This present Saturday, April 30, 1831 will be performed a new grand opera ... To which will be added (24th time) a new melo-drama called Neuha's Cave, or, The South Sea mutineers : partly founded on Lord Byron's poem "The Island" ...
London: Covent Garden, 1831. Ephemera. ... To which will be added (24th Time) a new Melo-Drama called ... Partly founded on Lord Byron’s Poem “The Island”. The Melo-Drama produced under the Direction of Mr. Farley.
Scarce playbill on the mutiny on the Bounty, advertising a performance of Neuha's Cave at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, on Saturday April 30, 1831, with the opening show a grand opera, 'Azor and Zemira; or, the Magic Rose, founded upon the fairy Tale of the Beauty and the Beast'. Also advertised is the "new comedy of 'The Exquisites'.
Neuha’s Cave was partially based on Lord Byron’s romantic poem 'The Island' in which he writes of Torquil, one of the Bounty mutineers, who marries a native woman, Neuha; they escape being captured by the English in search of them by hiding in a cave. The main roles in this production are: Captain Boldweather, (Commander of the Narcissa,) Mr. BAKER; Sprayling, (Second Mate,) Mr. G. BENNETT; and Torquil (Third Mate,) Mrs. VINING. The Islanders are: Fegee, (Sovereign of the Tonga, or Friendly Isles,) Mr. COLLETT; Attoo, Mr. F. SUTTON; Tahamea, Mr. BRADY; and Neuha, (Daughter of the Chief), Miss TAYLOR.
Interestingly, the part of Torquil was played by a female actress, Mrs. Vining. The choice of a woman for the role was addressed in a review by the London Literary Gazette: "By the way, would not the character of Torquil have been more interesting in the hand of a male performer? Mrs. Vining played with great spirit. We mean not to depreciate her efforts; but there appeared to us to be no reason for pressing her into her blue pantaloons:. ('The London Literary Gazette; and Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences & c'., Saturday, April 9, 1831. p 236). Trimmed close at top edge, otherwise very good. 8 1/2 x 13 1/4". Not located in OCLC. Good + overall. Item #19674
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