Bloemfontein Shakespeare Circle

Founding
The first Shakespeare circle in South Africa, it was founded in 1947 under chairmanship of Dean Cecil Tugman. At monthly gatherings playreading, discussions and music were presented. Later the matric Shakespeare setwork piece was presented annually, beginning with The Merchant of Venice in 19**. Other early productions included Julius Caesar, As You Like It, Hamlet and Macbeth, The Tempest, Twelfth Night. After the founding of PACOFS in 1963, they often collaborated with the arts council in doing this. But by 1980 there was no more energy to continue, and the Circle closed down.

Venues used
Venues used over the years included the Grand Theatre, the Jewish Communal Hall and the Bloemfontein Civic Theatre.

Directors and performers
Directors included Kathleen Marquard, Moira Thatcher, Ann Ranger, Leslie French, and Marlene Kotzen, who directed the final production, Twelfth Night, in 1980. (Welman) See also Shakespeare Circle.

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