Nervös

Nervös ("Nervous") is a German comedy in 3 acts by Gustav von Moser (1825-1903)[1] and Otto Girndt (1835-1911)[2].

The original text

Written in 1889, it was performed at the Königliches Theater Am Gärtnerplatz in 1890, opening on 29 July, directed by Ludwig Skitt with a cast that included Konrad Dreher (as "Gottlieb Hempel").

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Dutch as Nerveus ("Nervous") by an unnamed author (perhaps by Jan P. Heyligers?) and published in Zaandijk by J. Heijnis.

Performance history in South Africa

1905: Performed in Dutch as Nerveus by Onze Taal in Pretoria, in the Empress Theatre, probably directed by P.A. Welswijk, the society's regular director. (Ascribed to "C. Moser" and "O. Girndt" by Bosman, 1980: p. 484.)

1906: A play called Een Zenuwachtig Mensch ("a nervous person") and described as a Dutch comedy by Jan P. Heyligers, was performed by the debating society Rust Roest ("rest rusts") assisted some pupils of Eendrachtskool, at the Empress Theatre, Pretoria, under the auspices of the newly resurrected cultural organization Onze Taal, along with Onze Taal's production of Jan Ongeluk (Blumethal and Kadelberg) on the same programme. No reference to such a play has yet been found, but it is very likely that it may simply have been a renamed adaptation of the Dutch version (Nerveus).