The Brothers

The Brothers is a title that occurs quite often, and in a variety of guises, and can refer to a number of plays done in South Africa:

Those formally titled thus include:

1. The Brothers by Edward Young (1753)

2. The Brothers by Richard Cumberland (1769)

3. The Brothers by Reza de Wet (2006)

However, the title may also have been used by commentators and other sources to refer to plays containing the words "The Brothers", such as a the English translation of Bruderzwist, oder Die Versöhnung, a German play by Von Kotzebue or the French play Les Frères à l'Épreuve by Benoît Pelletier-Volméranges.

In this regard also see the entries on South African plays which are simply entitled Broers ("brothers") and Brothers.

= The Brothers by Edward Young (1753) =

The Play
A five-act Gothic style tragedy in verse about the feud between Perseus and Demetrius. Written and performed in 1752-3 at the Royal Theatre, Drury Lane and published by R.Dodsley, London, in 1853.

Translations and adaptations
Possibly translated into Dutch as De Gebroeders, according to F.C.L. Bosman (1928)

Productions in South Africa
1818: According to F.C.L. Bosman (1928), this play may have been performed in Dutch under the title De Gebroeders by Tot Nut en Vermaak, Cape Town, on 15 August, 1818. However, he also suggests it may have been a translation of Bruderzwist, oder, Die Versöhnung, the German 5 act play by Von Kotzebue.

The Play
A comedy set partly in Cornwall, about a villain and his virtuous young brother. The play, completed in 1769, was Cumberland's breakthrough work and very popular.

Productions in South Africa
1807: Produced in Cape Town on 10 October by the Garrison Players, followed by High Life Below Stairs (Townley). A prologue was written and spoken by Captain Collins, and an epilogue by Captain Frazer. The cast, mentioned in the Prologue, included Captain Frazer, Captain Collins, Captain Napier, Mr Morgan, Mr Strawbenzee, Mr Loftus, Mr O'Flaherty, Mr Longley, Mr Gleadow, Mr Hamilton, Mr Wilson and Mr Stock.

The play
A play depicting a night in the lives of Anton Chekhov and his brother Alexander, when they argue about the death of their middel brother, Kolya. Also known in the Afrikaans version as Broers

First published as The Brothers by Oberon Books in 2006.

Translations and adaptations
Reworked in an Afrikaans version by the author as Broers ("Brothers")

Performances
Not initially performed in English, it was rewritten in Afrikaans at the request of director Marthinus Basson as Broers ("Brothers") in 2006. After its publication as The Brothers however, the English version has been performed internationally and locally.

South African performances
2006: Premiered in Afrikaans, as Broers, at Aardklop, directed by Marthinus Basson with Neels in the same year, going on to other festivals later.

International performances
2014: Performed in English as The Brothers At the White Bear Theatre, Kennington Park Rd, London in April 2014, directed by Karima Setohy with Ralph Aiken, Edmund Sage-Green and Beth Dalloway.