View source for Kanna hy kô hystoe

''[[Kanna hy kô hystoe]]'' ("Kanna's Coming Home") is a verse play by [[Adam Small]] (1936-2016). 

The above is the published Afrikaans title, but the text has also been spelled in various other ways over the years, including ''[[Kanna hy kó hys toe]]'', ''[[Kanna hy kô Hystoe]]'' or ''[[Kanna, hy kó hystoe]]''. 

== The text ==

An upsetting, but superbly  moving,  [[Afrikaans]] verse play about the issues of voluntary exile, forced removals and the trials and tribulations of a "coloured" family in [[District Six]] in Cape Town. One of the best plays to come out of the [[apartheid]] era, considered by some the best [[Afrikaans]] play.  

Small originally published an [[Afrikaans]] short story with the basic plot in the ''avant garde'' literary journal ''[[Sestiger]]'' of August 1964. This was later expanded and reworked as a play.

An extract of the [[Afrikaans]] play text , without a title (and with "Kanna" still named  "Hannie"), was published in [[Contrast]] (March 1965). 

The full (un-performed) [[Afrikaans]] text of the play, now titled ''[[Kanna hy kô hystoe]]'', was first published by [[Tafelberg Uitgewers]] in 1965. Initially called an unperformable text by critics such as [[W.E.G. Louw]] and [[Abel Coetzee]], it proved to be a moving theatrical work in production when it was finally staged. Reprinted often and prescribed (and produced) numerous times since, by Universities and schools.

==Translations and adaptations==

Translated into English as ''[[Kanna – He is Coming Home]]'' by [[Carol Lasker]], [[Adam Small]] and director [[Peter Krummeck]]. This was first produced (as ''[[Kanna Is Coming Home]]'') at the [[Baxter Theatre]] in Cape Town and later performed in the USA. The text  published by [[Garland]] in 1990. Published by [[Tafelberg Uitgewers]].

In 1994 the play was adapted for the radio and broadcast on [[RSG]] with [[Kevin Smith]] as Kanna, [[Shaleen Surtie-Richards]] as Makiet and [[Soli Philander]], [[Duncan Johnson]], [[June van Merch]], [[Jackie Davids]], [[Roderick Jafta]] and [[Nazli George]] in the other roles. [[Johan Rademan]] directed and the music was composed amd performed by [[Louis van Rensburg]].

== Performance history in South Africa ==

196*: First performed by [[DRAMSOC]], the [[University of the Western Cape]]'s drama society, directed by Small himself. This society later became the [[Cape Flats Players]], who would often do it over the years, as a standard part of their repertoire. 

1971: The first professional production was,  ironically, done in the experimental theatre housed in the [[Old Presidency]] by [[PACOFS]] (Bloemfontein) from 3-12 August 1971, directed by [[Johan Botha]] and featuring [[Louise Mollett-Prinsloo]] as "Makiet", [[Jan Prinsloo]] as Kanna, [[Trudie Taljaard]] as "Kietie" and [[Henk Hugo]]. The playwright, given special permission to stay in the Orange Free State for the rehearsals of his play, had to attend a special rehearsal, alone, since by law he was not allowed to join the whites-only audience. 

1974: The first Cape performance opened at the [[Nico Malan Theatre]] on 22 November 1974, directed by [[Pieter Fourie]]. The playwright, specially invited, refused to attend as no other coloured people could attend. The cast: [[Sandra Kotzé]] (Makiet), [[Cobus Rossouw]], [[Jana Cilliers]], [[Pierre van Pletzen]], [[Ulrich Fobian]], [[Anna Cloete]], [[André Rossouw]], [[Juanita Swanepoel]], [[Marie Pentz]], [[Willem de la Querra]], [[James Blanckenberg]], [[Fitz Morley]], [[Pieter Geldenhuys]], [[Mees Xteen]] and others. Lighting by [[Pieter de Swardt]], costumes by [[Jenny de Swardt]], music by[[Theo Young]].

1974 Staged at the [[Breytenbach Theatre]] in Pretoria and the [[Alexander Theatre]] in Johannesburg by [[PACT]], with [[Wilna Snyman]] as Makiet. 

1975: Produced by the [[Universiteitsteater Stellenbosch]] in the [[H.B. Thom Theatre]], directed by [[Ria Olivier]], with [[Herman Pretorius]] (Kanna), [[Leona Rich]] (Makiet), [[Johan J. Fourie|Johan Fourie]] (Diekie), [[Jannie Hofmeyr]] (Toefie), [[Emile Aucamp]] (Bai) and others.

1976: Performed by [[PACT]].

1976: Performed by [[PACOFS]].

1976: Performed in Cape Town by [[Mavis Taylor]] with [[Marthinus Basson]], [[Alison Marquard]], [[Babs Laker]]; 

1980: Performed in the [[Nico Malan Theatre]], 30 August - 26 September.

1981: Done by the [[Eersterus Performing Arts Council]], Pretoria (in association with [[PACT]]) , directed by ** and starring [[Dot Feldman]], **. 

1985: Performed in English at was the [[Baxter Theatre]] as ''[[Kanna Comes Home]]'', directed by [[Peter Krummeck]] with an ethnically mixed cast that included several members of the [[Cape Flats Players]], and playing to multiracial audiences. According to [[Stephen Gray]], "this is the
first ever production of the work, initially published in 1965, to play in "normal" circumstances, unhampered by any direct form of discriminatory legislation".[https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03064228508533915] 
 
1999 Done by the [[Cape Flats Players]] at [[Aardklop]] and [[KKNK]] to celebrate their first 25 years (they now called the [[Cape Flats-Spelers]] in [[Afrikaans]]), directed by [[Peter Braaf]], with [[Ivan Sylvester]], [[Lloyd Davids]], [[Janine Louw]], [[Marc Morilly]], [[Bertram Adams]], [[Paul Cookson]], [[Sandra Braaf]] and [[Brenda Sylvester]]. 

2002: Produced by [[Albert Maritz]] for the [[Suidoosterfees]], directed by [[Royston Stoffels]], with  [[Denise Newman]] and [[Shaleen Surtie-Richards]] alternating as "Makiet". Also performed at Pentech, and later at the [[Citrusdal Festival]] and the [[H.B. Thom Theatre]] in Stellenbosch.

2003-4: Done by the [[Baxter Theatre]] in June 2004, directed by [[Royston Stoffels]], design by [[Patrick Curtis]] and featuring [[Peter Butler]], [[Denise Newman]], [[Liande Snell]], [[Irvine van der Merwe]], [[Paul Savage]], [[Ivan Abrahams]], [[Mary Daniels]], [[Carmen Maarman]], [[Merlin Balie]], [[Theodore Jantjies]] and [[Abbe-Gail Hartogh]].

2013: Performed in the [[Mango-Wynand Mouton Theatre]] at the ''[[Vrystaat Kunstefees]]'' in July, directed by [[Gerben Kamper]] with [[June van Merch]] (as "Makiet"), [[Brendon Daniels]] (as "Kanna"), [[Crystal Donna Roberts]], [[Jefferson Korkee]], [[Angelo Mockie]] and others.

==Sources==

Theatre programme 1974.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Small_(writer)

[[Jacques van der Elst|Van der Elst, Jacques]] (ed.) 2017. '''n Huldiging. Adam Small. Denker Digter Dramaturg.'', Pretoria: [[Protea Boekhuis]].

[[Stephen Gray]]. 1985. Desegregating the theatre. ''[[Index on Censorship]]'' 4/85[https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03064228508533915]

[[UTS]] theatre programme 1975.

[[Wilhelm Grütter| Grütter, Wilhelm]], [[CAPAB]] 25 Years, 1987. Unpublished research. p 334.

''[[Scenaria]]'' (20), 1980.

''PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988''.

[[ESAT Bibliography Bar-Bas|Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne]] 1988.

''[[Cape Times]]'', 9 June 2004.

Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography|ESAT Bibliography]]

== Return to ==

Return to [[ESAT Plays 1 K|K]] in Plays I Original SA Plays

Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Plays]]

Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]

Return to [[Main Page]]