Difference between revisions of "Becket"

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A play written in French by [[Jean Anouilh]] (French: ''Becket ou l'honneur de Dieu''). The play was first performed at the Théâtre Montparnasse Gaston Baty in Paris on 8 October 1959 and on Broadway in 1960.
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<big>There are two plays often referred to simply as ''[[Becket]]'':</big>
  
== The original text ==
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=''[[Becket]]'' by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred,_Lord_Tennyson].=
Published in Paris by Table Ronde
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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''.
  
 
==Translations and adaptations==
 
==Translations and adaptations==
Translated into [[Afrikaans]] from the original French by [[Bartho Smit]] entitled ''[[Becket of Die Eer van God]]'', published in ''Bartho Smit-vertalings'' No 4.
 
  
Translated into English by Lucienne Hill, published in New York by New American Library in 1960.
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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.
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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".
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Not often performed afterwards.  
  
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
  
1963: ''Becket'' 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 [[Fitz Morley]]. Among the women were [[Joyce Bradley]], [[Val Donald]] and [[Susan Blake]]. Sets and costumes were by [[Eleanor Esmonde-White]]. Incidental music composed by [[Arnold van Wyk]] and recorded by the Cape Town Municipal Orchestra under his conductorship.
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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.
  
1970/71: [[PACOFS]] did a workshop version of the play (using only six actors to portray the thirty five characters, among others [[William Egan]] and [[Errol Ross]]) in its [[Presidency Theatre]], directed by [[Jannie Gildenhuys]].
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Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
  
198*: [[PACT]] did an [[Afrikaans]] version (tr. by ***) in the [[State Theatre]], featuring [[Marius Weyers]] and [[Frans Marx]].
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= Return to =
  
== Sources ==
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Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]]
''Becket'' theatre programme, CAPAB 1963.
 
  
[[Wilhelm Grütter| Grütter, Wilhelm]], [[CAPAB]] 25 Years, 1987. Unpublished research.
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Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
  
== Return to ==
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Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]]
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 2 B|B]] in Plays 2 Foreign Plays
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Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]]
  
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Plays]]
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Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]]
  
 
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
 
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