Difference between revisions of "National Theatre Organisation"

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The [[National Theatre Organisation]] (In [[Afrikaans]]: [[Nasionale Toneelorganisasie]]. Best known by its acronym: [[NTO]])was a state funded organization founded to promote and produce theatre in [[Afrikaans]] and English in South Africa, which in the period aqctually implied "among white audiences".  
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The [[National Theatre Organisation]] (1947-1961), was a bilingual, state supported theatre organisation.
  
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Known as the [[Nasionale Toneelorganisasie]] in [[Afrikaans]] and using the acronym '''[[NTO]]''', it  founded in 1947 to promote and produce theatre in [[Afrikaans]] and English in South Africa - the first such organisation in the British Empire.
  
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== Pre-history and founding of [[NTO]] ==
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''Not to be confused with the [[National Theatre Organisation of Zimbabwe]], or the [[Nasionale Toneel Organisasie]] founded in 2019).''
  
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National Theatre Organization: It was a sub-committee of the National Council for Adult Education under the direction of Dr G.W Eybers. P.P.B Breytenbach was the first director. Its members were Steve Naude (secretary), Anna Neethling-Pohl, Major Myles Bourke and Professor Donald Inskip of the University of Cape Town's Little Theatre. Aimed at providing the best possible theatre, venues and training. Mr J.H. Hofmeyer allocated money through the Federation of Amateur Theatrical Societies of Southern Africa (FATSSA), and then Breytenbach's committee became the NTO Board of Control. André Huguenet was the Company Manager in the early days.
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= History =
  
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NTO was founded in 1947 in response to years of appeals from a large range of individuals and organisations, and strengthened by the success of the 1947 [[Afrikaans]] production of ''[[Hamlet]]'' and in direct response to an ambitious proposal for a sponsorship for all the performing art forms submitted to the [[National Council of Adult Education]] in April 1947 by a sub-committee on theatre matters, established and chaired by [[P.P.B. Breytenbach]], a council member and then the president of [[FATSSA]]. Members of the committee included [[Myles Bourke]], [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]],  [[Donald Inskip]] and  [[Steve Naude]]. The minister of Education, [[J.H. Hofmeyr]], allocated £400 (plus a loan of £3 600) to the Federation of Amateur Theatrical Societies of South Africa (FATSSA) to to organise bilingual tours of theatre only in 1948 as an experiment. The founding of the new company was officially announced on 21 June 1947. There was an outcry from the professional fraternity, who refused to be "organized" by amateurs, thus the original idea was scrapped and the sub-committee, chaired by Breytenbach and enhanced by the addition of Leontine Sagan and André Huguenet, became a mediatory body and later the controlling body of NTO. The directorate met for the first time in Johannesburg on 7 July 1947  and gradually Breytenbach, Inskip and Bourke took over the day to day running of the organisation. In 1948 the board was enlarged with the addition of Elizabeth Sneddon, Marda Vanne, F.C.L. Bosman, S.H. Pellisier, J.P. Op 't Hof and P.J. Theron as members. In the same year Doris Lancaster became the first formal appointment as full-time secretary (initially working with Breytenbach in Krugersdorp, moving to offices in Petoria in 1950). In 1952, Breytenbach became its full time Director, and also moved to Pretoria, with F.C.L. Bosman taking over as chairman (1952-1953), followed by Geoff Cronje (1954-1961). The office and production staff over the years were to include Michal Grobbelaar (technical and production manager , 1955-1962), Frank Graves and Doreen Graves (designers), Victor Melleney (production manager, 1958-1962), and the press officers  Piet Bezuidenhout (Pretoria) Nellie Kruger  (Johannesburg) and Muriel Kavanagh (Cape Town).
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== Pre-history ==
  
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The funding also changed as they got under way, the initial loan being waived and becoming a straight grant of £10 000 in 1948 and £15 000 in 1949. By 1957 £10 000 had been added for the development of regional branches. Despite repeated entreaties due to rising costs, the grant of £25 000 remained at that level till the end, with occasional extra allowances of £5 000 for specific purposes. Starting with offices in Krugersdorp, then temporary offices in Pretoria, NTO finally purchased the old Marais homestead in Sunnyside, Pretoria, moving in in May 1957, with the intention of converting it to a national theatre, but initially used as the head offices for the organization.  (The conversion never happened and PACT eventually sold the building to a consortium to build a shopping mall.) In 1955 NTO also purchased the Harmony Hall in President street, with a grant from the city council, and the house next door was bought and donated to NTO by Breytenbach for use as offices and training school. This was converted to an experimental venue, the NTO Kamertoneel, in 1958-9, and in 1959 (after extensive modifications) became the National Theatre Pretoria. (In 1967 renamed the Breytenbach Theatre)
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Over the years before 1947 a growing number of individuals, organisations and institutions had been agitating for a form of state intervention and the founding of some kind of "national theatre" in South Africa.   
  
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The culminating moment came with the advent of a rapidly growing [[indigenous]] professional theatre movement in the country, particularly in the years 1936 and 1947,  when a strong and concerted thrust towards this ideal emerged. In this period the names of numerous prominent (white) theatre personalities and academics are found in the minutes of meetings and on petitions, among them: [[Muriel Alexander]], [[S.P.E. Boshoff]], [[F.C.L. Bosman]],[[Hélène Botha]],[[Myles Bourke]], [[P.P.B. Breytenbach]], [[John Connell]], [[Hermien Dommisse]], [[W.J. du P. Erlank]] ("[[Eitemal]]"), [[Gwen ffrangçon-Davies]], [[Hendrik Hanekom]], [[L.W. Hiemstra]], [[André Huguenet]], [[Margaret Inglis]], [[Donald Inskip]], [[Rayne Kruger]], [[T.H. le Roux]].  [[W.E.G. Louw]], [[Nan Munro]], [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]], [[Leontine Sagan]] and [[Marda Vanne]]. Among the organisations that involved themselves in this were [[FATSSA]], the [[Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns]] and the [[Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge]] ("Federation of [[Afrikaans]] Cultural Associations"). ([[FAK]]).
  
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However, given the nature of the society at the time, this push was coming from a very specific segment of the South African population, namely the white "European" citizens. On the other hand there was at this time also another lone,  but compelling, voice with different message and interpretation of the notion of a "[[National Theatre]]" for the country. The playwright and cultural leader [[H.I.E. Dhlomo]], wrote a series of articles expounding his notion of a national [[African]] theatre in **. While interesting at the time, these ideas were really only picked up much later , when Dhlomo's works had regained attention in the late 1970's, notably through the publications of [[Tim Couzens]] - when they informed much of the debate surrounding the notion of [[black theatre]] and [[indigenous]] theatre in the (coming) "new South Africa".
  
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Actual work on productions started with the artistic advisors (Sagan, Neethling-Pohl and Huguenet), going on a national tour in late 1947 to muster support and audition potential performers. The first two productions were rehearsed and launched by the English and Afrikaans at the Little Theatre, Cape Town on 2 and 12 February 1948. They were Altyd my Liefste (Lessing, dir. Truida Pohl) and Dear Brutus (Barrie, dir. Leontine Sagan), which were then taken on tour , with the English and Afrikaans companies travelling together and sharing back-stage responsibilities. They did a second tour in 1948, with Nag het die Wind Gebring (De Klerk) and An Inspector Calls (Priestley). Both tours were well received. In 1949 and 1950 an experiment was made with a bilingual company, performing a repertory of four plays consecutively. This was not popular and by 1951 the companies had parted company, with Afrikaans and English companies touring separately. Extended tours lasted up to one year at a time, with at times up to five companies on the road. The tours often took on dangerous or sometimes farcical dimensions, hampered by long distances, bad roads in the rural areas, lack of suitable venues, etc. However the NTO visits in remote areas were greatly appreciated.  
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An important step forward came in 1945, when the then Minister of Education, Arts and Science (Mr [[J.H. Hofmeyr]]) instituted a commission of enquiry, led by Dr [[G.W. Eybers]] (chairman) and [[J.J.P. O'pt Hof]] (secretary),  to study the educational and social needs of the country after the second world war. The so-called [[Eybers Commission of Enquiry]], into post war social issues that a [[National Council for Adult Education]] ([[NCAE]]) be founded, under the chairmanship of Dr Eybers.  
  
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[[P.P.B. Breytenbach]] (principal of a prominent technical school and the founding chairman of [[FATSSA]]), was appointed as a member [[NCAE]], and in this capacity persuaded the theatre-loving Dr [[G.W. Eybers|Eybers]] to create a sub-committee devoted to theatre matters. The first such committee began work in 1947, chaired by [[P.P.B. Breytenbach|Breytenbach]],  with [[Steve Naudé]] as secretary  and [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]] of [[Volksteater]], Major [[Myles Bourke]] of the [[UDF Entertainment Unit]] and Professor [[Donald Inskip]] of the University of Cape Town's [[Little Theatre]] as members. This committee immediately set about preparing and submitting an ambitious proposal for a sponsorship for all the performing art forms, based on an outline prepared by [[Myles Bourke]], to the council.
  
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In response [[J.H. Hofmeyr|Minister Hofmeyr]], allocated £400 (plus a loan of £3 600) to the [[Federation of Amateur Theatrical Societies of South Africa]] ([[FATSSA]]), to organise bilingual tours of theatre only,  in 1948. This was to be a preliminary experiment.
  
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== Founding and early days ==
  
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The founding of the new company was officially announced on 21 June 1947. There was an outcry from the professional fraternity at the allocation to [[FATSSA]], refusing to be "organized" by amateurs, thus the original idea was scrapped and the sub-committee, still chaired by Breytenbach,  was now enhanced by the addition of two professionals,  [[Leontine Sagan]] and [[André Huguenet]]. This committee became a mediatory body for the experiment, and later the controlling body of [[NTO]]. In the early days [[André Huguenet]] also acted as the Company Manager.
  
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All in all they mounted 103 productions (including children's plays, repetitions and imported and/or sponsored productions) in the period from 1948 to 1962. (See Part 3 Section 4b for the plays done by NTO)  Of  these 25 were of indigenous (Afrikaans or English) plays, a number specifically written for NTO by authors such as Gerhard Beukes, Guy Butler, W.A. de Klerk, D.J. Opperman, N.P. van Wyk Louw, James Ambrose Brown, Bartho Smit, Anthony Delius, Dolf van Niekerk and Harold Laite. (See Part 3 Section 4a for all the local plays done by NTO.) Among the many fine directors who worked for them on these productions were Leontine Sagan , Gwen ffrançon-Davies, André Huguenet, Anna Neethling-Pohl, Truida Pohl, Marda Vanne, Leonard Schach, Leon Gluckman, Clifford Williams, Johan de Meester, John Hussey, Margaret Inglis, Victor Melleney, Taunie Kushlick, Margaret Webster, Tone Brulin, Richard Daneel and many others. The final full production by NTO was [[Eugene O'Neill]]'s ''[[A Touch of the Poet]]'' in 1961, with three short plays youth plays put on in 1962 by Theatre for Youth. Within this vast programme a few specific initiatives stand out over the years. For example, NTO did much to foster international exchange, with Hassan going to Britain in 195*, and a number of companies performing locally under their banner. These include the Vlaamse Nasionaal Toneel (1950, 1952), the Hogarth Puppets (1954), John Wright's Marionettes (1956-57), Nederlands Kamertoneel (1959), the Old Vic Company (19**). Differences in taste between cities and the towns led to artistic advisor Marda Vanne starting a practice of doing "prestige" productions in the cities from time to time (e.g. Macbeth and Hassan in 1950), though this proved largely uneconomical and did not occur often. The 1952 Van Riebeeck Festival was a year of glory for NTO, with the organization taking control of many of the main celebratory festivities, including the pageant in Cape Town (directed by Anne Neethling-Pohl). Their experimental theatre project, called Kamertoneel (lit. "Room Theatre"), lasted for about two years (1958-59) in Pretoria and Cape Town, but did some of the most interesting work, including new plays by local author such as N.P.van Wyk Louw, James Ambrose Brown and Bartho Smit, as well as controversial work by visiting director Tone Brulin. Another highly regarded initiative was the NTO's schools programme. This started with special matinee performances for schools, begun in 1951, and later - with grants from the various education departments - special performances of selected plays at schools throughout the province. Begun in Transvaal in 1954, this was extended to the Cape Province in 1955 and Natal in 1956. In 1958 Jannie Gildenhuys, Cobus Rossouw and Leonora Nel returned from Europe, filled with ideas about educational theatre culled from Joan Littlewood and others, and suggested the formation of a youth company to do exracts from prescribed works in schools. With a grant from the Cape Province, the NTO Youth Theatre came into being in 1959 and toured schools in Cape with a panel van, doing the same in the Transvaal in 1960. In 1961 two companies were formed, later four. (In 1963 most of these performers were absorbed into PACT.)
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Actual work on productions started with the artistic advisors (Sagan, Neethling-Pohl and Huguenet), going on a national tour in late 1947 to muster support and audition potential performers, and in 1948 the first productions went on tour. (See below).
  
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In 1957 a regional office was also founded in the Bellville Civic Theatre, in the Cape. Managed by Laurie van der Merwe, it had its own regional advisory board and initiated some experimental work as well as the very popular library readings throughout the province. However, regionalization signalled a change in fortunes for NTO, with the Cape gradually seeking to secede from the national body. By 1961 the long-developing split between north and south came to a head and this, coupled with financial difficulties, rebellion by artists against what they perceived as a bureaucratic control of their lives and art, national catastrophes (e.g. the Sharpeville massacre), etc, made the board's position untenable. From 1957 onwards they sought some form of state intervention to clarify matters.
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== The administrative structure ==
  
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In 1961 the De Bruyn Commission of Inquiry was finally instituted, and sudied the situaion while all new activities were suspended. The report (never published) came as a bombshell, for it recommended the disbanding of NTO and the founding of four provincial Performing Arts Councils. NTO wound up its business and disbanded in June 1962.
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The directorate met for the first time in Johannesburg on 7 July 1947  and gradually Breytenbach, Inskip and Bourke took over the day to day running of the organisation. In 1948 the board was enlarged with the addition of more professionals, academics, and representatives from interested parties. Thus  [[Elizabeth Sneddon]], [[Marda Vanne]], [[F.C.L. Bosman]], [[S.H. Pellissier]],
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[[J.J.P. O'pt Hof]] (representing the Council) and [[P.J. Theron]] (Director of Adult Education) also became members. In 1952, Breytenbach became its full time Director, and also moved to Pretoria, with [[F.C.L. Bosman]] taking over as chairman (1952-1953), followed by [[Geoff Cronjé]] (1954-1961).
  
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In 1963 the new system came into being. (See further [[Performing Arts Councils]], [[Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal]], [[Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State]], [[Natal Performing Arts Council]] and [[Cape Performing Arts Board]]. Also [[South African Committee of Performing Arts Councils]] ([[SACPAC]]). ) 
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In 1957 a regional office was also established in the [[Bellville Civic Theatre]], in the Cape. Managed by [[Laurie van der Merwe]], it had its own regional advisory board chaired by [[W.J. du P. Erlank]].
  
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== Plays produced ==
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== The office and production staff ==
  
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Their inaugural season (1947/1948) was an undoubted success. The Afrikaans company presented Altyd My Liefste, a translation of Lessing’s German classic Minna von Barnhelm, which was directed by Truida Pohl. They presented Nag Het die Wind Gebring, by W.A. de Klerk, directed by Anna Neethling-Pohl. The English company offered J.M. Barrie’s Dear Brutus, directed by Leontine Sagan, and J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls, aslo directed by Leontine Sagan. These productions toured throughout 1948 with a company including André Huguenet, Siegfried Mynhardt, Leon Gluckman, Frank Wise, Lorna Cowell, Vivienne Drummond, Mathilda Hanekom and Enone van den Bergh. Leonard Schach directed The Glass Menagerie in 1949 for the National Theatre starring Anna Romain Hoffman  and Nita Economides. Molnar’s The Guardsman, was directed by Leontine Sagan in 1949 for the National Theatre. The National Theatre appointed Marda Vanne as artistic advisor in 1950. Macbeth, in Afrikaans, was directed by Gwen Ffrangçon-Davies in the same year. It was staged at His Majesty’s and starred André Huguenet and Anna Neethling-Pohl. Shaw’s Candida, directed by Marda Vanne, was also staged in 1950. James Elroy Flecker’s Hassan was also staged in 1950, and was directed by Basil Dean. Starring André Huguenet. Leonard Schach directed the Ben Jonson  satire Volpone for the National Theatre at the Reps Theatre in 1952. This hit show starred Siegfried Mynhardt, Pieter Geldenhuys, Gerrit Wessels, Edna Jacobson, Frank Wise and Vivienne Drummond. Leonard Schach directed his favourite Shakespeare, Twelfth Night two times for the National Theatre in 1953, once in English and once in Afrikaans. Leon Gluckman directed You Never Can Tell, and Taubie Kushlick directed She Stoops to Conquer for the National Theatre in 1954. The National Theatre staged a celebrity concert in aid of the National Theatre Development Fund at the Reps in 1954. The line-up included André Huguenet, Dawie Couzyn, Margaret Inglis and Taubie Kushlick, and came through the offices of Breytenbach. Show Service became the sole ticket sellers for the National Theatre in 1954. The National Theatre took the Reps for their production of Rattigan’s The Winslow Boy starring Brian Proudfoot and Clifford Williams in 1955. The National Theatre did Shaw’s Candida for their Festival production at the Library in 1956 starring Margaret Inglis in the title role. Their Afrikaans arm staged Dirk Opperman’s Periandros van Korinthe, directed by Anna Neethling-Pohl.  and a translation of Ferenc Molnar’s The Play’s the Thing (Gekonkel in die Nag), also directed by Neethling-Pohl, and also staged at the Library for the Festival. The National Theatre presented Leonard Schach’s production of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll at the Reps at the end of 1957. It was written by the Australian Ray Lawler, and starred Marjorie Gordon. Leon Gluckman played the lead in Leonard Schach’s National Theatre. production of The Firstborn in 1954. Margaret Inglis spent eighteen months playing and directing for the National Theatre prior to1958. Leon Gluckman directed the National Theatre hit production of School for Scandal which toured the country in 1958. Gluckman directed Shaw’s Saint Joan for the National in 1959, starring Kita Redelinghuys and Siegfried Mynhardt. They staged [[Bartho Smit]]’s ''[[Moeder Hanna]]'', a revival of ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'', and [[James Ambrose Brown]]’s ''[[Seven Against the Sun]]'' as part of their fifteen production schedule for 1959. They did The Glass Slipper, in conjunction with Children’s Theatre and the Reps for Christmas 1959. It was a musical version of Cinderella, starring Anne Ziegler, Hilda Kriseman and Olive King. Breytie Breytenbach concluded an arrangement with the Reps to lease the Alexander as a Johannesburg home for the National Theatre. This arrangement only lasted one season before the NTO’s disintegration. André Huguenet made his final appearance in The Prisoner for the National at the Alexander in 1961. They presented [[Eugene O'Neill]]’s ''[[A Touch of the Poet]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1961. It was directed by the American [[Margaret Webster]], and starred [[Marda Vanne]] and [[Johann Nell]]. Together with Taubie Kushlick, they brought Marcel Marceau to South Africa in 1962. Irishman Michéal MacLiammoír (born Alfred Willmore) came for Taubie Kushlick and the National Theatre to stage his one-man show about Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Oscar in 1962. '''TO BE TRANSLATED AND EDITED'''
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In 1948  [[Doris Lancaster]] became the first formal appointment of [[NTO]], as full-time secretary (initially working with Breytenbach in Krugersdorp, before moving to offices in Pretoria in 1950).  
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In 1952, Breytenbach became [[NTO]]'s full time Director, and also moved to Pretoria. Over the years the staff complement was to include [[Michal Grobbelaar]] (technical advisor, 1955-1962, and from 1958 production manager [[Afrikaans]]), [[Victor Melleney]] (production manager, English  1958-1962), [[Frank Graves]] and [[Doreen Graves]] (designers), and the press officers  [[Piet Bezuidenhout]] (Pretoria), [[Nellie Kruger]] (Johannesburg) and [[Muriel Kavanagh]] (Cape Town).
  
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See also NTO National Theatre Organization: ''[[Tussen Twee Liefdes]]'', 1958, geskryf deur Franse skrywer, Paul Géraldy, (Aimer) vertaal deur NP vW Louw as Hèléne.  Leonard Schach doen regie en verander die naam na ''[[Tussen Twee Liefdes]]'',.Babs Laker, Johann Nell & Pietro Nolte. (Nell het ook in Rosmerholm (Ibsen) gespeel.) Frank Graves ontwerp dekor, Doreen Graves (kostuums); Germanicus in nuwe skouburg van UP. (Gasregiseur Tone Brulin uit Belgie.  Francois Swart, Milla Louw, Pieter Geldenhuys, Aletta Gericke, Pietro Nolte, Dawid v/d Walt, Bet Botha, Francois v Wyk, Billy Pretorius, André Beaumont, M. Adriaan Mocke, Hester Momsen, Collie Fick, Koof Snyman & Laurie v/d Merwe.  Michal Grobbelaar (prod. Bestuurder) Laurie v/d Merwe (regie asst) Piet Bezuidenhout (verhoogdirekteur)Germanicus was die 1 e Afr beroepsopvoering i/d skouburg van UP.  Frank Graves (dekor) Doreen Graves & Stephan de Villiers het kostuums vir Bellville opvoering ontwerp.  Nuwigheid:  elektroniese musiek nl. v. Louis de Meester in Belgie geskryf en op Bel. Radio opgeneem.  Germanicus ook die 1e amptelike stuk by stadskouburg Bellville.  Regie hier: Anna Neethling-Pohl. Kamertoneel in PTA,.  Ou Harmoniesaal, 18 November 1958 geopen( Presidentstraat 145, Pta.  200 sitplekke.  Eerste opvoering was:  Voorlopige Vonnis (Josef van Hoeck), regie Tone Brulin.  Vertaal deur W.J. du P. Erlank vertaal uit Vlaams.  Siegfried Mynhardt, Johan Malherbe, & Eone v/d Berg. Siegfried & Eone het in die eerste 2 opvoerings wat in 1948 deur die NTO gehou is, gespeel. Kamertoneel in Bellville. Voorlopige vonnis met Pieter Bredenkamp, Joey de Koker & Gerrit Wessels.
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[[Marda Vanne]] was appointed artistic advisor in 1950,
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Seven Against the Sun (James Ambrose Brown), Regie:  Victor Melleney.  (Arthur Hall, David Herbert & Pietro Nolte ? Nie seker Pta of Bellville nie). Een Bruid in Den Morgen (Hugo Claus), Tone Brulin (regie)  In Pta het Pieter Geldenhuys, Wilma Stockenstrom, Laurika Meerkotter, Joan Brink & Dale Swanepoel. In Bellville:  Pietro Nolte (reg), Wilma Stockenstrom, Pieter Bredenkamp, Chris Fourie, Joey de Koker & Tossie Lochner. Jan Rabie vertaal uit Vlaams. In Pta:  Uncle & the Dukebox, Tone Brulin (regie), met Ivor v Rensburg, Bella Mariani, Ralph Bennitt, Warren Sands, Joycelyn de Bruyn & Tanya Barron.  Waiting for Godot, (Becket) Tone Brulin & David Herbert, Gabriel Bayman & Gerrit Wessels. In Bellville:  The Chairs (Richard Daneel – Regie),  weer ''[[The Cave Dwellers]]'' (William Saroyan) & ''[[Mornings at Seven]]'' (Paul Osborn). Mag ek Saamspeel?  Marcel Achard vertaal deur Laurie v/d Merwe. Emsie Botha, Piet Bezuidenhout, Richard Daneel, Dale Swanepoel.  Tone Brulin (regie).
 
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Johanna, die Soldaat van God, (Shaw), Fred Engelen (regie), WEG Louw  vertaal.  Bellville.  Ook The Trial, Kafka, UCT. Moeder Hanna (Bartho Smit )Milla Louw, Jan Bruyns, Lynette Kotze, Siegfried Mynhardt. .  Kamertoneel het ook aan 5 dramastudente kans gebied om die hoofstadgehore te vermaak in Pta.  Meisies van Vervloe  Jare (Barto Smit)  is saam met Moeder Hanna opgevoer.
 
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In Bellville – Moeder Hanna met:  Babs Laker, Leonora Nel, Jan v Zyl, Cobus Rossouw & Matthys du Toit.  In Bellville is dit vervang met ''[[Die Les]]'' ([[Eugène Ionesco]]) [[Robert Mohr]] (ook regisseur), Esther van Ryswyk, Elma Marais. School for Scandal (Sheridan) Leon Gluckman (Prod), UP, Margaret Inglis, Pieter Geldenhuys, Siegfried Mynhardt, Frank Wise, Joyce Grant, Nigel Hawthorne, Brian Proudfoot, Zoe Randall, David Laughton, Pamela Borain, David Beattie, Robert Del Kyrke, David Herbert, Yvonne Dur & Gerald Schuller.  Victor Melleney (Prod. Manager),  Frank Graves (set), Doreen Graves (costumes). Kaapland en Tvl het elkeen ‘n Jeugtoneelgroep gevorm en op reis gestuur met oa.  Die Bruidskool (Moliere), The Prisoner (Bridget Boland). Nie vir Geleerdes (NP vWyk Louw) In gebruikneming van sy eie Nasionale Skouburg op 28 Junie 1960.  NTO het ses dramas instudeer:  The Cave Dwellers (William Saroyan), Romeo en Jeanette (Anouillh)  Babs Laker & Laurie v/d Merwe, A moon for the Misbegotten (O’Neill) met Alec Bell, Die vonkel in haar oë (Gerhard Beukes), met Elsa Fouche. NTO jeuggroep:  Jannie Gildenhuys, Cobus Rossouw, Leonora Nel & Irene Durr.  Doen ook  Dieselfde Pad (Kootjie v/d Heever).(Die groep het Pret & Plesier uit die Boekrak aangebied vir skole.  Hulle het 248 keer opgetree en ‘n herlewing i/d studie van Letterkunde by skole bevorder.  Her veroorsaak dat spellesings in bibs bevorder is.  Vier dramas wat gedoen was:  No exit (Satre), Mage k saamspeel? (Marcel Achard), The Bear (Tjekov), Miss Julie (Strindberg). Samewerking met Universiteite en die Alexander Teater: 1961. NTO jeuggroep:  Jannie Gildenhuys, Cobus Rossouw, Leonora Nel & Irene Durr.  Doen ook  Dieselfde Pad (Kootjie v/d Heever).(Die groep het Pret & Plesier uit die Boekrak aangebied vir skole.  Hulle het 248 keer opgetree en ‘n herlewing i/d studie van Letterkunde by skole bevorder.  Het veroorsaak dat spellesings in bibs bevorder is.  Vier dramas wat gedoen was:  No exit (Satre), Mage k saamspeel? (Marcel Achard), The Bear (Tjekov), Miss Julie (Strindberg). Samewerking met Universiteite en die Alexander Teater: 1961. US:  Johanna, die Soldaat (Saint Joan – Shaw), in Afr vertaal deur WEG Louw, (Regie).Fred Engelen. UCT:  TheTrial (Kafka) NTO & Alexander-teater:  The Glass slipper. Met Alex is ooreenkoms gesluit om jaarliks 6 NTO Prod. Op die planke te bring.  Ook gesamentlike stukke van moeilike werke,  NTO het nou ‘n tuiste in JHB en Alex. Sal sy produksies in die NTO  se skouburg in PTA opvoer.  ''[[The Gay Invalid]] ''(Molière) met [[André Huguenet]].  Die Alex teater deur die Repertory Players in Jhb gebou met fondse wat hulle ingesamel het deur die jare.  Ledetal: 2500.  1960 twee nuwe dramas saam met die Uniefees:  Nie vir geleerdes (NP v Wyk Louw) Philip Grobler, Salie Vermaak, Schalk Jacobz & Gerrie Albertse. The Fall van Anthony Delius, met John Boulter, Pietro Nolte.  In gebruikneming van sy eie Nasionale Skouburg op 28 Junie 1960.  NTO het ses dramas instudeer:  The Cave Dwellers (William Saroyan), Romeo en Jeanette (Anouillh)  Babs Laker & Laurie v/d Merwe, A moon for the Misbegotten (O’Neill) met Alec Bell, Die vonkel in haar oë (Gerhard Beukes), met Elsa Fouche. NTO jeuggroep:  Jannie Gildenhuys, Cobus Rossouw, Leonora Nel & Irene Durr.  Doen ook  Dieselfde Pad (Kootjie v/d Heever). Die groep het Pret & Plesier uit die Boekrak aangebied vir skole.  Hulle het 248 keer opgetree en ‘n herlewing i/d studie van Letterkunde by skole bevorder.  Her veroorsaak dat spellesings in bibs bevorder is.  Vier dramas wat gedoen was:  No exit (Satre), Mage k saamspeel? (Marcel Achard), The Bear (Tjekov), Miss Julie (Strindberg).Samewerking met Universiteite en die Alexander Teater: 1961. US:  Johanna, die Soldaat (Saint Joan – Shaw), in Afr vertaal deur WEG Louw, (Regie).Fred Engelen. UCT:  TheTrial (Kafka) NTO:Tussen Twee Liefdes, 1958, geskryf deur Franse skrywer, Paul Géraldy, (Aimer) vertaal deur NP vW Louw as Hèléne.  Leonard Schach doen regie en verander die naam na Tussen…..Babs Laker, Johann Nell & Pietro Nolte. (Nell he took in Rosmerholm(Ibsen) gespeel.) Frank Graves ontwerp dekor, Doreen Graves(kostuums)
 
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Germanicus in nuwe skouburg van UP. (Gasregiseur Tone Brulin uit Belgie.  Francois Swart, Milla Louw, Pieter Geldenhuys, Aletta Gericke, Pietro Nolte, Dawid v/d Walt, Bet Botha, Francois v Wyk, Billy Pretorius, André Beaumont, M. Adriaan Mocke, Hester Momsen, Collie Fick, Koof Snyman & Laurie v/d Merwe.  Michal Grobbelaar (prod. Bestuurder) Laurie v/d Merwe (regie asst) Piet Bezuidenhout (verhoogdirekteur)Germanicus was die 1 e Afr beroepsopvoering i/d skouburg van UP.  Frank Graves (dekor) Doreen Graves & Stephan de Villiers het kostuums vir Bellville opvoering ontwerp.  Nuwigheid:  elektroniese musiek nl. v. Louis de Meester in Belgie geskryf en op Bel. Radio opgeneem.  Germanicus ook die 1e amptelike stuk by stadskouburg Bellville.  Regie hier: Anna Neethling-Pohl. Kamertoneel in PTA.  Ou Harmoniesaal.  200 sitplekke.  Eerste opvoering was:  Voorlopige Vonnis (Josef van Hoeck), regie Tone Brulin. Seven Against the Sun (James Ambrose Brown), Regie:  Victor Melleney Een Bruid in Den Morgen (Hugo Claus). School for Scandal (Sheridan) Leon Gluckman (Prod), UP, Margaret Inglis, Pieter Geldenhuys, Siegfried Mynhardt, Frank Wise, Joyce Grant, Nigel Hawthorne, Brian Proudfoot, Zoe Randall, David Laughton, Pamela Borain, David Beattie, Robert Del Kyrke, David Herbert, Yvonne Dur & Gerald Schuller.  Victor Melleney (Prod. Manager),  Frank Graves (set), Doreen Graves (costumes). NTO: Ontstaan in 1947. Maraissentrum – hoofkantore v/d NTO open 8 Feb 1958.  Geopen deur mev Susan Strydom eggenote v 1 e Minister. PPB (direkteur) & prof WJ Erlank (lid v/d Beheerraad) & prof G Conje (Voorsitter), Michal Grobbelaar Tegniese adviseur bevorder tot produksiebestuurder van Afr, opvoerings en Victor Melleney vir Eng.  Lg is ‘n Brit wat in 1958 hier aangekom het. Baie ondervinding by reeks teaters in London. 1960 twee nuwe dramas saam met die Uniefees:  Nie vir geleerdes (NP v Wyk Louw)Philip Grobler, Salie Vermaak, Schalk Jacobz & Gerrie Albertse. The Fall van Anthony Delius, met John Boulter, Pietro Nolte.  In gebruikneming van sy eie Nasionale Skouburg op 28 Junie 1960.  NTO het ses dramas instudeer:  The Cave Dwellers (William Saroyan), Romeo en Jeanette (Anouillh)  Babs Laker & Laurie v/d Merwe, A moon for the Misbegotten (O’Neill) met Alec Bell, Die vonkel in haar oë (Gerhard Beukes), met Elsa Fouche. NTO jeuggroep:  Jannie Gildenhuys, Cobus Rossouw, Leonora Nel & Irene Durr.  Doen ook  Dieselfde Pad (Kootjie v/d Heever).(Die groep het Pret & Plesier uit die Boekrak aangebied vir skole.  Hulle het 248 keer opgetree en ‘n herlewing i/d studie van Letterkunde by skole bevorder.  Her veroorsaak dat spellesings in bibs bevorder is.  Vier dramas wat gedoen was:  No exit (Satre), Mage k saamspeel? (Marcel Achard), The Bear (Tjekov), Miss Julie (Strindberg).Samewerking met Universiteite en die Alexander Teater: 1961. US:  Johanna, die Soldaat (Saint Joan – Shaw), in Afr vertaal deur WEG Louw, (Regie).Fred Engelen. UCT:  TheTrial (Kafka)NTO & Alexander-teater:  The Glass slipper. Met Alex is ooreenkoms gesluit om jaarliks 6 NTO Prod. Op die planke te bring.  Ook gesamentlike stukke van moeilike werke,  NTO het nou ‘n tuiste in JHB en Alex. Sal sy produksies in die NTO  se skouburg in PTA opvoer.  The Gay Invalid (Moliere) met Andre Huguenet.  Die Alex teater deur die Repertory Players in Jhb gebou met fondse wat hulle ingesamel het deur die jare.  Ledetal: 2500. 
 
  
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NTO Maraissentrum – hoofkantore v/d NTO open 8 Feb 1958.  Geopen deur mev Susan Strydom eggenote v 1 e Minister. NTO: Ontstaan in 1947. Maraissentrum – hoofkantore v/d NTO open 8 Feb 1958.  Geopen deur mev Susan Strydom eggenote v 1 e Minister. PPB (direkteur) & prof WJ Erlank (lid v/d Beheerraad) & prof G Cronje (Voorsitter), Michal Grobbelaar Tegniese adviseur bevorder tot produksiebestuurder van Afr, opvoerings en Victor Melleney vir Eng.  Lg is ‘n Brit wat in 1958 hier aangekom het. Baie ondervinding by reeks teaters in London.
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== Artistic staff ==
  
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Below are the names (and links to entries on) some of the many creative and technical people who worked (longer term or ''ad hoc'') for [[NTO]] as directors, actors, designers, stage managers, etc. They are listed in alphabetical order:
  
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== Sources ==
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=== Directors ===
  
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Among the [[Director|directors]] who worked for [[NTO]] on a contract basis were [[Tone Brulin]], [[Richard Daneel]], [[Johan de Meester]], [[Basil Dean]], [[Hermien Dommisse]],  [[Gwen ffrangçon-Davies]], [[Fred Engelen]],  [[Aletta Gericke]], [[Jannie Gildenhuys]], [[Leon Gluckman]], [[André Huguenet]], [[John Hussey]], [[Margaret Inglis]], [[Taubie Kushlick]], [[Robert Langford]], [[Victor Melleney]], [[Robert Mohr]], [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]], [[Pietro Nolte]], [[Truida Pohl]],  [[John Roberts]], [[Leontine Sagan]], [[Leonard Schach]], [[Anna Richter-Visser]], [[Bartho Smit]], [[Schalk Theron]], [[Elizabeth Sneddon]],  [[Laurie van der Merwe]], [[Suzanne van Wyk]], [[Marda Vanne]], [[Margaret Webster]], [[Clifford Williams]],
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=== Actors ===
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'''A'''
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[[Gwen Adeler]], [[Viviene Adley]], [[Noëlle Ahrenson]], [[Gerry Albertse]], [[Keith Anderson]], [[Jimmy Asser]], [[Louisa Aucamp]],
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'''B'''
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[[Patricia Baker]], [[Tine Balder]], [[Bryan Bales]], [[Tanya Barron]], [[Limpie Basson]], [[Gabriel Bayman]], [[David Beattie]], [[Roscoe Behrmann]],  [[Fanie Bekker]], [[Alec Bell]], [[Ralph Bennitt]], [[Piet Bezuidenhout]], [[John Bier]], [[Joan Blake]], [[Ronald Bloch]], [[Noël Borain]], [[Felicity Bosman]], [[Gracelina Bosman]], [[Louw Botes]],  [[Bet Botha]], [[Dawid Botha]],  [[Emsie Botha]], [[John Botha]], [[Kobus Botha]], [[Lansbury Botha]],  [[Roelof Botha]], [[John Boulter]], [[Peter Boyce]], [[Joyce Bradley]], [[Pieter Bredenkamp]], [[Bill Brewer]], [[Andries Brink]], [[Joan Brink]], [[Leon Brink]],  [[Tone Brulin]], [[Jan Bruyns]], (or [[Jan Bruijns]]), [[Elspeth Bryce]],
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'''C'''
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[[Cecil Cartwright]], [[Hazel Casson]], [[Alan Cean]],  [[Esmé Celliers]], [[Alan Chadwick]], [[Robert Cheetham]], [[James Christie]], [[Hugh Claven]], [[Anna Cloete]], [[Bettie Coetsee]], [[Marcia Colville]], [[Philippa Conradie]],  [[Michael Coulson]],  [[Bob Courtney]] (also known as [[Robert Courtney]]), [[Lorna Cowell]], [[Ben Cronjé]],
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'''D'''
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[[Richard Daneel]], [[Aedwyn Darroll]], [[Ted Darroll]],  [[Jocelyn de Bruin]], (also [[Jocelyn de Bruin|Jocelyn de Bruyn]]), [[André de Jongh]], [[Helene de Jong]], [[Joey de Koker]], [[San de Lange|Sann de Lange]] (also [[San de Lange]]), [[Zoë de Villiers]], [[Michael Drin]], [[Joanna Douglas]],  [[Vivienne Drummond]] (also known as [[Vivien Drummond]]), [[Matthys du Toit]], [[Irene Durr]], [[Casper Dyason]],
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'''E'''
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[[Nita Economides]], [[Honor Edmonds]],  [[Erna Eksteen]], [[Fay Engelbrecht]], [[Retha Erasmus]], [[Elizabeth Evans]],
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'''F'''
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[[Jane Fenn]], [[Gordon Fergusson]], [[Michael Fisher]], [[Ulrich Fobian]], [[Bobbette Fouché]],  [[Elna Fouché]], [[Elsa Fouché]],  [[Chris Fourie]], [[Gilyan Francesco]], [[Sheila Forbes]], [[Evelyn Frank]], [[Anta Fraser]], [[Fiona Fraser]],
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'''G'''
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[[Eveline Garratt]], [[Pieter Geldenhuys]], [[Aletta Gericke]], [[Jannie Gildenhuys]], [[Walter Glennie]], [[Leon Gluckman]], [[Arne Gordon]], [[Marjorie Gordon]], [[Jill Gould]], [[Peter Goxall]], [[Leonard Graham]], [[Joyce Grant]], [[Jennie Gratus]], [[Michal Grobbelaar]], [[Anton Grobler]], [[Philip Grobler]], [[Martie Groenewald]], [[Berdine Grünewald]],
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'''H'''
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[[Brian Haines]], [[Arthur Hall]], [[Mathilde Hanekom]],  [[Hendrik Hanekom]], [[Tilana Hanekom]], [[Lee Harris]], [[Nigel Hawthorne]], [[David Herbert]], [[Mary Hewison]], [[Innes Hirson]], [[Anna Romain Hoffman]], [[Hannes Horne]], [[Don Howie]], [[André Huguenet]], [[John Hussey]],
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'''I'''
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[[Margaret Inglis]], [[Tony Isted]],
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'''J'''
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[[George Jackson]], [[Edna Jacobson]], [[Schalk Jacobsz]], [[Anthony James]], [[Will Jamieson]], [[Susan Jansen]], [[Glyn Jones]],
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'''K'''
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[[Patsi Kahn]],  [[Norman Kelly-Herde]], [[Lynette Kotzé]], [[Ivor Kruger]], [[Elma Krynauw]], [[Icky Kurgan]],
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'''L'''
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[[Harold Lake]], [[Babs Laker]], [[Robert Lang]],[[Barry Lategan]],  [[Ken Law]], [[Virginia Lee]], [[Rolf Lefebre]], [[Georgie Linder]], [[Lydia Lindeque]], [[Heather Lloyd-Jones]],  [[Tossie Lochner]], [[Alto Loots]], [[Jacques Loots]], [[Aubrey Louw]], [[Helena Louw]], [[Milla Louw]], [[Joan Lovelace]],
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'''M'''
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[[Michéal Mac Liammoír]], [[Marjorie Malan]], [[Johan Malherbe]], [[Harry Mann]],  [[Doreen Mantle]], [[Danie Marais]], [[Elma Marais]], [[Francois Marais]], [[Bella Mariani]], [[Laurika Meerkotter]], [[Victor Melleney]], [[Jimmy Mentis]], [[Esther Mentz]], [[Helix Meyer]],  [[Mari Minnie]], [[Mary Mitchell]], [[Etrecia Mocke]], [[Robert Mohr]], [[Glenys Morgan]], [[Pamela Murray]],  [[Patrick Mynhardt]],  [[Siegfried Mynhardt]], 
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'''N'''
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[[Wena Naudé]], [[Nilo Naudé van Zyl|Nilo Naudé-van Zijl]], [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]], [[Leonora Nel]], [[Johann Nell]], [[Pietro Nolte]], [[James Norval]],
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'''O'''
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[[Merilyn Oates]], [[Ted Ogden]], [[Ria Olivier]],
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'''P'''
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[[Arnold Pearce]], [[Ivo Pellegrini]], [[Michael Perry]], [[Jo-Ann Pezarro]], [[Isabel Pienaar]], [[Louis Pienaar]],  [[Truida Pohl]], [[Jane Potgieter]], [[Michael Preston]], [[Billy Pretorius]], [[Dalene Pretorius]], [[Emgee Pretorius]], [[Brian Proudfoot]],
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'''Q'''
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-
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'''R'''
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[[June Range]], [[Kita Redelinghuys]], [[Roma Reilly]], [[Daan Retief]], [[David Ritch]], [[Dolly Robyn]], [[Sheelagh Ross]], [[Cobus Rossouw]],
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'''S'''
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[[Harry Sarber]], [[Gottfried Scholtz]], [[Hélène Scholtz]], [[Jan Schutte]], [[Molly Seftel]], [[Diana Shahn]], [[Hymie Shapiro]], [[Ronald Shellton]], [[Stephanie Shiller]],  [[Pat Simpson]],  [[Dulsie Smit]], [[David Smith]], [[Danie Smuts]], [[Timothy Spring]],  [[Cornelia Stander]], [[Joe Stewardson]], [[Jobie Stewart]], [[Wilma Stockenström]], [[Charles Stodel]], [[Alfred Stretton]], [[Dale Swanepoel]],  [[Derek Swanepoel]], [[Francois Swart]],
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'''T'''
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[[Tromp Terre'Blanche]],  [[Patrick Trevor]] (or [[Pat Trevor]]), [[Michael Turner]],
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'''U'''
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-
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'''V'''
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[[Oswald van Blerk]], [[Enone van den Bergh]] (also known as [[Enone Murray]]),  [[Enone van den Bergh]], [[Gert van den Bergh]] (also [[Gert van den Bergh|Gert van den Berg]]),  [[Kobus van der Colff]],  [[Eghard van der Hoven]],  [[Laurie van der Merwe]], [[J.A. van der Vyver]], [[Dawid van der Walt]], [[Petro van der Walt]],  [[Jaco van der Westhuizen]], [[Japie van Niekerk]], [[Pikkie van Niekerk]], [[Reenen van Niekerk]], [[Ivor van Rensburg]], [[Johan van Rensburg]], [[Esther van Ryswyk]], [[Francois van Wyk]],  [[Jan van Zyl]], [[Johan van Zyl]], [[Bryan Vanden]], [[Marda Vanne]], [[Hannes Venter]], [[Leendert Verdoorn]], [[Salie Vermaak]], [[Louw Verwey]], [[Eugene von Bülow]], [[Vicki Vosloo]], 
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'''W'''
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[[Ronald Wallace]], [[Tiny Walker]], [[Barry Wallman]], [[Stanley Walsh]], [[Hugo Warren]],  [[Dan Welman]],[[Gerrit Wessels]], [[Clifford Williams]], [[Robert Whitfield]], [[Pieter Wilcocks]],  [[Frank Wise]],
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'''X, Y, Z'''
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[[Peter Zander]],
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=== Designers and technical staff===
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[[Piet Bezuidenhout]] (stage manager), [[Nina Campbell-Quine]] (décor and costumes),  [[Ann Case]] (costumes),  [[Richard Daneel]] choreographer), [[Kobus Esterhuysen]] (décor), [[Athol Fugard]] (stage manager), [[Doreen Graves]] (costumes), [[Frank Graves]] (décor), [[Michal Grobbelaar]] (production manager), [[Harry Ligoff]] (lighting), [[Geoffrey Long]] (décor), [[Ronnie Philip]] (decor and costumes), [[Cecil Pym]] (décor),  [[Jan van der Pauw]] (décor),  [[Bill Walker]] (musical director),
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== Funding ==
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The funding also changed as they got under way, the initial loan being waived and becoming a straight grant of £10 000 in 1948 and £15 000 in 1949. By 1957 £10 000 had been added for the development of regional branches. Despite repeated entreaties due to rising costs, the grant of £25 000 remained at that level till the end, with occasional extra allowances of £5 000 for specific purposes.
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== Offices, theatres and facilities ==
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Starting with offices in Krugersdorp, then temporary offices in Pretoria, before [[NTO]] finally purchased the old Marais homestead in Sunnyside, Pretoria, with the intention of ultimately converting it to a national theatre. They moved on in May 1957, and it was officially opened as the head office for NTO on 8 February by Mrs Susan Strydom, wife of the Prime Minister, J.G. Strydom[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Gerhardus_Strijdom]. 
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The conversion to a theatre never happened and [[PACT]] eventually sold the building to a consortium to build the Marais Centre, a shopping mall.
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In 1955 [[NTO]] also purchased the [[Harmony Hall]] in President street with a grant from the city council. The hall was converted to an experimental venue, the [[NTO Kamertoneel]], in 1958-9, and in 1959 (after extensive modifications), became the [[National Theatre]] Pretoria, renamed the [[Breytenbach Theatre]] in 1967. At the same time the house next door was bought by Breytenbach and donated to [[NTO]], for use as its offices, wardrobe, and as a training school (the latter another project that never materialised).
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== Specific production initiatives ==
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Within this vast programme undertaken by the organization a few specific initiatives stand out over the years.
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=== The bilingual company ===
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In 1949 and 1950 an experiment was made with a bilingual (English/[[Afrikaans]]) company, performing a repertory of four plays consecutively. This was not popular and by 1951 the companies had parted company once more, with [[Afrikaans]] and English companies touring separately. This would last till the end of the existence of the organisation.  Extended tours lasted up to one year at a time, with at times up to five companies on the road. The tours often took on dangerous or sometimes farcical dimensions, hampered by long distances, bad roads in the rural areas, lack of suitable venues, etc. However the [[NTO]] visits in remote areas were greatly appreciated.
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=== International engagements ===
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NTO did much to foster international exchange, with ''[[Hassan]]'' going to Britain in 195*, and a number of companies performing locally under their banner. These include the Flemish national theatre company (1950, 1952), the [[Hogarth Puppets]] (1954), [[John Wright|John Wright's Marionettes]] (1956-57), [[Nederlands Kamertoneel]] (1959), the [[Old Vic Company]] (19**).
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=== Prestige productions ===
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Differences in taste between cities and the towns led to artistic advisor [[Marda Vanne]] starting a practice of doing "prestige" productions in the cities from time to time (e.g. ''[[Macbeth]]'' and ''[[Hassan]]'' in 1950), though this proved largely uneconomical and did not occur often.
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=== The [[NTO Kamertoneel]] ===
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Based on an idea  of [[Kamertoneel]] (lit. "room theatre", i.e. "chamber theatre")which was brought to the country by visiting director [[Tone Brulin]], the [[NTO]] plan was for an experimental company, consisting of a company of young actors, working in a venue housed in the converted [[Harmony Hall]], at 145 President Street , Sunnyside, to produce smaller, more experimental work. The conversion was done by administrative personnel of [[NTO]], led by [[Michal Grobbelaar]], and utilizing private donations. The process started with plans being drawn up in 1957-1958, and actual work beginning on the 14th October 1958.
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The theatrical part of the experiment lasted for two years (1958-9), during which they did ** productions of new South African plays or experimental adaptations of international work.
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After 1959 the venue was revamped and extended to become the [[National Theatre]], officially opened on  28 June 1960 and intended for use by [[NTO]]'s main companies. After 1962 it was used by the [[PACT]] theatre company and was renamed the [[Breytenbach Theatre]] in 1968. After having leased it from PACT for a while, it finally became the property of the [[Pretoria Technikon]] drama department in 1997.  (Later known as the [[Tshwane University of Technology]] or [[TUT]]).
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''' For the [[Kamertoneel]] productions and other information, see  [[NTO Kamertoneel]]'''
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=== The [[Van Riebeeck Festival]] ===
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The year 1952 was a period of glory for [[NTO]], with the organization taking control of many of the main celebratory festivities surrounding the [[Van Riebeeck Festival]], including the pageant in Cape Town (directed by [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]]).  Their experimental theatre project, called [[Kamertoneel]] (lit. "Room Theatre"), lasted for about two years (1958-59) in Pretoria and Cape Town, but did some of the most interesting work, including new plays by local authors such as [[N.P. van Wyk Louw]], [[James Ambrose Brown]] and [[Bartho Smit]], as well as controversial work by visiting director [[Tone Brulin]].
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=== The [[NTO]] schools programme and the two [[NTO]] Youth Companies===
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Another highly regarded initiative was the [[NTO]]'s schools programme. This started with special matinee performances for schools, begun in 1951, and later - with grants from the various education departments - special performances of selected plays at schools throughout the province. Begun in Transvaal in 1954, this was extended to the Cape Province in 1955 and Natal in 1956.
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In 1958 [[Jannie Gildenhuys]], [[Cobus Rossouw]] and [[Leonora Nel]] returned from Europe, filled with ideas about educational theatre culled from Joan Littlewood and others, and suggested the formation of a youth company to do extracts from prescribed works in schools. Thus, in 1959, the [[NTO Youth Theatre]] (or also referred to as the [[NTO Youth Company]]) came into being with a grant from the Cape Province and toured schools in Cape with a panel van. In 1960 they did the same in the Transvaal. Their productions included  ''[[Die Bruidskool]]'' (Moliere), ''[[The Prisoner]]'' ([[Bridget Boland]]). ''[[Nie vir Geleerdes]]'' ([[N.P. van Wyk Louw]]), ''[[Wie de Drommel is Paskwaal?]]'' (Goldoni)
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In 1961 two formal companies were formed for this purpose, later becoming four, one for each province. In 1963 most of these performers were absorbed into [[PACT]].
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===Library readings===
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Initiated by in the Cape Town region by [[Laurie van der Merwe]], the very popular library readings were offered throughout the province, and after 1957 resorted under the regional office. 
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=== The Western Cape regional office ===
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Another kind of initiative was the founding, in 1957, of a regional office in the Bellville Civic Theatre, in the Cape. Managed by [[Laurie van der Merwe]], it had its own regional advisory board and initiated some experimental work as well as the very popular library readings throughout the province. However, this move towards regionalisation signalled a change in fortunes for [[NTO]], with the Cape gradually seeking to secede from the national body, a move which eventually hastened the end of [[NTO]] and the founding of the [[Performing Arts Councils]] in 1963.
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==The end of NTO ==
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Gradually in the late 1950s and early 1960s troubles had begun to brew, and by 1961 the long-developing split between north and south had come to a head. This  coupled with increasing financial difficulties, rebellion by artists against what they perceived as a bureaucratic control of their lives and art, national catastrophes (e.g. the Sharpeville massacre), etc, all had begun to make the board's position untenable. From 1957 onwards they sought some form of state intervention to clarify matters. (See for example the debate between "Toeskouer" and [[NTO]] Board chairman, Prof [[Geoff Cronjé]], in ''[[Standpunte]]'', December 1960.)
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In 1961 the [[De Bruyn Committee|De Bruyn Commission of Inquiry]] was finally instituted, and studied the situation while all new activities were suspended. The report (never published) came as a bombshell, for it recommended the disbanding of [[NTO]] and the founding of four provincial [[Performing Arts Councils]]. With no other option, [[NTO]] wound up its business and disbanded in June 1962. 
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In 1963 the new system came into being, with the founding of [[Performing Arts Councils]], [[Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal]], [[Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State]], [[Natal Performing Arts Council]] and [[Cape Performing Arts Board]]. Most of the facilities of NTO and the remaining staff, were transferred to [[PACT]], with [[P.P.B. Breytenbach]] as the first director. 
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('''See further [[Performing Arts Councils]], [[Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal]], [[Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State]], [[Natal Performing Arts Council]] and [[Cape Performing Arts Board]]. Also [[South African Committee of Performing Arts Councils]] ([[SACPAC]]).''' )
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= Productions =
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All in all [[NTO]] mounted 103 productions (including children's plays, educational plays, imported and/or sponsored productions, experimental works, as well as repeat productions, etc.) in the period from 1948 to 1962.
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== Overview ==
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The [[NTO]] run of plays began with ''[[Altyd My Liefste]]'' (Lessing, directed by [[Truida Pohl]]) and ''[[Dear Brutus]]'' (Barrie, directed by [[Leontine Sagan]]), rehearsed and launched by the English and [[Afrikaans]] companies at the [[Little Theatre]], Cape Town on 2 and 12 February 1948, and ended  with Eugene O'Neill's ''[[A Touch of the Poet]]'' as their final full production in 1961, and with three short plays in 1962, done by the [[Theatre for Youth]] company, as their swansong.
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Of  these events, 25 were of indigenous ([[Afrikaans]] or English) plays, a number specifically written for [[NTO]] by authors such as [[Gerhard Beukes]], [[Guy Butler]], [[W.A. de Klerk]], [[D.J. Opperman]], [[N.P. van Wyk Louw]], [[James Ambrose Brown]], [[Bartho Smit]], [[Anthony Delius]], [[Dolf van Niekerk]] and [[Harold Laite]]. The list also includes numerous translations of foreign language (and English) plays, a number of them by local author-translators such as [[A.J.B. de Klerk]], [[W.J. du P. Erlank]] , [[J.F.W. Grosskopf]], [[Uys Krige]], [[N.P. van Wyk Louw]],  [[W.E.G. Louw]], [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]], [[Bartho Smit]], [[A.F.H. van Dijk]], [[Fred le Roux]], .
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== Full list of plays produced by [[NTO]] ==
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Below a list of the plays produced by [[NTO]] in their 15 years of existence, based on a list originally compiled by [[Rinie Stead]] (1985b). Most of the plays mentioned went on extended tours of South Africa.
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'''Click on the title of the play in question to go to the entry and read more details about the text and production(s).'''
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1948: ''[[Altyd My Liefste]]'' (Lessing); ''[[Dear Brutus]]'' (Barrie), ''[[Nag het die Wind Gebring]]'' ([[W.A. de Klerk]]) and ''[[An Inspector Calls]]'' (Priestley).
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1949: ''[[Minnaar onder die Wapen]]'' (Shaw), ''[[Die Indringer]]'' (Brandon) ''[[The Glass Menagerie]]'' (Williams), ''[[The Guardsman]]'' (Molnar)
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1950: ''[[Oupa Brompie]]'' (Percival and Hodges), ''[[Macbeth]]'' (Shakespeare, in [[Afrikaans]], in association with [[African Theatres]]), ''[[Candida]]'' (Shaw), ''[[Hassan]]'' (Flecker), [[Vlaamse Nasionale Toneel]] (visiting company)
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1951: ''[[Die Vrek]]'' (Molière), ''[[The Cocktail Party]]'' (Eliot)
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1952: ''[[The Dam]]'' (Butler), ''[[Die Jaar van die Vuuros]]'' (De Klerk), ''[[As ons twee eers getroud is!]]'' (Beukes),  ''[[Volpone]]'' (Jonson), ''[[The Ball at the Castle]]'' (Bright), [[Vlaamse Nasionale Toneel]] (visiting company)
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1953: ''[[Twelfth Night]]'' (Shakespeare), ''[[Die Ipekonders]]'' (Molière), ''[[Die Ryk Weduwee]]'' ([[Uys Krige]]), ''[[Nina, Verlief in Parys]]'' (Lengyel), ''[[Antigone (by Jean Anouilh)|Antigone]]'' (Anouilh), ''[[The Anniversary]]'' (Chekhov), [[Vlaamse Nasionale Toneel]] (visiting company).
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1954: ''[[Ek Onthou vir Mamma]]'' (Van Druten), ''[[The Firstborn]]'' (Fry), ''[[You Never Can Tell]]'' (Shaw), ''[[She Stoops to Conquer]]'' (Goldsmith),  ''[[So Praat die Ou Rivier]]'' (Eitemal), The [[Hogarth Puppets]] (visiting company)
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1955: ''[[Gelukkige Dae]]'' (Dighton), ''[[The Winslow Boy]]'' (Rattigan), ''[[Verkiesing Sonder Politiek!]]'' ([[Gerhard Beukes]]), ''[[Die Wit Perde van Rosmersholm]]'' (Ibsen), ''[[The Dove Returns]]'' ([[Guy Butler]]), ''[[Die Twisappel]]'' ([[W.A. de Klerk]]), ''[[Tobias and the Angel]]'' (Bridie), ''[[Koning Oidipus]]'' (Sophocles). 
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1956: ''[[The Flashing Stream]]'' (Morgan), ''[[Candida]]'' (Shaw), ''[[Bohaai oor 'n Otjie]]'' (Hinrichs), ''[[Periandros van Korinthe]]'' ([[D.J. Opperman]]), ''[[Die Twisappel]]'' ([[W.A. de Klerk]]), ''[[Verkiesing Sonder Politiek!]]'' ([[Gerhard Beukes]]),  ''[[Bell, Book and Candle]]'' (Van Druten), ''[[Dangerous Corner]]'' (Priestley), ''[[Gekonkel in die Nag]]'' (Molnar), ''[[Bitter Einde]]'' (Weber), [[John Wright's Marionettes]]
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1957: ''[[Germanicus]]'' ([[N.P. van Wyk Louw]]), ''[[Bitter Einde]]'' (Weber), ''[[Oupa Kanniedood]]'' (Quintero Bros), ''[[Ai, Die Liewe Martha!]]'' ([[J. Nel van der Merwe]]), ''[[Periandros van Korinthe]]'' (Opperman), ''[[Die Pad van Suid-Afrika]]'' ([[C.J. Langenhoven]]), ''[[The Master Builder]]'' (Ibsen), ''[[Come Back, Little Sheba]]'' (Inge), [[John Wright's Marionettes]], ''[[Voordragreis]]'' ([[Afrikaans]] poetry).
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1958:  ''[[Skrikkeljaar]]'' (Betti), ''[[Jakkalsstreke van Scapino]]'' (Molière), ''[[Tussen Twee Liefdes]]'' (Géraldy), ''[[The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll]]'' (Lawler), ''[[The School for Scandal]]'' (Sheridan), ''[[Germanicus]]'' ([[N.P. van Wyk Louw]]), ''[[Voorlopige Vonnis]]'' (Josef van Hoeck), ''[[Seven against the Sun]]'' ([[James Ambrose Brown]]).
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1959: ''[[Seven against the Sun]]'' ([[James Ambrose Brown]]), ''[[Uncle and the Jukebox]]'' (Brulin), ''[[The School for Wives]]'' (Molière), ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'' (Beckett), ''[[Saint Joan]]'' (Shaw), ''[[The Cave Dwellers]]'' (Saroyan), ''[[Morning's at Seven]]'' (Osborn), [[The Chairs]] (Ionesco), ''[[Voorlopige Vonnis]]'' (Josef van Hoeck), ''[[Bruid in die Môre]]'' (Claus), ''[[Mag Ek Saamspeel?]]'' (Achard), ''[[Hellersee]]'' ([[W.A. de Klerk]]),  ''[[Moeder Hanna]]'' ([[Bartho Smit]]),  ''[[Die Les]]'' (Ionesco), ''[[Meisies van Vervloë Dae]]'' ([[Bartho Smit]]), ''[[The Glass Slipper]]'' (Farjeon - presented in conjunction with [[Children's Theatre]] and the [[Johannesburg Reps]]), [[Nederlands Kamertoneel]] (visiting company: see their repertoire under '''[[Nederlands Kamertoneel]]'''). 
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1960: ''[[The Cave Dwellers]]'' (Saroyan), ''[[ Die Vonkel in Haar Oë!]]'' ([[Gerhard Beukes]]), ''[[Romeo en Jeanette]]'' (Anouilh), ''[[A Moon for the Misbegotten]]'' (O'Neill), ''[[The Glass Slipper]]'' (in conjunction with [[Children's Theatre]] and the [[Johannesburg Reps]]), ''[[Comoedia]]'' ([[Richard Daneel]]),  ''[[The Fall]]'' ([[Anthony Delius]]), ''[[Nie vir Geleerdes]]'' ([[N.P. van Wyk Louw]])
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1961: ''[[Time to Kill]]'' ([[Monté Doyle]]), ''[[Die Bruidskool]]'' (Molière), ''[[The King of Diamonds]]'' ([[Harold Laite]]), ''[[The Prisoner]]'' (Boland),  ''[[The Judge]]'' (Branner), ''[[Kwart voor Dagbreek]]'' ([[Dolf van Niekerk]]), ''[[Wie de Drommel is Paskwaal?]]'' (Goldoni), ''[[A Touch of the Poet]]'' (O'Neill)
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1962: [[Marcel Marceau]] in performance, ''[[The Importance of Being Oscar]]'' (Michéal MacLiammoír), and three short plays by [[Theatre for Youth]].
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= The Legacy=
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= Sources =
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"Toeskouer" 1960. "Die Slag van die Kaapse Vlakte", ''[[Standpunte]]'' Jaargang XIV, Nr 2, Desember 1960: pp. 4-9.
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[[G. Cronje]]. 1960. "'n Antwoord", ''[[Standpunte]]'' Jaargang XIV, Nr 2, Desember 1960: pp. 10-13.
  
 
[[P.J. du Toit]],  1988;  
 
[[P.J. du Toit]],  1988;  
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[[Temple Hauptfleisch]], 1985.[http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/85403]
  
 
[[Rinie Stead]], 1981[?*];   
 
[[Rinie Stead]], 1981[?*];   
Line 53: Line 270:
 
Go to the [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 
Go to the [[ESAT Bibliography]]
  
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== Return to ==
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= Return to =
  
  

Latest revision as of 17:07, 11 August 2024

The National Theatre Organisation (1947-1961), was a bilingual, state supported theatre organisation.

Known as the Nasionale Toneelorganisasie in Afrikaans and using the acronym NTO, it founded in 1947 to promote and produce theatre in Afrikaans and English in South Africa - the first such organisation in the British Empire.

Not to be confused with the National Theatre Organisation of Zimbabwe, or the Nasionale Toneel Organisasie founded in 2019).

History

Pre-history

Over the years before 1947 a growing number of individuals, organisations and institutions had been agitating for a form of state intervention and the founding of some kind of "national theatre" in South Africa.

The culminating moment came with the advent of a rapidly growing indigenous professional theatre movement in the country, particularly in the years 1936 and 1947, when a strong and concerted thrust towards this ideal emerged. In this period the names of numerous prominent (white) theatre personalities and academics are found in the minutes of meetings and on petitions, among them: Muriel Alexander, S.P.E. Boshoff, F.C.L. Bosman,Hélène Botha,Myles Bourke, P.P.B. Breytenbach, John Connell, Hermien Dommisse, W.J. du P. Erlank ("Eitemal"), Gwen ffrangçon-Davies, Hendrik Hanekom, L.W. Hiemstra, André Huguenet, Margaret Inglis, Donald Inskip, Rayne Kruger, T.H. le Roux. W.E.G. Louw, Nan Munro, Anna Neethling-Pohl, Leontine Sagan and Marda Vanne. Among the organisations that involved themselves in this were FATSSA, the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns and the Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge ("Federation of Afrikaans Cultural Associations"). (FAK).

However, given the nature of the society at the time, this push was coming from a very specific segment of the South African population, namely the white "European" citizens. On the other hand there was at this time also another lone, but compelling, voice with different message and interpretation of the notion of a "National Theatre" for the country. The playwright and cultural leader H.I.E. Dhlomo, wrote a series of articles expounding his notion of a national African theatre in **. While interesting at the time, these ideas were really only picked up much later , when Dhlomo's works had regained attention in the late 1970's, notably through the publications of Tim Couzens - when they informed much of the debate surrounding the notion of black theatre and indigenous theatre in the (coming) "new South Africa".

An important step forward came in 1945, when the then Minister of Education, Arts and Science (Mr J.H. Hofmeyr) instituted a commission of enquiry, led by Dr G.W. Eybers (chairman) and J.J.P. O'pt Hof (secretary), to study the educational and social needs of the country after the second world war. The so-called Eybers Commission of Enquiry, into post war social issues that a National Council for Adult Education (NCAE) be founded, under the chairmanship of Dr Eybers.

P.P.B. Breytenbach (principal of a prominent technical school and the founding chairman of FATSSA), was appointed as a member NCAE, and in this capacity persuaded the theatre-loving Dr Eybers to create a sub-committee devoted to theatre matters. The first such committee began work in 1947, chaired by Breytenbach, with Steve Naudé as secretary and Anna Neethling-Pohl of Volksteater, Major Myles Bourke of the UDF Entertainment Unit and Professor Donald Inskip of the University of Cape Town's Little Theatre as members. This committee immediately set about preparing and submitting an ambitious proposal for a sponsorship for all the performing art forms, based on an outline prepared by Myles Bourke, to the council.

In response Minister Hofmeyr, allocated £400 (plus a loan of £3 600) to the Federation of Amateur Theatrical Societies of South Africa (FATSSA), to organise bilingual tours of theatre only, in 1948. This was to be a preliminary experiment.

Founding and early days

The founding of the new company was officially announced on 21 June 1947. There was an outcry from the professional fraternity at the allocation to FATSSA, refusing to be "organized" by amateurs, thus the original idea was scrapped and the sub-committee, still chaired by Breytenbach, was now enhanced by the addition of two professionals, Leontine Sagan and André Huguenet. This committee became a mediatory body for the experiment, and later the controlling body of NTO. In the early days André Huguenet also acted as the Company Manager.

Actual work on productions started with the artistic advisors (Sagan, Neethling-Pohl and Huguenet), going on a national tour in late 1947 to muster support and audition potential performers, and in 1948 the first productions went on tour. (See below).

The administrative structure

The directorate met for the first time in Johannesburg on 7 July 1947 and gradually Breytenbach, Inskip and Bourke took over the day to day running of the organisation. In 1948 the board was enlarged with the addition of more professionals, academics, and representatives from interested parties. Thus Elizabeth Sneddon, Marda Vanne, F.C.L. Bosman, S.H. Pellissier, J.J.P. O'pt Hof (representing the Council) and P.J. Theron (Director of Adult Education) also became members. In 1952, Breytenbach became its full time Director, and also moved to Pretoria, with F.C.L. Bosman taking over as chairman (1952-1953), followed by Geoff Cronjé (1954-1961).

In 1957 a regional office was also established in the Bellville Civic Theatre, in the Cape. Managed by Laurie van der Merwe, it had its own regional advisory board chaired by W.J. du P. Erlank.

The office and production staff

In 1948 Doris Lancaster became the first formal appointment of NTO, as full-time secretary (initially working with Breytenbach in Krugersdorp, before moving to offices in Pretoria in 1950). In 1952, Breytenbach became NTO's full time Director, and also moved to Pretoria. Over the years the staff complement was to include Michal Grobbelaar (technical advisor, 1955-1962, and from 1958 production manager Afrikaans), Victor Melleney (production manager, English 1958-1962), Frank Graves and Doreen Graves (designers), and the press officers Piet Bezuidenhout (Pretoria), Nellie Kruger (Johannesburg) and Muriel Kavanagh (Cape Town).

Marda Vanne was appointed artistic advisor in 1950,

Artistic staff

Below are the names (and links to entries on) some of the many creative and technical people who worked (longer term or ad hoc) for NTO as directors, actors, designers, stage managers, etc. They are listed in alphabetical order:

Directors

Among the directors who worked for NTO on a contract basis were Tone Brulin, Richard Daneel, Johan de Meester, Basil Dean, Hermien Dommisse, Gwen ffrangçon-Davies, Fred Engelen, Aletta Gericke, Jannie Gildenhuys, Leon Gluckman, André Huguenet, John Hussey, Margaret Inglis, Taubie Kushlick, Robert Langford, Victor Melleney, Robert Mohr, Anna Neethling-Pohl, Pietro Nolte, Truida Pohl, John Roberts, Leontine Sagan, Leonard Schach, Anna Richter-Visser, Bartho Smit, Schalk Theron, Elizabeth Sneddon, Laurie van der Merwe, Suzanne van Wyk, Marda Vanne, Margaret Webster, Clifford Williams,

Actors

A Gwen Adeler, Viviene Adley, Noëlle Ahrenson, Gerry Albertse, Keith Anderson, Jimmy Asser, Louisa Aucamp,

B Patricia Baker, Tine Balder, Bryan Bales, Tanya Barron, Limpie Basson, Gabriel Bayman, David Beattie, Roscoe Behrmann, Fanie Bekker, Alec Bell, Ralph Bennitt, Piet Bezuidenhout, John Bier, Joan Blake, Ronald Bloch, Noël Borain, Felicity Bosman, Gracelina Bosman, Louw Botes, Bet Botha, Dawid Botha, Emsie Botha, John Botha, Kobus Botha, Lansbury Botha, Roelof Botha, John Boulter, Peter Boyce, Joyce Bradley, Pieter Bredenkamp, Bill Brewer, Andries Brink, Joan Brink, Leon Brink, Tone Brulin, Jan Bruyns, (or Jan Bruijns), Elspeth Bryce,

C Cecil Cartwright, Hazel Casson, Alan Cean, Esmé Celliers, Alan Chadwick, Robert Cheetham, James Christie, Hugh Claven, Anna Cloete, Bettie Coetsee, Marcia Colville, Philippa Conradie, Michael Coulson, Bob Courtney (also known as Robert Courtney), Lorna Cowell, Ben Cronjé,

D Richard Daneel, Aedwyn Darroll, Ted Darroll, Jocelyn de Bruin, (also Jocelyn de Bruyn), André de Jongh, Helene de Jong, Joey de Koker, Sann de Lange (also San de Lange), Zoë de Villiers, Michael Drin, Joanna Douglas, Vivienne Drummond (also known as Vivien Drummond), Matthys du Toit, Irene Durr, Casper Dyason,

E Nita Economides, Honor Edmonds, Erna Eksteen, Fay Engelbrecht, Retha Erasmus, Elizabeth Evans,

F Jane Fenn, Gordon Fergusson, Michael Fisher, Ulrich Fobian, Bobbette Fouché, Elna Fouché, Elsa Fouché, Chris Fourie, Gilyan Francesco, Sheila Forbes, Evelyn Frank, Anta Fraser, Fiona Fraser,

G Eveline Garratt, Pieter Geldenhuys, Aletta Gericke, Jannie Gildenhuys, Walter Glennie, Leon Gluckman, Arne Gordon, Marjorie Gordon, Jill Gould, Peter Goxall, Leonard Graham, Joyce Grant, Jennie Gratus, Michal Grobbelaar, Anton Grobler, Philip Grobler, Martie Groenewald, Berdine Grünewald,

H Brian Haines, Arthur Hall, Mathilde Hanekom, Hendrik Hanekom, Tilana Hanekom, Lee Harris, Nigel Hawthorne, David Herbert, Mary Hewison, Innes Hirson, Anna Romain Hoffman, Hannes Horne, Don Howie, André Huguenet, John Hussey,

I Margaret Inglis, Tony Isted,

J George Jackson, Edna Jacobson, Schalk Jacobsz, Anthony James, Will Jamieson, Susan Jansen, Glyn Jones,

K Patsi Kahn, Norman Kelly-Herde, Lynette Kotzé, Ivor Kruger, Elma Krynauw, Icky Kurgan,

L Harold Lake, Babs Laker, Robert Lang,Barry Lategan, Ken Law, Virginia Lee, Rolf Lefebre, Georgie Linder, Lydia Lindeque, Heather Lloyd-Jones, Tossie Lochner, Alto Loots, Jacques Loots, Aubrey Louw, Helena Louw, Milla Louw, Joan Lovelace,

M Michéal Mac Liammoír, Marjorie Malan, Johan Malherbe, Harry Mann, Doreen Mantle, Danie Marais, Elma Marais, Francois Marais, Bella Mariani, Laurika Meerkotter, Victor Melleney, Jimmy Mentis, Esther Mentz, Helix Meyer, Mari Minnie, Mary Mitchell, Etrecia Mocke, Robert Mohr, Glenys Morgan, Pamela Murray, Patrick Mynhardt, Siegfried Mynhardt,

N Wena Naudé, Nilo Naudé-van Zijl, Anna Neethling-Pohl, Leonora Nel, Johann Nell, Pietro Nolte, James Norval,

O Merilyn Oates, Ted Ogden, Ria Olivier,

P Arnold Pearce, Ivo Pellegrini, Michael Perry, Jo-Ann Pezarro, Isabel Pienaar, Louis Pienaar, Truida Pohl, Jane Potgieter, Michael Preston, Billy Pretorius, Dalene Pretorius, Emgee Pretorius, Brian Proudfoot,

Q -

R June Range, Kita Redelinghuys, Roma Reilly, Daan Retief, David Ritch, Dolly Robyn, Sheelagh Ross, Cobus Rossouw,

S Harry Sarber, Gottfried Scholtz, Hélène Scholtz, Jan Schutte, Molly Seftel, Diana Shahn, Hymie Shapiro, Ronald Shellton, Stephanie Shiller, Pat Simpson, Dulsie Smit, David Smith, Danie Smuts, Timothy Spring, Cornelia Stander, Joe Stewardson, Jobie Stewart, Wilma Stockenström, Charles Stodel, Alfred Stretton, Dale Swanepoel, Derek Swanepoel, Francois Swart,

T Tromp Terre'Blanche, Patrick Trevor (or Pat Trevor), Michael Turner,

U -

V Oswald van Blerk, Enone van den Bergh (also known as Enone Murray), Enone van den Bergh, Gert van den Bergh (also Gert van den Berg), Kobus van der Colff, Eghard van der Hoven, Laurie van der Merwe, J.A. van der Vyver, Dawid van der Walt, Petro van der Walt, Jaco van der Westhuizen, Japie van Niekerk, Pikkie van Niekerk, Reenen van Niekerk, Ivor van Rensburg, Johan van Rensburg, Esther van Ryswyk, Francois van Wyk, Jan van Zyl, Johan van Zyl, Bryan Vanden, Marda Vanne, Hannes Venter, Leendert Verdoorn, Salie Vermaak, Louw Verwey, Eugene von Bülow, Vicki Vosloo,

W Ronald Wallace, Tiny Walker, Barry Wallman, Stanley Walsh, Hugo Warren, Dan Welman,Gerrit Wessels, Clifford Williams, Robert Whitfield, Pieter Wilcocks, Frank Wise,

X, Y, Z Peter Zander,

Designers and technical staff

Piet Bezuidenhout (stage manager), Nina Campbell-Quine (décor and costumes), Ann Case (costumes), Richard Daneel choreographer), Kobus Esterhuysen (décor), Athol Fugard (stage manager), Doreen Graves (costumes), Frank Graves (décor), Michal Grobbelaar (production manager), Harry Ligoff (lighting), Geoffrey Long (décor), Ronnie Philip (decor and costumes), Cecil Pym (décor), Jan van der Pauw (décor), Bill Walker (musical director), .

Funding

The funding also changed as they got under way, the initial loan being waived and becoming a straight grant of £10 000 in 1948 and £15 000 in 1949. By 1957 £10 000 had been added for the development of regional branches. Despite repeated entreaties due to rising costs, the grant of £25 000 remained at that level till the end, with occasional extra allowances of £5 000 for specific purposes.

Offices, theatres and facilities

Starting with offices in Krugersdorp, then temporary offices in Pretoria, before NTO finally purchased the old Marais homestead in Sunnyside, Pretoria, with the intention of ultimately converting it to a national theatre. They moved on in May 1957, and it was officially opened as the head office for NTO on 8 February by Mrs Susan Strydom, wife of the Prime Minister, J.G. Strydom[1].

The conversion to a theatre never happened and PACT eventually sold the building to a consortium to build the Marais Centre, a shopping mall.

In 1955 NTO also purchased the Harmony Hall in President street with a grant from the city council. The hall was converted to an experimental venue, the NTO Kamertoneel, in 1958-9, and in 1959 (after extensive modifications), became the National Theatre Pretoria, renamed the Breytenbach Theatre in 1967. At the same time the house next door was bought by Breytenbach and donated to NTO, for use as its offices, wardrobe, and as a training school (the latter another project that never materialised).

Specific production initiatives

Within this vast programme undertaken by the organization a few specific initiatives stand out over the years.

The bilingual company

In 1949 and 1950 an experiment was made with a bilingual (English/Afrikaans) company, performing a repertory of four plays consecutively. This was not popular and by 1951 the companies had parted company once more, with Afrikaans and English companies touring separately. This would last till the end of the existence of the organisation. Extended tours lasted up to one year at a time, with at times up to five companies on the road. The tours often took on dangerous or sometimes farcical dimensions, hampered by long distances, bad roads in the rural areas, lack of suitable venues, etc. However the NTO visits in remote areas were greatly appreciated.

International engagements

NTO did much to foster international exchange, with Hassan going to Britain in 195*, and a number of companies performing locally under their banner. These include the Flemish national theatre company (1950, 1952), the Hogarth Puppets (1954), John Wright's Marionettes (1956-57), Nederlands Kamertoneel (1959), the Old Vic Company (19**).

Prestige productions

Differences in taste between cities and the towns led to artistic advisor Marda Vanne starting a practice of doing "prestige" productions in the cities from time to time (e.g. Macbeth and Hassan in 1950), though this proved largely uneconomical and did not occur often.

The NTO Kamertoneel

Based on an idea of Kamertoneel (lit. "room theatre", i.e. "chamber theatre")which was brought to the country by visiting director Tone Brulin, the NTO plan was for an experimental company, consisting of a company of young actors, working in a venue housed in the converted Harmony Hall, at 145 President Street , Sunnyside, to produce smaller, more experimental work. The conversion was done by administrative personnel of NTO, led by Michal Grobbelaar, and utilizing private donations. The process started with plans being drawn up in 1957-1958, and actual work beginning on the 14th October 1958.

The theatrical part of the experiment lasted for two years (1958-9), during which they did ** productions of new South African plays or experimental adaptations of international work.

After 1959 the venue was revamped and extended to become the National Theatre, officially opened on 28 June 1960 and intended for use by NTO's main companies. After 1962 it was used by the PACT theatre company and was renamed the Breytenbach Theatre in 1968. After having leased it from PACT for a while, it finally became the property of the Pretoria Technikon drama department in 1997. (Later known as the Tshwane University of Technology or TUT).

For the Kamertoneel productions and other information, see NTO Kamertoneel

The Van Riebeeck Festival

The year 1952 was a period of glory for NTO, with the organization taking control of many of the main celebratory festivities surrounding the Van Riebeeck Festival, including the pageant in Cape Town (directed by Anna Neethling-Pohl). Their experimental theatre project, called Kamertoneel (lit. "Room Theatre"), lasted for about two years (1958-59) in Pretoria and Cape Town, but did some of the most interesting work, including new plays by local authors such as N.P. van Wyk Louw, James Ambrose Brown and Bartho Smit, as well as controversial work by visiting director Tone Brulin.

The NTO schools programme and the two NTO Youth Companies

Another highly regarded initiative was the NTO's schools programme. This started with special matinee performances for schools, begun in 1951, and later - with grants from the various education departments - special performances of selected plays at schools throughout the province. Begun in Transvaal in 1954, this was extended to the Cape Province in 1955 and Natal in 1956.

In 1958 Jannie Gildenhuys, Cobus Rossouw and Leonora Nel returned from Europe, filled with ideas about educational theatre culled from Joan Littlewood and others, and suggested the formation of a youth company to do extracts from prescribed works in schools. Thus, in 1959, the NTO Youth Theatre (or also referred to as the NTO Youth Company) came into being with a grant from the Cape Province and toured schools in Cape with a panel van. In 1960 they did the same in the Transvaal. Their productions included Die Bruidskool (Moliere), The Prisoner (Bridget Boland). Nie vir Geleerdes (N.P. van Wyk Louw), Wie de Drommel is Paskwaal? (Goldoni)

In 1961 two formal companies were formed for this purpose, later becoming four, one for each province. In 1963 most of these performers were absorbed into PACT.

Library readings

Initiated by in the Cape Town region by Laurie van der Merwe, the very popular library readings were offered throughout the province, and after 1957 resorted under the regional office.

The Western Cape regional office

Another kind of initiative was the founding, in 1957, of a regional office in the Bellville Civic Theatre, in the Cape. Managed by Laurie van der Merwe, it had its own regional advisory board and initiated some experimental work as well as the very popular library readings throughout the province. However, this move towards regionalisation signalled a change in fortunes for NTO, with the Cape gradually seeking to secede from the national body, a move which eventually hastened the end of NTO and the founding of the Performing Arts Councils in 1963.


The end of NTO

Gradually in the late 1950s and early 1960s troubles had begun to brew, and by 1961 the long-developing split between north and south had come to a head. This coupled with increasing financial difficulties, rebellion by artists against what they perceived as a bureaucratic control of their lives and art, national catastrophes (e.g. the Sharpeville massacre), etc, all had begun to make the board's position untenable. From 1957 onwards they sought some form of state intervention to clarify matters. (See for example the debate between "Toeskouer" and NTO Board chairman, Prof Geoff Cronjé, in Standpunte, December 1960.)

In 1961 the De Bruyn Commission of Inquiry was finally instituted, and studied the situation while all new activities were suspended. The report (never published) came as a bombshell, for it recommended the disbanding of NTO and the founding of four provincial Performing Arts Councils. With no other option, NTO wound up its business and disbanded in June 1962.

In 1963 the new system came into being, with the founding of Performing Arts Councils, Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal, Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State, Natal Performing Arts Council and Cape Performing Arts Board. Most of the facilities of NTO and the remaining staff, were transferred to PACT, with P.P.B. Breytenbach as the first director.


(See further Performing Arts Councils, Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal, Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State, Natal Performing Arts Council and Cape Performing Arts Board. Also South African Committee of Performing Arts Councils (SACPAC). )

Productions

All in all NTO mounted 103 productions (including children's plays, educational plays, imported and/or sponsored productions, experimental works, as well as repeat productions, etc.) in the period from 1948 to 1962.

Overview

The NTO run of plays began with Altyd My Liefste (Lessing, directed by Truida Pohl) and Dear Brutus (Barrie, directed by Leontine Sagan), rehearsed and launched by the English and Afrikaans companies at the Little Theatre, Cape Town on 2 and 12 February 1948, and ended with Eugene O'Neill's A Touch of the Poet as their final full production in 1961, and with three short plays in 1962, done by the Theatre for Youth company, as their swansong.

Of these events, 25 were of indigenous (Afrikaans or English) plays, a number specifically written for NTO by authors such as Gerhard Beukes, Guy Butler, W.A. de Klerk, D.J. Opperman, N.P. van Wyk Louw, James Ambrose Brown, Bartho Smit, Anthony Delius, Dolf van Niekerk and Harold Laite. The list also includes numerous translations of foreign language (and English) plays, a number of them by local author-translators such as A.J.B. de Klerk, W.J. du P. Erlank , J.F.W. Grosskopf, Uys Krige, N.P. van Wyk Louw, W.E.G. Louw, Anna Neethling-Pohl, Bartho Smit, A.F.H. van Dijk, Fred le Roux, .

Full list of plays produced by NTO

Below a list of the plays produced by NTO in their 15 years of existence, based on a list originally compiled by Rinie Stead (1985b). Most of the plays mentioned went on extended tours of South Africa.

Click on the title of the play in question to go to the entry and read more details about the text and production(s).

1948: Altyd My Liefste (Lessing); Dear Brutus (Barrie), Nag het die Wind Gebring (W.A. de Klerk) and An Inspector Calls (Priestley).

1949: Minnaar onder die Wapen (Shaw), Die Indringer (Brandon) The Glass Menagerie (Williams), The Guardsman (Molnar)

1950: Oupa Brompie (Percival and Hodges), Macbeth (Shakespeare, in Afrikaans, in association with African Theatres), Candida (Shaw), Hassan (Flecker), Vlaamse Nasionale Toneel (visiting company)

1951: Die Vrek (Molière), The Cocktail Party (Eliot)

1952: The Dam (Butler), Die Jaar van die Vuuros (De Klerk), As ons twee eers getroud is! (Beukes), Volpone (Jonson), The Ball at the Castle (Bright), Vlaamse Nasionale Toneel (visiting company)

1953: Twelfth Night (Shakespeare), Die Ipekonders (Molière), Die Ryk Weduwee (Uys Krige), Nina, Verlief in Parys (Lengyel), Antigone (Anouilh), The Anniversary (Chekhov), Vlaamse Nasionale Toneel (visiting company).

1954: Ek Onthou vir Mamma (Van Druten), The Firstborn (Fry), You Never Can Tell (Shaw), She Stoops to Conquer (Goldsmith), So Praat die Ou Rivier (Eitemal), The Hogarth Puppets (visiting company)

1955: Gelukkige Dae (Dighton), The Winslow Boy (Rattigan), Verkiesing Sonder Politiek! (Gerhard Beukes), Die Wit Perde van Rosmersholm (Ibsen), The Dove Returns (Guy Butler), Die Twisappel (W.A. de Klerk), Tobias and the Angel (Bridie), Koning Oidipus (Sophocles).

1956: The Flashing Stream (Morgan), Candida (Shaw), Bohaai oor 'n Otjie (Hinrichs), Periandros van Korinthe (D.J. Opperman), Die Twisappel (W.A. de Klerk), Verkiesing Sonder Politiek! (Gerhard Beukes), Bell, Book and Candle (Van Druten), Dangerous Corner (Priestley), Gekonkel in die Nag (Molnar), Bitter Einde (Weber), John Wright's Marionettes

1957: Germanicus (N.P. van Wyk Louw), Bitter Einde (Weber), Oupa Kanniedood (Quintero Bros), Ai, Die Liewe Martha! (J. Nel van der Merwe), Periandros van Korinthe (Opperman), Die Pad van Suid-Afrika (C.J. Langenhoven), The Master Builder (Ibsen), Come Back, Little Sheba (Inge), John Wright's Marionettes, Voordragreis (Afrikaans poetry).

1958: Skrikkeljaar (Betti), Jakkalsstreke van Scapino (Molière), Tussen Twee Liefdes (Géraldy), The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (Lawler), The School for Scandal (Sheridan), Germanicus (N.P. van Wyk Louw), Voorlopige Vonnis (Josef van Hoeck), Seven against the Sun (James Ambrose Brown).

1959: Seven against the Sun (James Ambrose Brown), Uncle and the Jukebox (Brulin), The School for Wives (Molière), Waiting for Godot (Beckett), Saint Joan (Shaw), The Cave Dwellers (Saroyan), Morning's at Seven (Osborn), The Chairs (Ionesco), Voorlopige Vonnis (Josef van Hoeck), Bruid in die Môre (Claus), Mag Ek Saamspeel? (Achard), Hellersee (W.A. de Klerk), Moeder Hanna (Bartho Smit), Die Les (Ionesco), Meisies van Vervloë Dae (Bartho Smit), The Glass Slipper (Farjeon - presented in conjunction with Children's Theatre and the Johannesburg Reps), Nederlands Kamertoneel (visiting company: see their repertoire under Nederlands Kamertoneel).

1960: The Cave Dwellers (Saroyan), Die Vonkel in Haar Oë! (Gerhard Beukes), Romeo en Jeanette (Anouilh), A Moon for the Misbegotten (O'Neill), The Glass Slipper (in conjunction with Children's Theatre and the Johannesburg Reps), Comoedia (Richard Daneel), The Fall (Anthony Delius), Nie vir Geleerdes (N.P. van Wyk Louw)

1961: Time to Kill (Monté Doyle), Die Bruidskool (Molière), The King of Diamonds (Harold Laite), The Prisoner (Boland), The Judge (Branner), Kwart voor Dagbreek (Dolf van Niekerk), Wie de Drommel is Paskwaal? (Goldoni), A Touch of the Poet (O'Neill)

1962: Marcel Marceau in performance, The Importance of Being Oscar (Michéal MacLiammoír), and three short plays by Theatre for Youth.

The Legacy

Sources

"Toeskouer" 1960. "Die Slag van die Kaapse Vlakte", Standpunte Jaargang XIV, Nr 2, Desember 1960: pp. 4-9.

G. Cronje. 1960. "'n Antwoord", Standpunte Jaargang XIV, Nr 2, Desember 1960: pp. 10-13.

P.J. du Toit, 1988;

Temple Hauptfleisch, 1985.[2]

Rinie Stead, 1981[?*];

Rinie Stead, 1985b;

Percy Tucker, 1997. [JH, TH]


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