Little Red Riding Hood is a favourite theme for pantomimes and children's plays, as well as satires.

The original fable

The well known tale of the young girl, her grandmother and the wolf, Little Red Riding Hood is a European fairy tale and has its origins in various European folk tales from the 10th century, including the Italian tale of La finta nonna ("The False Grandmother"). The two best known and probably most influential versions were written by Charles Perrault (1628-1703)[1] and the Brothers Grimm (1780s-1860s)[2].

For more on the original tales, see "Little Red Riding Hood" in Wikipedia [3] for example.

Other English names that occur for the story are: "Little Red Cap" or simply "Red Riding Hood".

Adaptations

International versions

The story has been changed considerably in various retellings in various theatrical formats, and subjected to numerous modernizing adaptations and readings, and sources rarely acknowledge the author of the particular text being used in a performance.

Radically adapted and/or localized South African versions

For more details on these South African versions, see the individual entry on each.

The Wolf and I a pantomime by Taubie Kushlick (1959)

Little Red Riding Hood, a marionette piece created by Estelle van der Merwe (1967)

Rooikappietjie by Janice Honeyman (1996)

Rooi ("Red") by Gaerin Hauptfleisch (2001)

Rooikêppetjie ("little red cap") or RooiKôppitjie"little redhead") by Malan Steyn, Saartjie Botha and cast members (2001).

Rooikappie en die Wolf in Skaapklere ("little red cap and the wolf in sheep's clothing") by Gerben Kamper (undated).

Productions of all versions in South Africa

1905: Red Riding Hood, a burlesque version by an unnamed author, was performed in the Opera House, Cape Town, February, by the Sass-Nelson Musical Comedy Company, featuring William Cromwell and Chrissie Leonard.

1948: Little Red Riding Hood, produced and directed by Bill Brewer, Hofmeyr Theatre, Cape Town.

1959: The Wolf and I a pantomime by Taubie Kushlick, performed at the Carlton Hotel.

1967: Little Red Riding Hood, a marionette version created by Estelle van der Merwe, was first performed by the Parys Library Marionette Group in the town of Parys in the Orange Free State.

1996: Rooikappietjie by Janice Honeyman

2001: Rooi ("Red") by Gaerin Hauptfleisch, performed by

2001: Rooikêppetjie ("little red cap") or RooiKôppitjie"little redhead") by Malan Steyn, Saartjie Botha and cast members.

Rooikappie en die Wolf in Skaapklere ("little red cap and the wolf in sheep's clothing") by Gerben Kamper ().

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Red_Riding_Hood

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Perrault

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.203-205

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