Kabale und Liebe

Kabale und Liebe ("Intrigue and Love") is a German play in five acts by Friedrich Schiller (Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, 1759–1805)[1] .

The original text

Originally written under the working title Luise Millerin, but changed to Kabale und Liebe for its first performance on 13 April 1784 at the Theatre in Frankfurt am Main, and on 15 April 1784 in the National Theatre in Mannheim.

Translations and adaptations

Titles for English translations vary greatly, according to the translator: these include Intrigue and Love, Love and Intrigue, Love and Politics, and Luise Miller.

Translated into Dutch by an anonymous author as Kabaal en Liefde ("noise and love") and published in Amsterdam in 1791 in the Algemeene Spectatoriaale Schouwburg by Hendrik Gartman, Willem Vermandel en Jan Willem Smit. The translation of the German "Kabale" ("intrigue") as "Kabaal" ("noise" or "racket") in Dutch is rather misleading of course.

Adapted to a play in three-acts by Morris Barnett (1800 – 1856)[2] in 1850 under the title Power and Principle. This adaptation was first performed in London at the new Strand Theatre on June 10, 1850. Published in London by T.H. Lacy in 1850(?).

Performance history of all versions in South Africa

1824: Performed in Dutch as Kabaal en Liefde by Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense, led by C.E. Boniface, in the African Theatre, Cape Town on 1 May. (One reviewer apparently found the play a trifle lewd for Cape Town audiences.)

1853: Performed in Barnett's English version as Power and Principle in Cape Town on Monday 31 October 1853 by the Amateur Company in the Garrison Theatre, alongside Box and Cox (J.M. Morton) and Circumstantial Evidence (Carew).

1860: Performed in in Barnett's English version as Power and Principle in the Cabinet Theatre, Cape Town, by the Cape Town Dramatic Club on 17 July, with Two Heads are Better than One (Horne) and songs sung by Mr Durban.

1977-1979(?): Performed in the original German by SWAPAC in 1977-79?*.