Nico Malan Theatre Centre - Revision history

Darryl at 13:14, 22 October 2026

2026-10-22T13:14:43Z

Darryl: /* History */

2026-10-22T13:01:00Z

History

Darryl: /* History */

2026-10-22T13:00:37Z

History

Darryl: /* Theatre (seating 540) */

2026-10-22T12:59:41Z

Theatre (seating 540)

Darryl: /* Opera House (seating 1487) */

2026-10-22T12:59:11Z

Opera House (seating 1487)

Darryl: /* Arena Theatre (seating 140) */

2026-10-22T12:40:47Z

Arena Theatre (seating 140)

Darryl at 12:17, 22 October 2026

2026-10-22T12:17:36Z

Darryl: /* Arena Theatre (seating 140) */

2026-05-22T15:54:46Z

Arena Theatre (seating 140)

Darryl: /* History */

2026-05-22T15:53:37Z

History

Darryl at 15:53, 22 May 2026

2026-05-22T15:53:06Z

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 =History (1971-2000)=
-The [[Nico Malan Theatre Centre]] (The [[Nico Malan Skouburg]] in [[Afrikaans]]) was opened on 19 May 1971, to be programmed and managed by the [[Cape Performing Arts Board]] ([[CAPAB]]) as a production house with four arts companies – orchestra, opera, ballet and drama. It was named after Dr [[Johannes Nicholas Malan]] (better known as [[Nico Malan]]), a politician and administrator of the Cape Province (1960-1970). Malan had initiated the building project.
+The [[Nico Malan Theatre Centre]] (The [[Nico Malan Skouburg]] in [[Afrikaans]]) was opened on 19 May 1971, to be programmed and managed by the [[Cape Performing Arts Board]] ([[CAPAB]]) as a production house with four arts companies – orchestra, opera, ballet and drama: each of the companies had full-time artists, technical and administrative staff.
 The theatre complex was built on the premises where the [[Alhambra Theatre]] (a [[Bioscope|bioscope]], at times also used as theatre) had originally stood. Architecturally and technologically the most advanced of all South African theatres when it was opened, it had been constructed for a massive R12million.  It was one of the first theatres in the Southern Hemisphere with electro-mechanical facilities for transporting décor. The theatre was also geared with a computerised lighting system. A fire in the opera houses’ lighting switchboard caused approximately a R1million in damages in 1976.
-In 1980, the largest symposium to date, a conference on Disaster Treatment, was attended by a 1400 people. In 1981, an even bigger crowd attended to hear the former South African and Israeli Cabinet minister, Abba Eban, speak.
+The government-funded centre was initially opened to Whites only. This exclusionary Apartheid policy received widespread objection from several quarters and after enormous pressure, and in 1975 it became the first South African theatre that the Apartheid government, through a permit system, allowed all races into its premises, while on 11 March 1978 the then Nationalist government abolished its legislation that barred mixed race audiences in theatres and mixed race casts in productions. As an attempt to popularise it and rid itself of the apartheid stigma, it was at one point renamed '''"[[The Nico]]"''' (with the slogan "The Nico for All").
-As an attempt to popularise it and rid itself of the apartheid stigma, it was at one point renamed '''"[[The Nico]]"''' (with the slogan "The Nico for All").
+Apart from [[CAPAB]]'s own productions, the Centre also acted as a receiving house for visiting/touring shows by other producers. In 1980, the largest symposium to date, a conference on Disaster Treatment, was attended by a 1400 people. In 1981, an even bigger crowd attended to hear the former South African and Israeli Cabinet minister, Abba Eban, speak.
-Apart from [[CAPAB]]'s own productions, the Centre also acted as a receiving house for visiting/touring shows by other producers.
+From 1994 government policy changed dramatically. All performing arts boards were transformed to playhouses and the various arts companies had to become independent. In 1997 the [[CAPAB]] staged its last play, ''[[The Guise]]'', by David Mowat. It was staged as an ode to the closing down of [[CAPAB]] and the major theme of the play was the survival of theatre.
 In line with the new South African the political dispensation and the concurrent changes, the complex was renamed the [[Artscape|Artscape Theatre Centre]] in March 2001.
@@ Line 47: / Line 49: @@
 '''For more information, see [[Cape Performing Arts Board]] (pre 2001) or [[Artscape]] (post 2001)'''.
 =Return to =

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 '''For information on the theatre complex post 2000, see [[Artscape Theatre Centre]].'''
-=History=
+=History (1971-2000)=
 The [[Nico Malan Theatre Centre]] (The [[Nico Malan Skouburg]] in [[Afrikaans]]) was opened on 19 May 1971, to be programmed and managed by the [[Cape Performing Arts Board]] ([[CAPAB]]) as a production house with four arts companies – orchestra, opera, ballet and drama. It was named after Dr [[Johannes Nicholas Malan]] (better known as [[Nico Malan]]), a politician and administrator of the Cape Province (1960-1970). Malan had initiated the building project.

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 In 1980, the largest symposium to date, a conference on Disaster Treatment, was attended by a 1400 people. In 1981, an even bigger crowd attended to hear the former South African and Israeli Cabinet minister, Abba Eban, speak.
-As an attempt to popularise it and rid itself of the apartheid stigma, it was renamed '''"[[The Nico]]"''' (with the slogan "The Nico for All") in 19??.
+As an attempt to popularise it and rid itself of the apartheid stigma, it was at one point renamed '''"[[The Nico]]"''' (with the slogan "The Nico for All").
-Apart from CAPAB's own productions, the Centre also acted as a receiving house for visiting/touring shows by other producers.
+Apart from [[CAPAB]]'s own productions, the Centre also acted as a receiving house for visiting/touring shows by other producers.
 In line with the new South African the political dispensation and the concurrent changes, the complex was renamed the [[Artscape|Artscape Theatre Centre]] in March 2001.

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:59, 22 October 2026
Line 29:		Line 29:

	== Theatre (seating 540)==		== Theatre (seating 540)==
		+
		+	The theatre was used principally by [[CAPAB Drama]].
		+
	== Arena Theatre (seating 140)==		== Arena Theatre (seating 140)==

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 == Opera House (seating 1487)==
 == Theatre (seating 540)==
 == Arena Theatre (seating 140)==

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 == Arena Theatre (seating 140)==
-Built on the side stage of the Theatre, originally as a space to house the work of CAPAB's experimental company, the [[CAPAB Theatre Laboratory]].) It opened with a production of Dylan Thomas’s ''[[Under Milkwood]]'' (1972).
+Built on the side stage of the Theatre, originally as a space to house the work of CAPAB's experimental company, the [[CAPAB Theatre Laboratory]]. It opened with a production of Dylan Thomas’s ''[[Under Milkwood]]'' (1972).
 Numerous groundbreaking productions have been done there over the years, including [[Rosalie van der Gucht]]’s production of [[James Ambrose Brown]]’s version of ''[[The Story of an African Farm]]'' (1975), ''[[Mis]]'', ''[[Mirakel]]'' and ''[[Drif]]'' (all three by [[Reza de Wet]]). Other groups also used the space, such as the [[Peninsula Group for the Performing Arts]] (with ''[[Die Bulldozers het Gekom]]'' in 1986).

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:17, 22 October 2026
Line 4:		Line 4:

	Renamed [[Artscape Theatre Centre]] in 2001.		Renamed [[Artscape Theatre Centre]] in 2001.
		+
		+	'''For information on the theatre complex post 2000, see [[Artscape Theatre Centre]].'''

	=History=		=History=

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:53, 22 May 2026
Line 2:		Line 2:

	Also known as the '''"[[The Nico]]"''' or '''"[[Die Nico]]"''' in [[Afrikaans]].		Also known as the '''"[[The Nico]]"''' or '''"[[Die Nico]]"''' in [[Afrikaans]].
		+
		+	Renamed [[Artscape Theatre Centre]] in 2001.

	=History=		=History=