Cape Charade or Kaatje Kekkelbek

Cape Charade or Kaatje Kekkelbek is a play by Guy Butler (1918-2001).

The original text

The protagonist of this play is Andrew Geddes Bain and his creation is Kaatjie Kekkelbek, who appears as a character in one of the earliest pieces of writing for the South African stage. The action of the play coincides with the visit of a Russian naval expedition in Simon’s Town. One of the characters who interacts with Bain is the official historian Ivan Goncharov who’d publish his novel Oblomov six years later.

Published 1968 by A.A. Balkema in The Albany Series of plays.

Performance history in South Africa

1968: Performed as Cape Charade, directed for CAPAB by Roy Sargeant as his first freelance production as director. It opened on 22 July 1968 at the Hofmeyr Theatre. The cast included Frank Shelley, Yvonne Bryceland, Sandra Kotzé, David Goatham, Norman Coombes, Elliot Playfair, Phillip Boucher, Val Donald, Roger Dwyer, John Ramsbottom, Alan Prior, William Bernard, Ben Dekker, Val de Klerk. Scott Robertson was the stage director and devised the lighting, sets and costumes were designed by Stephen de Villiers and choreography was by Marina Keet.

Sources

Teater SA, 1(1), 1968

Grütter, Wilhelm, CAPAB 25 Years, 1987. Unpublished research. p 59

Cape Charade or Kaatje Kekkelbek theatre programme, 1968.

Photograph, Source: NELM Manuscripts - [Collection: FLETCHER, Jill]: 2005. 75. 19. 50).

Anthony Akerman. 2025. “Remembering Guy Butler, a scholar who brought literature to life”. Daily Maverick. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-09-03-guy-butler-portrait-of-sa-playwright/

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