Die Van Aardes van Grootoor - Revision history

Satj at 05:02, 17 September 2025

2025-09-17T05:02:23Z

Satj: /* Sources */

2025-07-29T05:40:00Z

Sources

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2025-07-29T05:39:13Z

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Satj: /* Performance history in South Africa */

2024-08-14T04:00:29Z

Performance history in South Africa

Satj: /* Performance history in South Africa */

2023-03-19T18:32:30Z

Performance history in South Africa

Satj: /* The original text */

2023-03-19T18:28:46Z

The original text

Satj: /* Performance history in South Africa */

2023-03-19T18:07:42Z

Performance history in South Africa

Satj: /* Performance history in South Africa */

2023-03-19T18:06:54Z

Performance history in South Africa

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2023-03-19T18:02:21Z

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2023-03-19T17:59:48Z

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 ''[[Die Van Aardes van Grootoor]]'' ("The Van Aardes [lit: those of the earth] of Great Ear") is a play  by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]] (1945-).
-Subtitled "'n Epiese verhaal in 780 episodes, 5 bedrywe en 2 landstale" ("an epic tale in 780 episodes, 5 acts and 2 national languages").
+== The original text ==
-== The original text ==
+An iconic [[Afrikaans]] play,  satirising Nationalist politics, it started out as a one-act sketch, created and performed by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys|Uys]] and [[Trix Pienaar]] as part of the anti-censorship revue ''[[Strike Up the Banned]]'' at the [[Space Theatre]] in Cape Town.
-Thereafter, it was developed as a full length play with a large cast enacting the incidents in the various scenes, and was first performed in The Studio at the Baxter Theatre on 26 November 1977, then rewritten and performed in  Die Laager, a newly constructed venue at the Market Theatre, on 20 September 1978.
+Thereafter, it was developed as a full length play with a large cast enacting the incidents in the various scenes, and was first performed in [[The Studio]] at the [[Baxter Theatre]] on 26 November 1977, then rewritten and performed in  [[Die Laager]], a newly constructed venue at the [[Market Theatre]], on 20 September 1978.
 The latter text was formally published by [[Taurus]] in 1979.

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 == Sources ==
-Two of [[Antoinette Kellerman]]'s performance copies of the original full-length text ( signed by the author) found in the [[Stellenbosch Drama Department]] archives in 2022.  The one bound copy includes small textual changes, including cuts/adjustments to some of the more overt racial and sexual terms (presumably made before the [[Market Theatre]] production) and copies of three Cape Town reviews from 1977, by [[W.S. Kaplan]] (''[[The Argus]]''),  "[[K.B.]]" (''[[Die Burger]]'') and [[Glennifer Gillespie]] (The ''[[Cape Times]]''). The other text also has a range of alterations over the course of the Cape Town run, including a full rewrite of the fifth act on 20 November 1977, signed by the author. 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.
+Two of [[Antoinette Kellerman]]'s performance copies of the original full-length text ( signed by the author) found in the [[Stellenbosch Drama Department]] archives in 2022. (Now held in the [[Performing Arts Research Collection]]  ([[PARC]])  at the '''[[Africa Open Institute for Music, Research and Innovation]]''', Stellenbosch.) The one bound copy includes small textual changes, including cuts/adjustments to some of the more overt racial and sexual terms (presumably made before the [[Market Theatre]] production) and copies of three Cape Town reviews from 1977, by [[W.S. Kaplan]] (''[[The Argus]]''),  "[[K.B.]]" (''[[Die Burger]]'') and [[Glennifer Gillespie]] (The ''[[Cape Times]]''). The other text also has a range of alterations over the course of the Cape Town run, including a full rewrite of the fifth act on 20 November 1977, signed by the author. 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.
 A bound copy of the published text based on the adapted [[Market Theatre]] text, ([[Taurus]], 1979), including  two copies of the programme (with cast names) for the 1992 [[Pieter Toerien]] production, found in the [[Stellenbosch Drama Department]] archives in 2022. 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.

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 == Sources ==
-Two of [[Antoinette Kellerman]]'s performance copies of the original full-length text ( signed by the author) found in the [[Stellenbosch Drama Department]] archives in 2022.  The one bound copy includes small textual changes, including cuts/adjustments to some of the more overt racial and sexual terms (presumably made before the [[Market Theatre]] production) and copies of three Cape Town reviews from 1977, by [[W.S. Kaplan]] (''[[The Argus]]''),  "[[K.B.]]" (''[[Die Burger]]'') and [[Glennifer Gillespie]] (The ''[[Cape Times]]''). The other text also has a range of alterations over the course of the Cape Town run, including a full rewrite of the fifth act on 20 November 1977, signed by the author.
+Two of [[Antoinette Kellerman]]'s performance copies of the original full-length text ( signed by the author) found in the [[Stellenbosch Drama Department]] archives in 2022.  The one bound copy includes small textual changes, including cuts/adjustments to some of the more overt racial and sexual terms (presumably made before the [[Market Theatre]] production) and copies of three Cape Town reviews from 1977, by [[W.S. Kaplan]] (''[[The Argus]]''),  "[[K.B.]]" (''[[Die Burger]]'') and [[Glennifer Gillespie]] (The ''[[Cape Times]]''). The other text also has a range of alterations over the course of the Cape Town run, including a full rewrite of the fifth act on 20 November 1977, signed by the author. 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.
-A bound copy of the published text based on the adapted [[Market Theatre]] text, ([[Taurus]], 1979), including  two copies of the programme (with cast names) for the 1992 [[Pieter Toerien]] production, found in the [[Stellenbosch Drama Department]] archives in 2022.
+A bound copy of the published text based on the adapted [[Market Theatre]] text, ([[Taurus]], 1979), including  two copies of the programme (with cast names) for the 1992 [[Pieter Toerien]] production, found in the [[Stellenbosch Drama Department]] archives in 2022. 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.
 [[Market Theatre]] programme, 1978.

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 : [[Dawie Malan]], [[Chris Galloway]] and [[Bill Curry]] formed the nucleus of an experimental theatre group called [[Fringe]] and performed the play as a full-length play to a small audience in [[The Studio]] at the [[Baxter Theatre]] at the end of November, opening on the 26th, directed by [[Dawie Malan|Malan]], with [[Antoinette Kellermann]], [[Mary Dreyer]], [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Lida Botha]] and [[Marthinus Basson]].
-: Staged (with a slightly adapted text) in [[Die Laager]] at the [[Market Theatre]], where it played for an astonishing 18 months (as the venue's opening production). After this it moved to the main [[Market Theatre]] in July 1979. Directed by [[Dawie Malan]], with [[Antoinette Kellermann]] (Dolla van Aarde), [[Rina Nienaber]] (Mimi Degenaar & Brenda Botha), [[Magda Beukes]] (Ouma Degenaar & Elana van Aarde), [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]] (John Firestone Jnr. & Tertius van Aarde), [[Nomsa Nene]] (Ou Aia & Klein Siena & Madame Daphne Quazilezi) and [[Jacques Malan]] (Fanie van Aarde & Evert van Graan). Other actors who also took part during the run at [[Market Theatre|The Market]] include [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Marthinus Basson]], [[Richard van der Westhuizen]], [[Eon de Vos]], [[Elize Cawood]], [[Johan Botha]], [[Lida Botha]], [[Zaza Vorster]] and [[Allan Dyssel]].
+: Staged (with a slightly adapted text) in [[The Laager]] at the [[Market Theatre]], where it played for an astonishing 18 months (as the venue's opening production). After this it moved to the main [[Market Theatre]] in July 1979. Directed by [[Dawie Malan]], with [[Antoinette Kellermann]] (Dolla van Aarde), [[Rina Nienaber]] (Mimi Degenaar & Brenda Botha), [[Magda Beukes]] (Ouma Degenaar & Elana van Aarde), [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]] (John Firestone Jnr. & Tertius van Aarde), [[Nomsa Nene]] (Ou Aia & Klein Siena & Madame Daphne Quazilezi) and [[Jacques Malan]] (Fanie van Aarde & Evert van Graan). Other actors who also took part during the run at [[Market Theatre|The Market]] include [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Marthinus Basson]], [[Richard van der Westhuizen]], [[Eon de Vos]], [[Elize Cawood]], [[Johan Botha]], [[Lida Botha]], [[Zaza Vorster]] and [[Allan Dyssel]].
 : Directed by [[James Blanckenberg]] for the [[University of Cape Town Drama Department]] at the [[Arena Theatre|UCT Arena]], Hiddingh Campus in August. [[Antoinette Butler]] assisted as director and the cast members were [[Shirley Ellis]], [[Bernadine Strutt]], [[Susan Dall]], [[Jamie Bartlett]], [[Paul Savage]], [[Gideon de Wet]], [[Isadora Verwey]] and [[Robert Finlayson]].

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 == Performance history in South Africa ==
-: The first version, a one-act sketch created and performed by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys|Uys]] as part of the anti-censorship revue '''''[[Strike Up the Banned]]''''', performed at the [[Space Theatre]] in Cape Town. The action took place in a familiar [[Springbok Radio]] studio and he and [[Trix Pienaar]] enacted the recording of a serial called “Die Van Aardes van Grootoor” and involved the whole drama, "snot en trane" (lit. "snot and tears") as presented by Kux toiletseep (a word play on Lux toilet soap, a well known sponsor of radio programmes) and dramatically introduced by the most famous theme music, still associated with the even more famous (and real) radio serial, ''[[Die Du Plooys van Soetmelksvlei]]''.
+: The first version, a one-act sketch created and performed by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys|Uys]] as part of the anti-censorship revue '''''[[Strike Up the Banned]]''''', performed at the [[Space Theatre]] in Cape Town.
-: [[Dawie Malan]], [[Chris Galloway]] and [[Bill Curry]] formed the nucleus of an experimental theatre group called [[Fringe]] and performed it as a full-length play to a small audience in [[The Studio]] at the [[Baxter Theatre]] at the end of November, directed by [[Dawie Malan|Malan]], starring [[Antoinette Kellermann]], [[Mary Dreyer]], [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Lida Botha]] and [[Marthinus Basson]].
+: [[Dawie Malan]], [[Chris Galloway]] and [[Bill Curry]] formed the nucleus of an experimental theatre group called [[Fringe]] and performed the play as a full-length play to a small audience in [[The Studio]] at the [[Baxter Theatre]] at the end of November, opening on the 26th, directed by [[Dawie Malan|Malan]], with [[Antoinette Kellermann]], [[Mary Dreyer]], [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Lida Botha]] and [[Marthinus Basson]].
-: Staged (with a slightly adapted text) in [[The Laager]] at the [[Market Theatre]] for 18 months (as the theatre's opening production), after which it moved to the main [[Market Theatre]] in July 1979. Directed by [[Dawie Malan]], with [[Antoinette Kellermann]] (Dolla van Aarde), [[Rina Nienaber]] (Mimi Degenaar & Brenda Botha), [[Magda Beukes]] (Ouma Degenaar & Elana van Aarde), [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]] (John Firestone Jnr. & Tertius van Aarde), [[Nomsa Nene]] (Ou Aia & Klein Siena & Madame Daphne Quazilezi) and [[Jacques Malan]] (Fanie van Aarde & Evert van Graan). Other actors who also took part during the run at [[Market Theatre|The Market]] include [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Marthinus Basson]], [[Richard van der Westhuizen]], [[Eon de Vos]], [[Elize Cawood]], [[Johan Botha]], [[Lida Botha]], [[Zaza Vorster]] and [[Allan Dyssel]].
+: Staged (with a slightly adapted text) in [[Die Laager]] at the [[Market Theatre]], where it played for an astonishing 18 months (as the venue's opening production). After this it moved to the main [[Market Theatre]] in July 1979. Directed by [[Dawie Malan]], with [[Antoinette Kellermann]] (Dolla van Aarde), [[Rina Nienaber]] (Mimi Degenaar & Brenda Botha), [[Magda Beukes]] (Ouma Degenaar & Elana van Aarde), [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]] (John Firestone Jnr. & Tertius van Aarde), [[Nomsa Nene]] (Ou Aia & Klein Siena & Madame Daphne Quazilezi) and [[Jacques Malan]] (Fanie van Aarde & Evert van Graan). Other actors who also took part during the run at [[Market Theatre|The Market]] include [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Marthinus Basson]], [[Richard van der Westhuizen]], [[Eon de Vos]], [[Elize Cawood]], [[Johan Botha]], [[Lida Botha]], [[Zaza Vorster]] and [[Allan Dyssel]].
 : Directed by [[James Blanckenberg]] for the [[University of Cape Town Drama Department]] at the [[Arena Theatre|UCT Arena]], Hiddingh Campus in August. [[Antoinette Butler]] assisted as director and the cast members were [[Shirley Ellis]], [[Bernadine Strutt]], [[Susan Dall]], [[Jamie Bartlett]], [[Paul Savage]], [[Gideon de Wet]], [[Isadora Verwey]] and [[Robert Finlayson]].
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 : Staged by [[PACT]], directed by [[Louis van Niekerk]], with [[Christine Basson]] (Dolla), [[Lida Meiring]] (Ouma Diegenaar/Elana), [[Nomhle Nkonyeni]] (Aia/Siena/ Madame Quazilezi), [[Ronel Kriel]] (Mimi/Brenda), [[Frans Kalp]] (John Firestone/Tertius) and [[Gert van Niekerk]] (Fanie/Evert). Design by [[James MacNamara]].
-: Restaged by [[Pieter Toerien]] at the [[Theatre on the Bay]] and the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre]] in a new, updated, version featuring [[Casper de Vries]], [[Trix Pienaar]], [[Lizz Meiring]], [[Grethe Brazelle]], [[Motshabi Tyelele]], [[Andrew Wilson]] directed by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]].
+: Restaged by [[Pieter Toerien]] at the [[Theatre on the Bay]] and the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre]] in a new, markedly updated, version featuring [[Casper de Vries]], [[Trix Pienaar]], [[Lizz Meiring]], [[Grethe Brazelle]], [[Motshabi Tyelele]], [[Andrew Wilson]] directed by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]].
 : Taken to various festivals in a production directed by [[Anthony Wilson]], with a Cape Flats cast including [[Denise Newman]], [[Lee-Ann van Rooi]], [[André Samuels]], [[Irvine van der Merwe]], [[Nomkhita Bavuma]] and [[Lindie Stander]].

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == The original text ==
-An iconic [[Afrikaans]] play,  satyrising Nationalist politics, this is a full-length version of a one-act sketch created and performed by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys|Uys]] as part of the anti-censorship revue ''[[Strike Up the Banned]]'' at the [[Space Theatre]] in Cape Town. It is based on the format of popular and long-running [[Afrikaans]] radio soap operas of the late 1950s and early 1960s, such as ''[[Liefdeslied]]'' ("love song") and ''[[Die Du Plooys van Soetmelksvlei]]'' (from which the title of Uys's play derives).
+An iconic [[Afrikaans]] play,  satirising Nationalist politics, it started out as a one-act sketch, created and performed by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys|Uys]] and and [[Trix Pienaar]] as part of the anti-censorship revue ''[[Strike Up the Banned]]'' at the [[Space Theatre]] in Cape Town.
-The text was published by Taurus, 1979
+Thereafter, it was developed as a full length play with a large cast enacting the incidents in the various scenes, and was first performed in The Studio at the Baxter Theatre on 26 November 1977, then rewritten and performed in  Die Laager, a newly constructed venue at the Market Theatre, on 20 September 1978.
 ==Translations and adaptations==

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 == Performance history in South Africa ==
-: The full-length version of a one-act sketch created and performed by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys|Uys]] as part of the anti-censorship revue ''[[Strike Up the Banned]]'' at the [[Space Theatre]] in Cape Town. The whole thing took place in a familiar [[Springbok Radio]] studio and he and [[Trix Pienaar]] enacted the recording of a serial called “Die Van Aardes van Grootoor” and involved the whole drama, "snot en trane" (lit. "snot and tears") as presented by Kux toiletseep (a word play on Lux toilet soap, a well known sponsor of radio programmes) and dramatically introduced by the most famous theme music, still associated with the even more famous (and real) radio serial, ''[[Die Du Plooys van Soetmelksvlei]]''.
+: The first version, a a one-act sketch created and performed by [[Pieter-Dirk Uys|Uys]] as part of the anti-censorship revue ''[[Strike Up the Banned]]'', performed at the [[Space Theatre]] in Cape Town. The action took place in a familiar [[Springbok Radio]] studio and he and [[Trix Pienaar]] enacted the recording of a serial called “Die Van Aardes van Grootoor” and involved the whole drama, "snot en trane" (lit. "snot and tears") as presented by Kux toiletseep (a word play on Lux toilet soap, a well known sponsor of radio programmes) and dramatically introduced by the most famous theme music, still associated with the even more famous (and real) radio serial, ''[[Die Du Plooys van Soetmelksvlei]]''.
-: [[Dawie Malan]], [[Chris Galloway]] and [[Bill Curry]] formed the nucleus of an experimental theatre group called [[Fringe]] and performed it as a full-length play to a small audience at the [[Baxter Theatre]] at the end of November, directed by [[Dawie Malan|Malan]], starring [[Antoinette Kellermann]], [[Mary Dreyer]], [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Lida Botha]] and [[Marthinus Basson]].
+: [[Dawie Malan]], [[Chris Galloway]] and [[Bill Curry]] formed the nucleus of an experimental theatre group called [[Fringe]] and performed it as a full-length play to a small audience in [[The Studio]] at the [[Baxter Theatre]] at the end of November, directed by [[Dawie Malan|Malan]], starring [[Antoinette Kellermann]], [[Mary Dreyer]], [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Lida Botha]] and [[Marthinus Basson]].
 : Staged (with a slightly adapted text) in [[The Laager]] at the [[Market Theatre]] for 18 months (as the theatre's opening production), after which it moved to the main [[Market Theatre]] in July 1979. Directed by [[Dawie Malan]], with [[Antoinette Kellermann]] (Dolla van Aarde), [[Rina Nienaber]] (Mimi Degenaar & Brenda Botha), [[Magda Beukes]] (Ouma Degenaar & Elana van Aarde), [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]] (John Firestone Jnr. & Tertius van Aarde), [[Nomsa Nene]] (Ou Aia & Klein Siena & Madame Daphne Quazilezi) and [[Jacques Malan]] (Fanie van Aarde & Evert van Graan). Other actors who also took part during the run at [[Market Theatre|The Market]] include [[Chris Galloway]], [[Bill Curry]], [[Marthinus Basson]], [[Richard van der Westhuizen]], [[Eon de Vos]], [[Elize Cawood]], [[Johan Botha]], [[Lida Botha]], [[Zaza Vorster]] and [[Allan Dyssel]].

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 Two of [[Antoinette Kellerman]]'s performance copies of the original full-length text ( signed by the author) found in the [[Stellenbosch Drama Department]] archives in 2022.  The one bound copy includes small textual changes, including cuts/adjustments to some of the more overt racial and sexual terms (presumably made before the [[Market Theatre]] production) and copies of three Cape Town reviews from 1977, by [[W.S. Kaplan]] (''[[The Argus]]''),  "[[K.B.]]" (''[[Die Burger]]'') and [[Glennifer Gillespie]] (The ''[[Cape Times]]''). The other text also has a range of alterations over the course of the Cape Town run, including a full rewrite of the fifth act on 20 November 1977, signed by the author.
 [[Market Theatre]] programme, 1978.
@@ Line 42: / Line 44: @@
 [[PACT]] theatre programme, 1987.
-''Die Van Aardes van Grootoor'' programme notes, 1992.
+''[[Die Van Aardes van Grootoor]]'' programme notes, 1992.
 [[KKNK]] programme, 29 March-6 April 2013.