Brecht on Brecht

Brecht on Brecht is a cabaret style play by George Tabori (1914-2007) [1]

The original text

A collection of readings and enactments from the works of Bertolt Brecht, translated and compiled by Hungarian-born British writer Tabori. First produced in New York in 1962 and published by Samuel French, 1967.

Translations and adaptations

In 1986 Tabori's play was adapted into an Afrikaans biographical overview of Bertolt Brecht's life and his works. Called Van Arme B.B. ("Of poor B.B.", the title taken from Brecht's 1922 German poem Vom armen B.B.[2]), the programme was compiled, developed and directed by Johann van Heerden in 1986, who also did the translations of a number of the songs from the original German, others being translated by Hennie Aucamp.

Performance history in South Africa

1970: A play by George Tabori. Presented by UCT Department of Speech and Drama under the direction of Robert Mohr at the Little Theatre (11-25 April) and at the H.B. Thom Theatre (4-6 June), with Melanie Ackland, Liz Dick, Dina Falkson, David Haynes, Peter Kenealy, Christopher Prophet, Lorna Robertson, Paul Slabolepszy and Annelisa Weiland.

1981: Performed at the Market Theatre in May, adapted and directed by Barney Simon, with Vanessa Cooke, Nomsa Nene, Sophie Mcgina, Lesley Nott, Bo Peterson, Peter Se-Puma, Barrie Shah, Ron Smerczak, Marcel van Heerden, John Oakley-Smith.

1986: Van Arme B.B., the Afrikaans adaptation, performed in the H.B. Thom Theatre with students from the Stellenbosch University Drama Department; Casper de Vries, Christien Coetzee, Duncan Johnson, Johannes Lochner, Linda Pienaar, Illse Roos, Anine Trümpelman, Jozua van der Lugt and Kowie-Marie le Roux Kriek on piano. Décor by Dickie Geldenhuys, lighting by Emile Aucamp and costumes by Elaine Aucamp.

Sources

http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsT/tabori-george.html#33851

Legende van die Liefde theatre programme, announcement of forthcoming productions. 1970.

UCT theatre programme, 1970.

Ruphin Coudyzer. 2023. Annotated list of his photographs of Market Theatre productions. (Provided by Coudyzer)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertolt_Brecht

UTS theatre programme, October 1986.

https://www.babelmatrix.org/works/de/Brecht,_Bertolt-1898/Vom_armen_B.B./en/46761-Of_poor_B.B.

Curriculum Vitae of Johann van Heerden (2011)

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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