The Free State

The Free State is a "reworking" of Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard by Janet Suzman.

The original text

The play is set on an estate in the Eastern Free State, in the Clocolan cherry-growing region.

First published in London by Methuen, 2000 (ISBN 0-413-74330-6). Published in 2011 as The free state : a South African response to Chekhov's the Cherry Orchard by Oberon Books (ISBN 9781849431330).

Performance history

THIS SEEMINGLY CONFLICTING INFORMATION REQUIRES EDITING

Produced by the Birmingham Repertory Theatre directed by and starring Janet Suzman as "Lucy Rademeyer", Patricia Boyer as "Anna", Jeffrey Kissoon as "Alexander", Esmeralda Bihl as "Maria", and Jack Klaff as "Leo Guyver".

Photographs of scenes from the Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company production of The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekov, a new adaptation set in South Africa, directed by Janet Suzman. The photographs feature Moshidi Motshegwa as "Dikeledi", Burt Caesar as Aleksander Mashopho Lebaka, Estelle Kohler as Lucy (Lulu) Rademeyer, Sello Motloung as Khokoloho, Joseph Jones as Nyatso, Jack Klaff as Leo Guyver.

Scenes from the Birmingham Repertory Theatre production of The Free State, a South African response to Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard written by Janet Suzman. The photographs feature Janet Suzman as Lucy Rademeyer, Patricia Boyer as Anna, Jeffrey Kissoon as Alexander, Esmeralda Bihl as Maria, and Jack Klaff as Leo Guyver.

Photograph of Dorothy-Ann Gould as Karlotta in the Birmingham Repertory Theatre production of The Free State, a South African response to Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard written by Janet Suzman.

Performance history in South Africa

2002: Directed by Yvette Hardie for the National School of Arts (Johannesburg) main drama production for 2002.

Sources

The Free State theatre programme, 2002.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Photographs held by NELM,

Playscript [Typescript (photocopy)] of The Free State from Anton Chekov's The Cherry Orchard: A version by Janet Suzman from the original South Africa adaptation by Roger Martin - 1997 held by NELM Location: [Collection: MARKET THEATRE]: 2003. 67. 4.

Return to

Return to F in Plays I Original SA Plays

Return to South_African_Theatre/Plays

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page