' (in Italian) The Collalto play was translated into French by P.-A. Lefèvre de Marcouville as ''Les Trois Jumeaux Vénitiens'', and the Spanish translation upon which Hoare is said to have relied was ''Los Tres Mellizos''.

Original 1795 Haymarket cast

*Mr. Milford by Mr. Benson *Justice Touchit by Mr. Suett *Pertinax Single / Peregrine Single / Percival Single by John Bannister *Mac Floggan by Mr. Johnstone *Humphrey Grizzle by Mr. Fawcett *Frank by Mr. Wathen *Renard by Mr. Caulfied *Freeman by Mr. Bannister *Pinch by Mr. Cross *Tippy by Mr. Ledger *Cramp by Mr. Abbot *Gregory by Mr. Evans *Emily by Mrs. Gibbs *Phoebe by Miss Leak *Taffline by Mrs. Bland

References

External links

1806 printing1831 printing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Three And The Deuce 1795 plays West End plays