King Kong: An All-African Jazz Opera - Revision history

Darryl: /* Performance history in South Africa */

2025-01-03T23:00:48Z

Performance history in South Africa

Miriamt: /* The original text */

2018-08-06T06:53:01Z

The original text

Miriamt: /* Sources */

2018-07-19T13:17:38Z

Sources

Ivor at 11:32, 30 January 2018

2018-01-30T11:32:56Z

Fogterop at 18:49, 26 November 2017

2017-11-26T18:49:04Z

Miriamt: /* Performance history in South Africa */

2017-07-26T08:43:12Z

Performance history in South Africa

Miriamt: /* Performance history in South Africa */

2017-07-26T08:42:11Z

Performance history in South Africa

Miriamt at 08:40, 26 July 2017

2017-07-26T08:40:57Z

Satj at 04:56, 30 March 2017

2017-03-30T04:56:00Z

Satj at 04:55, 30 March 2017

2017-03-30T04:55:24Z

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 : The same production was staged by [[Union Artists]], with some changes to the casting: [[Peggy Phango]] (Joyce), [[Patience Gcwabe]] (Miriam), [[Ben Masinga]] (Popcorn), [[Sophie Mgcina]] (Petal), [[Aaron Modise]] (Slim), [[Jerry Tsagane]] (Gangster 1), [[Ernest Mohlomi]] (Gangster 2), [[Tandi Kumalo]] (Lena), [[Louisa Emmanuel]] (Trufina), Mabel Mafuya (Mabel),  [[Alton Kumalo]] (Journalist), Victor Ndlazelwane (Photographer), [[Vena Bendile]] (Joyce's Girl 3), [[Martha Mdenge]] (Ma Ngidi), [[Wanda Makhubu]] (Caswell) and [[Tommy Wilson Buson]] (Preacher/Jordan). This production toured the country, and later also went to London.
-*: Produced by ***, but was not successful as a production
+: Produced by  [[Ian Bernhardt]], but was not successful as a production. The run  lasted  just  a  few  weeks,  playing  to  near-empty  houses.
 : An attempt to revive it again at the [[Spier Festival]] in Stellenbosch floundered on copyright and other issues.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == The original text ==
-A musical about the rise and fall of heavyweight boxer [[Ezekiel Dhlamini]], nicknamed "[[King Kong]]". musical by [[Harry Bloom]] (book), [[Pat Williams]] (lyrics) and [[Todd Mitshikiza]] (Nguni lyrics and music).  Originally written in 1957, and finally performed in 1959.
+A musical about the rise and fall of heavyweight boxer [[Ezekiel Dhlamini]], nicknamed "[[King Kong]]". musical by [[Harry Bloom]] (book), [[Pat Williams]] (lyrics) and [[Todd Matshikiza]] (Nguni lyrics and music).  Originally written in 1957, and finally performed in 1959.
 The production was to become one of the key theatrical events in the development of South African theatre, and has had its share of controversy. On the one hand it was seen as, and almost certainly was, an exploitation of black talent by white entrepreneurs, and a presented a white-washed European version of black community life. On the other hand it gave many performers access to professional theatre, launched the careers and made stars of many performers, some of them in the international arena (e.g.  [[Miriam Makeba]] and [[Hugh Masekela]]), and it contributed powerfully to the development of the so-called “[[township musical]]” tradition utilized by [[Gibson Kente]], [[Sam Manghwane]] and others, and even the eventual '''style and form''' of so-called “[[black theatre]]” and “[[protest theatre]]”.
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 ''[[King Kong]]'' was unsuccessfully revived in the 1980s, while an attempt to revive it again in 2001 at the [[Spier Festival]] in Stellenbosch floundered on copyright and other issues.
 The text was published by [[Collins]] in 1961 as ''[[King Kong – An African Jazz Opera]]''. [[Mona Glasser]] wrote a book about the making of the play called ''King Kong. A Venture in the Theatre'' (Cape Town: [[Norman Howell]], 1960).
 == Performance history in South Africa ==

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 [[Union Artists]] theatre programme, 1960.
-[[Percy Tucker]] 1997.
+[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997. pp 128-134, 162.
 ''[[Cape Times]] Top of the Times'' supplement, 30 June 2017.

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 == Performance history in South Africa ==
-: First performed, under the title ''[[King Kong: A Jazz Opera]]'', by the [[Union of South African Artists]] and the African Medical Scholarship Trust Fund in the [[Wits Great Hall]], the [[Durban  City Hall]] and the [[Camps Bay Civic Theatre]] in Cape Town. Directed by [[Leon Gluckman]], with [[Nathan Mdledle]] (King Kong), [[Miriam Makeba]] (Joyce), [[Joseph Mogotsi]] (Lucky), [[Stephen Moloi]] (Jack), [[Helen Gama]] (Miriam), [[Dan Poho]] (Popcorn), [[Ruth Nkonyeni]] (Petal), [[James Thompson]] (Slim), [[Rufus Khoza]] (Harry), [[Ronnie Majola]] (Joe), [[Boy Ngweya]] (Gangster 1), [[Jerry Tsagane]] (Gangster 2), [[Bennett Masango]] (Sgt. Dhlamini), [[Gwigwi Mrwebi]] (Kuswayo), [[Phyllis Mqomo]] (Pauline), [[Desiree Mkele]] (Lena), [[Esme Raborethi]] (Trufina), [[Victor Ndlazelwane]] (Journalist), [[Abigail Kubeka]] (Joyce's Girl 1), [[Hazel Futa]] (Joyce's Girl 2), [[Suzan Gabashane]] (Joyce's Girl 3), [[Fats Peterson]] (Ma Ngidi), [[Lefty Maruping]] (Caswell) and [[Ken Gampu]] (Preacher/Jordan).  Decor and costumes by [[Arthur Goldreich]], musical direction by [[Stanley Glasser]] and choreography by [[Arnold Dover]]. The orchestra of 14 musicians included [[Hugh Masekela]] on trumpet. The facilitators of the production were [[Clive Menell|Clive]] and [[Irene Menell]] and the publicist was [[Mona Glasser]]. The [[Anglo-American Corporation]] was a major sponsor of the production.
+: First performed, under the title ''[[King Kong: A Jazz Opera]]'', by the [[Union of South African Artists]] and the African Medical Scholarship Trust Fund in the [[Wits Great Hall]], the [[Durban  City Hall]], the [[Feather Market Hall]] in Port Elizabeth where the stage had to be specially adapted to accommodate the musical and where over 10 000 tickets were sold, and the [[Camps Bay Civic Theatre]] in Cape Town. Directed by [[Leon Gluckman]], with [[Nathan Mdledle]] (King Kong), [[Miriam Makeba]] (Joyce), [[Joseph Mogotsi]] (Lucky), [[Stephen Moloi]] (Jack), [[Helen Gama]] (Miriam), [[Dan Poho]] (Popcorn), [[Ruth Nkonyeni]] (Petal), [[James Thompson]] (Slim), [[Rufus Khoza]] (Harry), [[Ronnie Majola]] (Joe), [[Boy Ngweya]] (Gangster 1), [[Jerry Tsagane]] (Gangster 2), [[Bennett Masango]] (Sgt. Dhlamini), [[Gwigwi Mrwebi]] (Kuswayo), [[Phyllis Mqomo]] (Pauline), [[Desiree Mkele]] (Lena), [[Esme Raborethi]] (Trufina), [[Victor Ndlazelwane]] (Journalist), [[Abigail Kubeka]] (Joyce's Girl 1), [[Hazel Futa]] (Joyce's Girl 2), [[Suzan Gabashane]] (Joyce's Girl 3), [[Fats Peterson]] (Ma Ngidi), [[Lefty Maruping]] (Caswell) and [[Ken Gampu]] (Preacher/Jordan).  Decor and costumes by [[Arthur Goldreich]], musical direction by [[Stanley Glasser]] and choreography by [[Arnold Dover]]. The orchestra of 14 musicians included [[Hugh Masekela]] on trumpet. The facilitators of the production were [[Clive Menell|Clive]] and [[Irene Menell]] and the publicist was [[Mona Glasser]]. The [[Anglo-American Corporation]] was a major sponsor of the production.
 : The same production was staged by [[Union Artists]], with some changes to the casting: [[Peggy Phango]] (Joyce), [[Patience Gcwabe]] (Miriam), [[Ben Masinga]] (Popcorn), [[Sophie Mgcina]] (Petal), [[Aaron Modise]] (Slim), [[Jerry Tsagane]] (Gangster 1), [[Ernest Mohlomi]] (Gangster 2), [[Tandi Kumalo]] (Lena), [[Louisa Emmanuel]] (Trufina), Mabel Mafuya (Mabel),  [[Alton Kumalo]] (Journalist), Victor Ndlazelwane (Photographer), [[Vena Bendile]] (Joyce's Girl 3), [[Martha Mdenge]] (Ma Ngidi), [[Wanda Makhubu]] (Caswell) and [[Tommy Wilson Buson]] (Preacher/Jordan). This production toured the country, and later also went to London.
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 ''Wikipedia'': '''King Kong''' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong]
 [[Union of South African Artists]] theatre programme, 1959.

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 == Performance history in South Africa ==
-: First performed, under the title ''[[King Kong: A Jazz Opera]]'', by the [[Union of South African Artists]] and the African Medical Scholarship Trust Fund in the [[Wits Great Hall]] and in the [[Durban  City Hall]]. Directed by [[Leon Gluckman]], with [[Nathan Mdledle]] (King Kong), [[Miriam Makeba]] (Joyce), [[Joseph Mogotsi]] (Lucky), [[Stephen Moloi]] (Jack), [[Helen Gama]] (Miriam), [[Dan Poho]] (Popcorn), [[Ruth Nkonyeni]] (Petal), [[James Thompson]] (Slim), [[Rufus Khoza]] (Harry), [[Ronnie Majola]] (Joe), [[Boy Ngweya]] (Gangster 1), [[Jerry Tsagane]] (Gangster 2), [[Bennett Masango]] (Sgt. Dhlamini), [[Gwigwi Mrwebi]] (Kuswayo), [[Phyllis Mqomo]] (Pauline), [[Desiree Mkele]] (Lena), [[Esme Raborethi]] (Trufina), [[Victor Ndlazelwane]] (Journalist), [[Abigail Kubeka]] (Joyce's Girl 1), [[Hazel Futa]] (Joyce's Girl 2), [[Suzan Gabashane]] (Joyce's Girl 3), [[Fats Peterson]] (Ma Ngidi), [[Lefty Maruping]] (Caswell) and [[Ken Gampu]] (Preacher/Jordan).  Decor and costumes by [[Arthur Goldreich]], musical direction by [[Stanley Glasser]] and choreography by [[Arnold Dover]]. The orchestra of 14 musicians included [[Hugh Masekela]] on trumpet. The facilitators of the production were [[Clive Menell|Clive]] and [[Irene Menell]] and the publicist was [[Mona Glasser]]. The [[Anglo-American Corporation]] was a major sponsor of the production.
+: First performed, under the title ''[[King Kong: A Jazz Opera]]'', by the [[Union of South African Artists]] and the African Medical Scholarship Trust Fund in the [[Wits Great Hall]], the [[Durban  City Hall]] and the [[Camps Bay Civic Theatre]] in Cape Town. Directed by [[Leon Gluckman]], with [[Nathan Mdledle]] (King Kong), [[Miriam Makeba]] (Joyce), [[Joseph Mogotsi]] (Lucky), [[Stephen Moloi]] (Jack), [[Helen Gama]] (Miriam), [[Dan Poho]] (Popcorn), [[Ruth Nkonyeni]] (Petal), [[James Thompson]] (Slim), [[Rufus Khoza]] (Harry), [[Ronnie Majola]] (Joe), [[Boy Ngweya]] (Gangster 1), [[Jerry Tsagane]] (Gangster 2), [[Bennett Masango]] (Sgt. Dhlamini), [[Gwigwi Mrwebi]] (Kuswayo), [[Phyllis Mqomo]] (Pauline), [[Desiree Mkele]] (Lena), [[Esme Raborethi]] (Trufina), [[Victor Ndlazelwane]] (Journalist), [[Abigail Kubeka]] (Joyce's Girl 1), [[Hazel Futa]] (Joyce's Girl 2), [[Suzan Gabashane]] (Joyce's Girl 3), [[Fats Peterson]] (Ma Ngidi), [[Lefty Maruping]] (Caswell) and [[Ken Gampu]] (Preacher/Jordan).  Decor and costumes by [[Arthur Goldreich]], musical direction by [[Stanley Glasser]] and choreography by [[Arnold Dover]]. The orchestra of 14 musicians included [[Hugh Masekela]] on trumpet. The facilitators of the production were [[Clive Menell|Clive]] and [[Irene Menell]] and the publicist was [[Mona Glasser]]. The [[Anglo-American Corporation]] was a major sponsor of the production.
 : The same production was staged by [[Union Artists]], with some changes to the casting: [[Peggy Phango]] (Joyce), [[Patience Gcwabe]] (Miriam), [[Ben Masinga]] (Popcorn), [[Sophie Mgcina]] (Petal), [[Aaron Modise]] (Slim), [[Jerry Tsagane]] (Gangster 1), [[Ernest Mohlomi]] (Gangster 2), [[Tandi Kumalo]] (Lena), [[Louisa Emmanuel]] (Trufina), Mabel Mafuya (Mabel),  [[Alton Kumalo]] (Journalist), Victor Ndlazelwane (Photographer), [[Vena Bendile]] (Joyce's Girl 3), [[Martha Mdenge]] (Ma Ngidi), [[Wanda Makhubu]] (Caswell) and [[Tommy Wilson Buson]] (Preacher/Jordan). This production toured the country, and later also went to London.

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 : An attempt to revive it again at the [[Spier Festival]] in Stellenbosch floundered on copyright and other issues.
-: Restaged at the [[Fugard Theatre]] from 25 July, directed by Jonathan Mundy from the UK, with Cape Town's [[Mdu Kweyama]] as the associate director. William Nicholson has revised the book. The musical directors are Johannesburg-based [[Sipumzo Trueman Lucwaba]] and Cape Town's [[Charl-Johan Lingenfelder]], who have arranged Matshikiza's original music for a contemporary audience. [[Andile Gumbi]] performs the role of King Kong. This production opens in Johannesburg on 12 September.
+: Restaged at the [[Fugard Theatre]] from 25 July, directed by Jonathan Mundy from the UK, with Cape Town's [[Mdu Kweyama]] as the associate director. William Nicholson has revised the book. The musical directors are Johannesburg-based [[Sipumzo Trueman Lucwaba]] and Cape Town's [[Charl-Johan Lingenfelder]], who have arranged Matshikiza's original music for a contemporary audience. [[Andile Gumbi]] performs the role of King Kong. The play also stars [[Nondumiso Tembe]]. This production opens in Johannesburg on 12 September.
 == Sources ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:55, 30 March 2017
Line 36:		Line 36:

	[[Percy Tucker]] 1997.		[[Percy Tucker]] 1997.
−
−
−	~~Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]~~
−
−
−
−
−
−
−	''[[King Kong: An All-African Jazz Opera]]'' (1959) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong_%28musical%29] is a South African musical, with music by [[Todd Matshikiza]], book by [[Harry Bloom]] and lyrics by [[Todd Matshikiza\|Matshikiza]] and [[Pat Willams]].
−
−	A jazz musical by [[Harry Bloom]] (book), [[Pat Williams]] (lyrics) and [[Todd Mitshikiza]]**** (Nguni lyrics and music). Musical about the rise and fall of heavyweight boxer [[Ezekiel Dhlamini]]. The producer was [[Leon Gluckman]], musical director [[Stanley Glasser\|Stanley (Spike) Glasser]], the choreographer [[Arnold Dover]] and the designer [[Arthur Goldreich]]. The facilitators of the production were [[Clive Menell\|Clive]] and [[Irene Menell]]. A production for [[Union Artists]], it had the [[Anglo-American Corporation]] as a major sponsor. Written in (?)1957, first performed in the [[Wits Great Hall]] in 1959. The production starred trumpeter [[Hugh Masekela]], [[Nathan Mdledle]] in the lead role, band vocalist [[Miriam Makeba]], [[Joe Mogotsi]] and [[Peggy Phango]]. Toured the country, playing in , , * and other venues. One of the key theatrical events in the development of South African theatre, it has had its share of controversy. On the one hand it was seen as, and almost certainly was, an exploitation of black talent by white entrepreneurs, and a presented a white-washed European version of black community life. On the other hand it gave many performers access to professional theatre, launched the careers and made stars of many performers, some of them in the international arena (e.g. Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela), and it contributed powerfully to the development of the so-called “township musical” tradition utilized by [[Gibson Kente]], [[Sam Manghwane]] and others, and even the eventual style and form of so-called “black theatre” and “protest theatre”. King Kong was unsuccessfully revived in the 1980s, while an attempt to revive it again in 2001 at the [[Spier Festival]] in Stellenbosch floundered on copyright and other issues. Text published by [[Collins]] in 1961 as '''''King Kong – An African Jazz Opera'''''. A version of the text by * first published [[Fontana Books]] 1961, a second version by * published by * in 19. There is also a book about the show by [[Mona Glasser]] called [[King Kong. A Venture in the Theatre]] (Cape Town: [[Norman Howell]], 1960). (Tucker, 1997)
−
−	~~== Performance history in South Africa ==~~
−	1959: The South African musical by [[Todd Matshikiza\|Matshikiza]], [[Harry Bloom\|Bloom]] and [[Pat Willams\|Williams]], under the title '''''King Kong: A Jazz Opera''''', was staged by the [[Union of South African Artists]] and the African Medical Scholarship Trust Fund in the City Hall in Durban, opening on 11 May, directed by [[Leon Gluckman]], with [[Nathan Mdledle]] (King Kong), [[Miriam Makeba]] (Joyce), [[Joseph Mogotsi]] (Lucky), [[Stephen Moloi]] (Jack), [[Helen Gama]] (Miriam), [[Dan Poho]] (Popcorn), [[Ruth Nkonyeni]] (Petal), [[James Thompson]] (Slim), [[Rufus Khoza]] (Harry), [[Ronnie Majola]] (Joe), [[Boy Ngweya]] (Gangster 1), [[Jerry Tsagane]] (Gangster 2), [[Bennett Masango]] (Sgt. Dhlamini), [[Gwigwi Mrwebi]] (Kuswayo), [[Phyllis Mqomo]] (Pauline), [[Desiree Mkele]] (Lena), [[Esme Raborethi]] (Trufina), [[Victor Ndlazelwane]] (Journalist), [[Abigail Kubeka]] (Joyce's Girl 1), [[Hazel Futa]] (Joyce's Girl 2), [[Suzan Gabashane]] (Joyce's Girl 3), [[Fats Peterson]] (Ma Ngidi), [[Lefty Maruping]] (Caswell) and [[Ken Gampu]] (Preacher/Jordan). Decor and costumes by [[Arthur Goldreich]], musical direction by [[Stanley Glasser]] and choreography by [[Arnold Dover]]. The orchestra of 14 musicians included [[Hugh Masekela]] on trumpet.
−
−	1960: The same production was staged by [[Union Artists]], with some changes to the casting: [[Peggy Phango]] (Joyce), [[Patience Gcwabe]] (Miriam), [[Ben Masinga]] (Popcorn), [[Sophie Mgcina]] (Petal), [[Aaron Modise]] (Slim), [[Jerry Tsagane]] (Gangster 1), [[Ernest Mohlomi]] (Gangster 2), [[Tandi Kumalo]] (Lena), [[Louisa Emmanuel]] (Trufina), Mabel Mafuya (Mabel), [[Alton Kumalo]] (Journalist), Victor Ndlazelwane (Photographer), [[Vena Bendile]] (Joyce's Girl 3), [[Martha Mdenge]] (Ma Ngidi), [[Wanda Makhubu]] (Caswell) and [[Tommy Wilson Buson]] (Preacher/Jordan). This production also toured to London.
−
−	~~== Sources ==~~
−	~~''Wikipedia'': '''King Kong (musical)''' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong_%28musical%29]~~
−
−	~~''Wikipedia'': '''King Kong''' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong]~~
−
−	~~[[Union of South African Artists]] theatre programme, 1959.~~
−
−	~~[[Union Artists]] theatre programme, 1960.~~
−
−	~~Tucker 1997.~~

	Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]		Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]