Come Back, Little Sheba

Come Back, Little Sheba is a 1950 play by the American dramatist William Inge (1913–1973), his debut as a playwright.

The original text
Written and produced in the USA in 1950. A poignant play set in the twenties about the wife of a rehabilitated alcoholic whose lost dog Sheba symbolises everything she has lost in life.

Translations and adaptations
Translated into Afrikaans by Bartho Smit as Kom terug, Klein Sheba.

Performance history in South Africa
1957: Produced by National Theatre Organisation, directed by Margaret Inglis. The cast included Frank Wise, Joyce Grant, Elspeth Bryce, Robert Cheetham, Pat Trevor, Dolly Robyn, Keith Anderson, David Smith.

1977: Staged by the University of Pretoria, Department of Drama, directed by Hannes Horne, featuring Hendrik Odendaal (Doc), Tonia Ockerse (Marie), Riana Wilkens (Lola), Mieder Olivier (Turk), Tjaart Potgieter (Postman), Iza Trengove (Mrs Coffman), Christo Potgieter (Milkman), Andrew Tucker (Bruce), Nic van Rensburg ( Ed Anderson) and Eugene Yssel (Elmo Huston).

1980: The Smit Afrikaans translation Kom terug, Klein Sheba was staged by PACT, directed by Francois Swart starring Louis van Niekerk (Doc), Amor Tredoux (Marie), Babs Laker (Lola), At Botha (Turk), Alwyn Swart (Posman & Elmo Huston), Rita Ehlers (Mev. Kaufmann), Mieder Olivier (Melkman), Christo Gerlach (Posbode), Allan Dyssel (Bruce) and Johan Blignaut (Ed Anderson). Decor and costumes by Gloria Lovegrove and lighting by Michael Lovegrove.

1981: In February the Smit Afrikaans translation Kom terug, Klein Sheba was staged by CAPAB, directed by Philip Grout. Decor and costumes by Dicky Longhurst, lighting by Leon Benzakein. The cast were Babs Laker as Lola, Johan Malherbe (Dok), Marko van der Colff (Turk), Brümilda van Rensburg (Marie), Paul Lückhoff (Posbode), Selma van der Vyver (Mevrou Kaufmann), Neels Coetzee (Melkman/Ed Anderdson), Christo Potgieter (Telegrambode/Elmo Huston), David van der Merwe (Bruce).

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