De Oude Rot
De Oude Rot ("the old rat") was a Dutch play by an anonymous author.
Not to be confused with the play Een Oude Rat in de Val ("An old rat in the trap").
Contents
The original text
Although no trace of a text can be found, the title clearly derives from, and possibly refers to, the well-known Dutch saying "een oude rot in het vak" ("an old rat in the subject") i.e. "an old hand in the field/job/subject".
(The word "rot" is an archaic alternative to "rat" , i.e referring to the rodent, as in English. Interestingly the word "rot" is still used in Afrikaans to refer to the rodent, while "rat" is used to refer to the mechanical word "gear" - which is called a "tandwiel" in Dutch.)
Translations and adaptations
Performance history in South Africa
1837: A performance of an afterpiece called De Oude Rot was announced for the "South African Theatre" by the "South African Amateur Company". (F.C.L. Bosman, 1928: p. 338) suggests this company may have been Vlyt en Kunst. It was played with a play listed as Flodoardo van Overschie, of De Kleine Bandiet (Gravé).
Sources
F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [1]: pp. 338,
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