Faan se Trein ("Faan's Train") is the title of an Afrikaans play by Pieter Fourie (1940-2021), as well as the a radio drama (1997) and a film (2014) that were based on the text.

Faan se Trein: The play

The text

The play was based on actual people from Fourie's youth in and around the town of Luckhoff, and tells of the simple minded Faan and his love of trains. Written in a realistic and popular format, which Fourie referred to as Volkstoneel ("Folk drama"), a form he was propagating at the time, and has continued to champion. In a more literary fashion, the play also makes use of a plot twist (Faan chops up the antique furniture that the doctor's wife ihas been trying to wheedle out of him) that is strongly reminiscent of Roald Dahl's ironic tale Parsons's Pleasure (1958).

Faan se Trein became an enormous box office success when it was first produced. The play had been written in 1971, but was not performed then. It was only in 1975, after it had been published by Tafelberg Publishers, that Fourie submitted the play to CAPAB for possible production, when the council had cancelled a production of Bartho Smit's controversial satire Bacchus in die Boland.

Translations and adaptations

The text was adapted for radio and directed by Eben Cruywagen in 1997 (see sub-entry below).

The two texts Faan se Trein and Faan se Stasie were translated into German by Peter Kleinschmidt and then adapted as a single drama entitled Faan. There is no indication whether this was ever performed.

The two texts Faan se Trein and Faan se Stasie were adapted for film called Faan se Trein by Pieter Fourie and Koos Roets in 2013 (See sub-entries below).

Productions

1976: First produced by CAPAB, directed by Pieter Fourie, with Willem de la Querra in the lead role and co-starring Cobus Rossouw opening at the Hofmeyr Theatre on 21 February 1975.

1979: Performing rights granted by DALRO to the Senior Sekondêre Skool Homevale, for performances in Kimberley during March

1980: Performing rights granted by DALRO to the RAU Toneelvereniging, Rand Afrikaans University for performances in Johannesburg during April

1981: Produced by CAPAB, directed by Johan Esterhuizen with David van der Merwe as Faan.

1981: Performing rights granted by DALRO to the Hoërskool McLachlan for performances in Joubertina and Calitzdorp during May, and in Uniondale during July.

1981: Performing rights granted by DALRO to the Krakeelrivier Toneelvereniging for performances in Joubertina during August.

1982: Performing rights granted by DALRO to Mossel Bay Theater Group for performances in Mossel Bay during April and May.

1984: Performing rights granted by DALRO to ERUK for performances in Eersterust during April

1987: Performing rights granted by DALRO to AFTOM for performances in Ladysmith during June

1988: Performing rights granted by DALRO to Hoërskool Vanderbijlpark, for performances in Vanderbijlpark during June and August

1988: Performing rights granted by DALRO to Hoërskool Gimnasium, Potchefstroom for performances during June and August.

1989: Performing rights granted by DALRO to the Drama Department of the University of the Orange Free State for performances in Bloemfontein during October.

1991: Performing rights granted by DALRO to Hoërskool Wonderboom for performances in Pretoria during August.

1992: Performing rights granted by DALRO the Hoërskool Bergsig in Rustenberg during August.

1992: Performing rights granted by DALRO to the Potchefstroom University for performances during October.

1998: Performing rights granted by DALRO to the Johannes Stegmann Theatre, for performances in Secunda during August.

2005-6: Produced and directed by Albert Maritz, with Paul Eilers in the lead, it played at various national art festivals and theatres in South Africa. The production received the People’s Choice awards at both the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees ("Klein Karoo National Art Festival") in Oudsthoorn and Aardklop National Art Festival in Potchefstroom in North West Province.

Sources

Nico Luwes 2010. Pieter Fourie (1940-) se bydrae as Afrikaanse dramaturg en kunsbestuurder: 1965-2010. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Bloemfontein: University of the Free State, pp. [1]

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Faan se Trein: The radio drama

The text

Faan se Trein was broadcast as radio theatre by Radio Sonder Grense on 17 Junie, 1997. Shortened to a 45 minute piece, it was directed by Eben Cruywagen with inter alia Marthinus Basson, Daniel Maritz, Barbara McArthur, Dawie Ackermann, Hannes Horne, Pearl Gawlowski, Johan Botha. Madeleine Carlson was the production assistant and sound control was by Alan Rabey.

Sources

Nico Luwes 2010. Pieter Fourie (1940-) se bydrae as Afrikaanse dramaturg en kunsbestuurder: 1965-2010. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Bloemfontein: University of the Free State, pp. 174-191; 665-9 [2]

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Faan se Trein: The film

The text

Though there had been many unsuccessful negotiations about filming the popular play, it was only in 2013 that a film was finally made. Based on the two "Faan" plays (Faan se Trein and Faan se Stasie), it was filmed in 2013 and went on general release in January 2014.

Produced by Helena Spring, directed by Koos Roets, with a script by Pieter Fourie and Koos Roets, cinematography by Amelia Henning, production design by Waldemar Coetsee, editing by Nicholas Costaras and sound design by Barry Donnely. The cast consisted of Willie Esterhuizen, Deon Lotz, Anel Alexander, Marius Weyers, Nicola Hanekom, A.J. van der Merwe, Cobus Rossouw and Sandra Kotzé.