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

1886: Little Red Riding Hood; or, The Wicked Wolf, the Witch and the Worst of It , presented by Fillis' Circus in Durban.

1896: Little Red Riding Hood; or, The Fairy Garden Party, presented by Fillis' Circus in Cape Town.

1905: Red Riding Hood, a burlesque version by Hickrey Wood, was performed in the Standard Theatre, Johannesburg in January/February and at the Opera House, Cape Town, February/March, by the Sass-Nelson Musical Comedy Company, featuring William Cromwell and Chrissie Leonard.

1916: Red Riding Hood produced and directed by Miss Norah O'Neill at the Masonic Hall, Germiston, featuring students from her studio.

1921/1922: Little Red Riding Hood presented by African Theatres at His Majesty's Theatre, Johannesburg (December - January 1922), Tivoli Theatre, Cape Town (January - February 1922), Theatre Royal, Durban (March 1922). Directed by Fred Coyne.

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.

1979: Presented by the Western Players, directed by Bunty Gammon.

1983: Red Riding Hood adapted and directed by Glynn Day, presented by Just Us Company in the Nico Malan Theatre Foyer.

1996: Rooikappietjie by Janice Honeyman

2001: Rooi ("Red") by Gaerin Hauptfleisch presented at the annual ATKV School Play Competition, directed by Gaerin Hauptfleisch.

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

Dates unknown: 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

Greyvenstein, Walter 1988. The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.

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