Demea

Demea is a play by Guy Butler (1918-2001).

See also the entry under Medea

The original text

Written in 1959, the play was first performed in 1990. Because of the racist laws the play set out to critique, Butler had to wait 30 years for a production. It is based on Medea, and is a political allegory of Apartheid South African at the height of 'Verwoedian mania'. Characters from the original Greek drama are given re-imagined names: 'Jason' becomes 'Jonas', 'Medea' becomes 'Demea' and 'Creon' becomes 'Kroon'. The play is set in the late 1820s.

Published by David Philip, 1990.

Performance history in South Africa

1990: Produced at the National Arts Festival and the Alexander Theatre, directed by Dieter Reible. Decor by Lindy Roberts. The cast included Nomsa Xaba as Demea, Louis van Niekerk as Kroon, Graham Hopkins as Jonas Barker, Dale Cutts (Fitzwilliam), Peter Se-Puma (Agaan), Christopher Wells, Bill Curry, Ulrich Dupont and members of the PACT Company. Designer Lindy Roberts, lighting designer Paul Pamboukian.

2007: Produced by students of the University of the Free State Drama Department, Scaena Theatre, directed by Leendert de Jager.

Sources

Butler, Guy. 1990. Demea: a play. David Philip: Cape Town & Johannesburg.

Beeld, 19 Jul 1990,

The Star, 30 July 1990,

Volksblad, 4 June 2007.

National Arts Festival programme, 1990.

https://ibali.uct.ac.za/s/RETAGS/item/7397

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/

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page