Cinderella

Cinderella is an ancient children's story much used for stage and other presentation over the ages.

The original text

Apparently first written up in China, it has become famous across the globe, in a variety of forms, including the fables of Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, numerous stage versions , the films of Walt Disney, and so on. (See for example "Cinderella" in Wikipedia[1] and similar websites.)

South African translations and adaptations

A British adaptation also used in South Africa is the 1944 musical The Glass Slipper by Harry and Eleanor Farjeon (see The Glass Slipper).

Often adapted locally as a pantomime version , inter alia by Nicholas Ellenbogen, John Moss, Janice Honeyman, Jerry Nicholls, Rick Everett, Steven Stead,

Adapted as an operetta by Geoffrey Tansley

Translated and adapted into Afrikaans as Aspoestertjie by Tine Balder and Francesca Bantock.

Translated and adapted into Afrikaans as Aspoestertjie, a children’s production by Pieter A. Venter.

Translated and adapted into Afrikaans as a musical for juniors by Fransie Prinsloo and Elmarie Maree.

Performance history in South Africa

1950 ended with this, African Theatres’ Christmas pantomime, starring British comedian Tommy Trinder[2] as its star. It was performed at His Majesty's Theatre.

1959-60: The Glass Slipper produced jointly by National Theatre Organisation, the Johannesburg Reps and the Children's Theatre. *

1971: The Quibell Brothers presented Jerry Nicholls's production at the Three Arts Theatre in December 1971 starring Joyce Bradley as the Fairy Godmother and Diane Cahil as Cinderella.

1974: John Moss wrote another pantomime version of this story which was presented by NAPAC Drama, choreographed by Joy Shearer from 17 December 1974 at the Alhambra Theatre Durban;

1978: produced by PACT, starring Tobie Cronje and Michael McCabe as the Ugly Sisters.

1980: Produced by NAPAC from 9 December 1980 at the Alhambra Theatre, Durban

1982: Produced by PACT at the State Theatre in 1982;

1982: Produced in Afrikaans as Aspoestertjie by CAPAB, from 1 July in the Nico Malan Theatre. Directed by Johan Esterhuizen with Marthinus Basson, Neels Coetzee, Terry Greyvenstein, Marié Human, Christo Potgieter, Russel Savadier, David van der Merwe and Lynita Crofford. Decor and costumes by Jenny Gillis, lighting by Malcolm Hurrell.

1988: Produced by NAPAC Drama at The Opera, Natal Playhouse, choreographed by Denise Britz, from 8 December 1988 .

1991: Nicholas Ellenbogen directed another pantomime version of this play for Theatre for Africa at the Wits University Theatre in 1991.

1993: Produced in December by The Story Spinning Theatre in the Baxter Theatre. Adapted and directed by Rick Everett with Chireen Ferreira as Cinderella, Matthew Roberts and David Appleby as The Ugly Sisters, Denver Vraagom as Buttons with Pippa Duffy as The Prince and Elton John Duffy as William, directed by Everett. Original music and lyrics by Pippa Duffy, musical direction by Brian Burke.

2008-9: Produced by KickstArt at the Kwasuka Theatre, directed by Steven Stead, from 3 December 2008 to 2 January 2009.

Sources

Cinderella theatre programme, 1971.

Martin 2008. (re PACT 1978 production).

Baxter Theatre pamphlet, December 1993.

Nico Malan Theatre Centre pamphlet

Percy Tucker, 1997.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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