Fortune's Fool (1897 play)

Fortune's Fool
Written byAlfred Dampier
Date premieredOctober 2, 1897 (1897-10-02)[1]
Place premieredLyceum Theatre, Sydney[2]
Original languageEnglish

Fortune's Fool is a 1897 Australian play by Alfred Dampier.[3][4][5] It depicted "the Strange and Adventurous Career of a Vagabond Wanderer and his Daughter."[6]

Dampier performed in the play before heading to London.[7]

Reception

The Sunday Times said it "contained enough blood and thunder to satisfy the palate of even the greatest lover of the sensational."[8]

The Daily Telegraph said "The plot of the piece is ingenious, and gives plenty of scope for fine work, both on the part of the playwright and the actors."[9]

The Australian Star called it "nothing extraordinary... a piece of a class which may be characterised as strong or heavy, but it is interesting, and a great deal of the heaviness is removed by a vein of comedy which is introduced in parts by the subordinate characters."[10]

Dampier took the play with him to London and tried to sell it as With False Colours (as another play used Fortune's Fool). However he was unsuccessful.[11]

Premise

Harold Norton is an actor who wanders the country after the death of his wife.[10]

Cast of original production

  • Lily Dampier as Mary Norton and her daughter Jessie Norton
  • Alfred Dampier as Harold Norton
  • Edmond Holloway as Fergus Graham
  • George Buller as Grim Ned
  • Katherine Russell as Nelly Parkins

Everyday London

Dampier presented a play the following year with a similar plot called Everyday London. This may have been Fortune's Fool rewritten.[12][13]

References

  1. ^ "Advertising". Sunday Times. No. 613. New South Wales, Australia. 26 September 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "NEWCASTLE LICENSING COURT". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 18, 561. New South Wales, Australia. 10 September 1897. p. 6. Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "PLAYS AND PLAYGOERS". The Daily Telegraph. No. 5968. New South Wales, Australia. 30 July 1898. p. 6. Retrieved 7 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "LYCEUM THEATRE". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 18, 580. New South Wales, Australia. 2 October 1897. p. 10. Retrieved 7 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "THE LYCEUM THEATER–FORTUNE'S FOOL". The Daily Telegraph. No. 5707. New South Wales, Australia. 4 October 1897. p. 6. Retrieved 7 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Advertising". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 18, 579. New South Wales, Australia. 1 October 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "SUMMARY". The Daily Telegraph. No. 5706. New South Wales, Australia. 2 October 1897. p. 1. Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "LAST NIGHT'S AMUSEMENTS: Stage Gossip". Sunday Times. No. 614. New South Wales, Australia. 3 October 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "THE LYCEUM THEATER–FORTUNE'S FOOL". The Daily Telegraph. No. 5707. New South Wales, Australia. 4 October 1897. p. 6. Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ a b "STAGE, SONG AND SHOW". The Australian Star. No. 3014. New South Wales, Australia. 4 October 1897. p. 3. Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "PLAYS AND PLAYGOERS". The Daily Telegraph. No. 5968. New South Wales, Australia. 30 July 1898. p. 6. Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ ""EVERY-DAY LONDON" AT THE CRITERION". The Daily Telegraph. No. 6041. New South Wales, Australia. 24 October 1898. p. 7. Retrieved 7 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "CRITERION THEATRE". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 18, 911. New South Wales, Australia. 24 October 1898. p. 4. Retrieved 8 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
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