Difference between revisions of "Becket"

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''Becket''  by Jean Anouilh. Written in 19**, it was the first play produced by the newly established [[CAPAB]] in the ([[Hofmeyr Theatre]], Cape Town), opening on 6 November 1963. It was directed by [[Laurie van der Merwe]], with [[Pietro Nolte]] in the title role and [[Alec Bell]] as Henry II. Others in the large cast were [[Frank Wise]], [[Michael Drin]], [[Harold Lake]], [[Robert del Kyrke]], [[Alan Prior]], [[Gordon Rennie]] and [[Fritz Morley]]. Among the women were [[Joyce Bradley]], [[Val Donald]] and [[Susan Blake]]. Sets and costumes were by [[Eleanor Esmonde-White]]. (Source: [[Wilhelm Grütter| Grütter, Wilhelm]], [[CAPAB]] 25 Years, 1987. Unpublished research.)
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<big>There are two plays often referred to simply as ''[[Becket]]'':</big>
  
In 1970/71 [[PACOFS]] did a workshop version of the play (using only six actors to portray the thirty five characters) in its [[Presidency Theatre]], directed by [[Jannie Gildenhuys]]. In 198* [[PACT]] did an Afrikaans version (tr. by ***) in the [[State Theatre]], featuring [[Marius Weyers]] and [[Frans Marx]].
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=''[[Becket]]'' by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred,_Lord_Tennyson].=
  
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==The original text==
  
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A verse play - basically a "cabinet drama", meant to be read - it was first published in 1879 as '''''[[Becket: A Tragedy]]''''' in London, printed by Clements. Published as ''[[Becket]]'' by Macmillan and Co., 1884. In 1897 it appeared in the collection ''Becket, and Other Plays''.
  
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==Translations and adaptations==
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 1 B|B]] in Plays 1 Original SA Plays
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Adapted for actual stage performance by Henry Irving (1838–1905)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Irving], and published under the names of Alfred Tennyson Tennyson and Henry Iriving by Chiswick Press, 1893.
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 2 B|B]] in Plays 2 Foreign Plays
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The full title given is ''[[Becket, A Tragedy]]'' and this version is further described as being "in a prologue and four acts: as arranged for the stage by Henry Irving and presented at the Lyceum Theatre on 6th February 1893".
  
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Plays]]
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Not often performed afterwards.
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== Performance history in South Africa ==
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No South African performance has been traced so far, however, the play is mentioned by Boonzaier (cited in Bosman 1980), since [[Genevieve Ward]], an actress who had greatly impressed the critic on her tour through South Africa in 1891 with [[Luscombe Searelle]]'s company, was later to be one of the performers in Irving's original 1897 production in London.
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=''[[Becket ou l'Honneur de Dieu]]'' by Jean Anouilh (1910-1987)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Anouilh]=
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The French original has been translated into English as ''[[Becket]]'' and is often performed under the that title.
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'''For more on this play and its South African performances, see the entry on ''[[Becket ou l'Honneur de Dieu]]'''''
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= Sources =
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http://www.worldcat.org/title/becket/oclc/3661724
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http://www.worldcat.org/title/becket/oclc/3661724/editions?start_edition=51&sd=desc&referer=di&se=yr&editionsView=true&fq=
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[[D.C. Boonzaier]]. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage",  in ''SA Review'', 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]] 1980: pp. 374-439.)
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[[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1980. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912''. Pretoria: [[J.L. van Schaik]]: pp.
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Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
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= Return to =
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Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]]
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Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
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Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]]
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Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]]
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Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]]
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Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 09:12, 20 January 2023

There are two plays often referred to simply as Becket:

Becket by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)[1].

The original text

A verse play - basically a "cabinet drama", meant to be read - it was first published in 1879 as Becket: A Tragedy in London, printed by Clements. Published as Becket by Macmillan and Co., 1884. In 1897 it appeared in the collection Becket, and Other Plays.

Translations and adaptations

Adapted for actual stage performance by Henry Irving (1838–1905)[2], and published under the names of Alfred Tennyson Tennyson and Henry Iriving by Chiswick Press, 1893.

The full title given is Becket, A Tragedy and this version is further described as being "in a prologue and four acts: as arranged for the stage by Henry Irving and presented at the Lyceum Theatre on 6th February 1893".

Not often performed afterwards.

Performance history in South Africa

No South African performance has been traced so far, however, the play is mentioned by Boonzaier (cited in Bosman 1980), since Genevieve Ward, an actress who had greatly impressed the critic on her tour through South Africa in 1891 with Luscombe Searelle's company, was later to be one of the performers in Irving's original 1897 production in London.

Becket ou l'Honneur de Dieu by Jean Anouilh (1910-1987)[3]

The French original has been translated into English as Becket and is often performed under the that title.

For more on this play and its South African performances, see the entry on Becket ou l'Honneur de Dieu

Sources

http://www.worldcat.org/title/becket/oclc/3661724

http://www.worldcat.org/title/becket/oclc/3661724/editions?start_edition=51&sd=desc&referer=di&se=yr&editionsView=true&fq=

D.C. Boonzaier. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page