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

Faan se Trein: The play

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.

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.

South African 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.

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

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 Unpublished doctoral dissertation.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: Radio drama

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 Unpublished doctoral dissertation.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. 191 [2]

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Faan se Trein: The film

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.