The Divorce Question

The Divorce Question is a play in three acts by William Anthony McGuire (1881-1940).

The original play
A play in three acts dealing with the Roman Catholic attitude to divorce, it was first published in the USA in 1915. Also published by Samuel French in 1943.

Translations and adaptations
Evidence suggests that the work was translated into Afrikaans as Die Uur van Vergelding‎, possibly by A.E. Carinus-Holzhausen and credited to "Friedrich Gunter", for production by the Hanekom Company.

Productions in South Africa
1930: An Afrikaans version entitled Die Uur van Vergelding was produced by the Hanekom Company, touring the country and eventually having over a hundred performances. The play featured Wena Naudé, Willem van Zyl and James Norval. According to the programme, as well as reminiscences by actress Wena Naude(Die Brandwag, 14 September 1973), this was a play by "Friedrich Gunter". However, Ludwig Binge (1969) suggests it is by all evidence a translation of The Divorce Question. Binge's view corresponds with a list of productions by the Hanekom Company, compiled by André Huguenet and published in Filma (Kultuur) in January 1946. Huguenet has the author of Uur van Vergelding rather quaintly as "MacQuire" (sic).

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