Fadren

Fadren ("The Father") is a short naturalistic tragedy by Swedish playwright August Strindberg (1849-1912), written in 1887.

Translations and adaptations
The play has been translated into many different languages. Translations into English, as The Father, have been done by i.a. Peter Watts (1958), Michael Meyer (1964), Harry G. Carlson (1981), Michael Robinson (1998), Gregory Motton (2000) and Laurie Slade (2012).

Translated into French as Le Père or simply Père. (Not to be confused with Le Père, the 2012 text by Florian Zeller.)

Translated into Afrikaans by Wilhelm Grütter, entitled Die Vader.

Translated into Afrikaans by Pieter-Paul Fourie, entitled Die Vader.

Translated into Afrikaans by Schalk Theron, entitled Die Vader. (Text available at the Stellenbosch University Library, Manuscripts Section. Reference 31/22/3.)

Performance history in South Africa
1969: Die Vader, the Grütter Afrikaans translation was staged by CAPAB, opening in the Hofmeyr Theatre on 8 April, directed by Mavis Taylor. The cast included Pieter Geldenhuys (Die Kaptein), Hermien Dommisse (Laura), Wena Naudé (Magriet), Annelisa Weiland (Bertha), Ernst Eloff (Kaptein), Jannie Gildenhuys (Die Pastoor), Johan Malherbe (Nojd) and Pieter Joubert (Dr Ostermark). Stage manager Mavis Lilenstein. Décor and costumes by Stephen Andrews.

1969: Produced in English by CAPAB in association with PACOFS, directed by Roy Sargeant, with Joe Stewardson, Joyce Bradley, Helen Braithwaite and Gillian Garlick.

1978: Die Vader, the Fourie Afrikaans translation was staged by PACT, directed by Louis van Niekerk, with Patrick Mynhardt (Die Kaptein), Wilna Snyman (Laura), Elise Hibbert (Berta), Don Lamprecht (Dr Ostermark), David van der Merwe (Die Pastoor), Anna Neethling-Pohl (Magriet), Gerben Kamper (Njod) and Fanie Bezuidenhout (Die Ordonnans). Décor and costumes by Johan Engels.

1986: Produced in English by the Rhodes University Drama Department, directed by Brian Pearce with Lindsay Reardon and Cornelia Schulz.

2013: Produced in English by the Wits School of Arts/WitsMusic and Wits Theatre as a student version, directed by Makhaola Ndebele.

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