James Norval Geselskap
Die James Norval Geselskap ("The James Norval Company") was an Afrikaans touring theatre company.
Also later referred to as Die Norval Geselskap' or Die Norval Toneelgeselskap after it had become a family project spearheaded by Norval and his wife Anna Cloete.
The company
Founded in 1933 by James Norval, the company went on tour with Afrikaans versions of well-known melodramas e.g Verlore Siel (Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, 1934-5), Vadertjie Langbeen (Daddy Longlegs, 1935), Dracula (193*), and Gebeurtenis in die Nag ("??**", 193*), Moenie oor my Ween nie ().
Besides Norval himself in the lead roles, the original cast included Anton Heunis (actor and scene-painter), Louis Rood, Alida Holstock, Japie Lessing,Johann Volschenk, Jessie Kotzé, and Rina Lourenz. Later Anna Cloete and Hennie Slabbert also joined them. After the first tour, Heunis and Rood left to found their own company in 1935.
The cast had to play multiple roles to fill the plays, which (according to Ludwig Binge, 1969: p177) greatly affected the quality of performances.
Sources
L.W.B. Binge 1969. Ontwikkeling van die Afrikaanse toneel (1832-1950). Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik.
A file of miscellaneous papers and photographs on Anna Cloete, James Norval, and their activities. Found in the Stellenbosch Drama Department's theatre archives and now held in the Performing Arts Research Collection (PARC) at the Africa Open Institute for Music, Research and Innovation, with offices at Pieter Okkers House, 7 Joubert Street, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
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