History

PEAAT was founded on March 22, 1951 in the sitting room of the parsonage of the PE West congregation of the Dutch Reformed Church in Pickering Street, Newton Park, by people closely connected to the church. The first chairman was the dominee J. J. “Koos” Fick, who suggested the motto “Lewe” (Life), while deacon J. Crous was responsible for the design of the original logo (which was subsequently changed). Julius F. I. Burmeister was the first vice-chairman while attorney Willem Delport was the first secretary-treasurer. The other first committee members were D. S. Smith, Frikkie Knoetze (who later contributed years of producing and acting), J. R. Bekker and, of course, Mrs Collie Fick.

Various PEAAT productions were entered in the Pemads - Salters Awards - and did very well while individual PEAAT players made names for themselves. Over the years, PEAAT has had close relations with the Port Elizabethse Afrikaanse Kultuurraad, the Department of Culture and Education and with all the local English-speaking theatre groups. The organisation also had close ties with Dutch people like the late Dien Verstappen and Rudi Kindermans. PEAAT productions were regularly performed in Kareedouw, Bellville, Humansdorp, Jansenville and Gelvandale. Individual PEAAT players, as well the oragnisation, were regularly involved in special Easter or Christmas programmes, and during celebrations on various public holidays.

A few of the organisations which have benefitted from PEAAT fundraising over the years include cultural bodies, schools, cultural organisations, women’s organisations, church congregations, the Afrikaanse Christelike Vrouevereniging, the Afrikaanse Opvoedingsfonds, the Christelike Maatskaplike Raad, the Piet Retief Monument, the Rapportryers, the Red Cross, the Reddingsdaadbond, St Johns Ambulance, the UPE Donors' Foundation and the Voortrekkers.

Patrons

The first two honorary patrons were P.P.B. Breytenbach of the Federation of Amateur Theatrical Societies of South Africa, (FATSSA), Pretoria and J. C. K. “Boet” Erasmus. Patrons, amongst others, included Albertus “Oom Dellie” Delport, Boet Kleu and Dr Andrew Rabie. In 1951, Nasionale Pers and the Rembrandt group were patron companies, while 15 people purchased honorary membership for two guineas each and regular membership cost 5 shillings per annum.

PEAAT's founding goals

The founding goals were:

to promote Afrikaans theatre

to stimulate appreciation and knowledge as regards play-acting, drama

to develop a drama library where books and manuscripts could be preserved.

to help the community with fund-raising

to be of service to the Church and to teach acting in an attempt to raise funding for essential matters.

Honorary roles

Anna Neethling-Pohl was the first honorary patron, and Prof. Marius Swart was elected as honorary president (a position he held for 25 years). In February 1999, he was followed by Eben de Vos.

Marius Swart: In sy jong dae was hy aktief by die teater betrokke hy het selfs as student saam met die legendariese André Huguenet in Oedipus Rex opgetree en saam met Rudi Neitz gesing. Van hy sowat 30 jaar gelede in Port Elizabeth kom woon het, het sy werk as professor in geskiedenis aan die UPE en sy gesin hy is pa van vyf kinders hom te besig gehou om toneel te speel. Maar as erepresident van Peaat kon hy sy vinger op die pols hou van die toneellewe in die stad.

``Ek was hoofsaaklik adviseur, sê hy. Die advies het wyer gestrek as geldbesteding of die keuse van stukke. ``Toneelspelers, al is hulle amateurs, ly maar aan kunstenaarstemperament, sê hy. As buitestaander moes hy dikwels geskille help oplos wanneer toneelspelers kort voor die openingsaand skielik so kwaad vir mekaar was dat hulle weier om op te tree. Hy moes ook moed inpraat wanneer die gehore weggebly het.

Venues

At first, PEAAT had to perform in school and church halls. Peaat does not have its own venue for the storage of costumes, decor, props, requisites, tools; and for rehearsals, an office, archives or committee chamber.

For performances, PEAAT has used the Little Theatre, also referred to as the Pemads Little Theatre

Society members

Hennie Oosthuizen and Okkie Venter of the SABC, Pearl von Molendorff, nee Vosloo, Schalk Theron and Sonje Eksteen, nee Pienaar, played for KRUIK.

Couples who really supported Peaat were Danie and Anna Meyer, their daughter Carina Zeelie and her husband Willem Zeelie, Stan and Flippie Roberts, and Jannie Britz and Retha Britz.

Ruby Schwartz regularly acted for Pemads, but also for many years with Peaat and few will forget her performance in Barry Erasmus’ production of Skoonma is 'n Vuurvreter!. She was an ace on stage, finding props, supporting backstage, and dragging her husband Bernardt Schwartz with her to supply furniture for a Peaat production.

Other personalities include Jac Smit, Alet Gerber, the honourable Johan J Engelbrecht and many housewives, shop assistants, lecturers, hair stylists, teachers and weekly paids, who supported Peaat as actors, producers, set constructors, ticket sellers, tailors altering costumes, programme designers, secretaries, and panel judges at plays in order to award certain category trophies.

The Mocke couple contributed greatly to Peaat and some of Johan’s translations were so well received one came back with the impression the play was originally written in Afrikaans.

Bruce Mann was responsible for lighting Peaat's production, Die Gode Lag, and two others, Adriaan Gerber and Jacques van Onselen, who often graced the stage for Pemads, now also acted in Peaat productions.

Cecil Steyn who often assisted Pemads as a producer, likewise assisted Peaat before he left Port Elizabeth.

Mari Doubell, a young girl from Patensie who married Johan Mocke, also acted for Pemads as well as Peaat and played Belinda in Johnny Belinda with Andre Huguenet.

Gerrit Swanepoel really boosted Peaat - he was a live wire, producer, innovater, actor, organiser and preserving Peaat's documents. Gerrit Swanepoel presented traditional and most modern sketches, prose, poetry in a dramatised form.

These amateurs, often with a limited literary background, nevertheless performed brilliantly with professional producers or experienced professional actresses, and in décor design.

Incorporation with the ATKV

In 2005, the PEAAT committee elected to incorporate with the ATKV as a branch of that organisation. Since 2005, the organisation has been billed as ATKV-tak PEAAT or as ATKV PEAAT.

Productions

First production

The first production was held in the City Hall on June 14, 1951, and consisted of three one-act plays: Die Swakkere Vat, by H.A. Fagan, Krom Stompe, by D.F. Malherbe and Hellersee, by W.A. de Klerk.

All three plays were produced by Collie Fick, who acted as well, along with Bernard Leuvennink, Wessel Gericke, Kitty Greeff (who later married Gert van der Lindel), dominee Fick, Willem Delport, Kathleen Delport, Frikkie Knoetze, Hester de Beer and others.

A special message was written for the opening production by P.P.B. Breytenbach and was reprinted in the programme: “Ek kan aan geen pasliker vorm van vrye ¬tydbesteding dink as juis die toneel nie. Dit is 'n bedrywigheid wat soveel vir 'n gemeenskap as 'n geheel kan beteken,” he wrote. (Loosely translated: “I can think of no other more fitting use of free time other than the theatre. It is an activity which can mean so much for a community as a whole.”)

Other productions (1961-2004)

The choice of plays was limited mainly because of their audiences and comedy, chaos, tears, or lightheartedness was the normal way of attracting support. These were Langenhoven’s Die Laaste van die Takhare, or Joseph Kesselring's Arsenic and Old Lace, translated as Gif en Oujongnooiens, and Edmund Morris's The Wooden Dish, translated as Oupa en die Houtbord.

1960: PEAAT celebrated the 50 years of the Union of South Africa, 1910-1960.

1964: The first Afrikaans translation of a Shakespearean play in Port Elizabeth, D.F. Malherbe's translation Die Koopman van Venesië

1966: Bruid in die Môre

1970: PEAAT participated in the 150th celebrations commemorating the landing of the 1820 Settlers.

1970: For the first time Peaat staged a production in the Ford Little Theatre with: Lokval vir ‘n Eensame Man.

1975: Dis Koud Hier.

1982: PEAAT came up with an old fashioned evening of debating, speeches and individual items.

1983: Die Goue Kring, directed by Gerrit Swanepoel, with Anna Neethling-Pohl

1984: Gerrit Swanepoel presented his sophisticated, hilarious, thoughtful revue Kottelions II which attracted large audiences.

1985: Almost the entire Afrikaans and English theatre fraternity participated in Our Town/Ons Dorp.

1986: Moeders en Dogters, directed by Christine Dreyer; Die Drie Van Der Walts

1986: Peaat performed in The Barn for the first time - with Gerrit Swanepoel's candle lit, classy, cabaret, and including a glass of wine.