As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is!

As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is! ("Once we two are married!") is a romantic farce in four acts in Afrikaans by Gerhard J. Beukes (1913-1998).

(Though Beukes was fond of using exclamation marks in his titles, the title of this play is sometimes also written As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is)

The original text

Described as "'n Spel in vier bedrywe oor 'n Afrikaanse familie in die stad". ("a play in four acts about an Afrikaans family in the city").

Published in Pretoria J.L. van Schaik in 1952, reprinted numerous times since.

The play not only became a huge favourite of both professional and amateur companies over the years, but also assured Beukes the Hertzog Prize for Drama in 1952 (along with his works Langs die steiltes and Salome Dans!).

Translations and adaptations

Adapted as a film by Pierre de Wet and Jan Perold and released in 1962.

Produced by Henry Mylne assisted by Fred Nel for television, 1984.

Performance history in South Africa

1952: First performed professionally by NTO in 1952, playing for 185 performances. The cast included Dan Welman, Sara Louw, Pieter Wilcocks, Tromp Terreblanche, Emgee Pretorius, Nilo Naudé van Zyl, James Norval (Oupa), Anna Cloete (Violet Bloom). Directed by Siegfried Mynhardt. Wena Naudé played the role of "Ma" until she had to leave the company in September.

1966: Performed as As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is in the Biesenbach-saal in Worcester during June/July by Die Dramaklub Skool vir Blindes Worcester (i.e. the newly founded Drama Club of the School for the Blind in Worcester), directed by Eunice Diedericks. The cast consisted of Gerhard Ferreira, Pierre Claassens, Elize Viljoen, Anton Pienaar, Carina Barnard, Bennie van Rensburg, Pieter Blom, Erna Blom, Anna-Marie Moolman, Jeanette Heyns and Eunice Diedericks.

1968: A PACT production opened on 29 August 1968 in the Breytenbach Theatre. The cast included Christopher Hale (Herman), Wilna Snyman (Ma), James Norval (Oupa), Anna Cloete (Weduwee, Violet Bloom), Louw Verwey (Pa), Katinka Heyns as Annalies, Stephan Bouwer (Kalie), Thea Kirstein (Sans), Marius Weyers (Johan), Sheryl Stewardson (Pansy). Directed by Francois Swart, set designed by David Mackenzie.

The film versions

As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is! (1962)

1962: Adapted for the screen as As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is! from Beukes's play by Pierre de Wet and Jan Perold, the film directed by Jan Perold, with Frederik Burgers , Lulu Kruger, Willem Loots, Emsie Botha, Jaco van der Westhuizen, Pat Gill, Abrie van Rooyen, Elsa Fouché, Ralph Loubser, Wena Naudé, Jan Bruyns, Christo Gerber, Sann de Lange, Patrick Mynhardt and Arthur Swemmer. Cinematography by John Brown, assisted by Denzil Doyle, film Editing by Peter Grossett, set décor by George Canes, makeup by William Bell and Lillian O'Flaherty, sound by Edward Howes and Otto Snel. Production manager George Vollaire.

As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is! (1984)

Produced and directed by Henry Mylne, assisted by Fred Nel for television, 1984.

Sources

Helikon, 1(5). pp. 97-98.

Lantern, 2(3):296. 1952.

Teater SA, 1(1) and (2), 1968.

Gerhard J. Beukes (1913–1998) by Erika Terblanche, in LitNet 2014-08-21

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2030314/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm

Copy of a catalogue (handwritten by various hands) of the F.C.L. Bosman collection held at the Nasionale Afrikaanse Letterkunde Museum en Navorsingsentrum (NALN) in Bloemfontein.

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