Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

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'''Welcome to:'''
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<small>__NOTOC__
  
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'''''[[THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF SOUTH AFRICAN THEATRE, FILM, MEDIA AND PERFORMANCE]]'''''</big>
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'''The Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance''' ('''ESAT''') is an [[Open access|open-access]], online record of theatre, film, media and performance in South Africa — its history, forms, people and places.
  
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''Founding editor: '''[[Temple Hauptfleisch]]'''''
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''Founding editor: [[Temple Hauptfleisch]]. A project of the [[University of Stellenbosch]] Drama Department.''
  
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''A project of the '''[[University of Stellenbosch]]''' Drama Department''.
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----
  
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== Start here ==
  
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<small>''This page was last modified on 11 June, 2026.''</small>
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* '''[[The ESAT Entries|Browse all entries]]''' — over 25,500 entries, grouped into sixteen categories.
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* '''Search''' — use the search box at the top right of the page (or press Alt+F) to jump straight to a person, play, venue or company.
  
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='''ESAT News'''=
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''The encyclopaedia holds over 25,500 full entries. Since its launch in 2011 the main page has been viewed over 2.3 million times, and its articles over 127 million times.''
  
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=='''[[ESAT]] recognized at the 2025 [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards]]'''==
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== What's New? ==
  
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<small>During the 60th [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards]] held in Cape Town in March 2025, founder and general editor Professor [[Temple Hauptfleisch]] was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award" for dedicating his career to researching and documenting theatre in South Africa, and for establishing the [[open access]], online, '''[[Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance]] ([[ESAT]])''', "... which is now considered an essential aid to theatre studies and research, and for the theatre industry" (cited from the ''Commendatio'').</small>
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<big>June 2026 — New entries: people, plays, companies and venues</big>
  
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=='''Current user statistics'''==
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Fifty new entries have been added to ESAT this month, spanning four centuries of South African theatre history.
  
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<small>The encyclopaedia currently has over 25 500 full entries (over 40 000 if you count bots, re-directs and similar items) and, since its formal launch in 2011, the site's main page has been accessed 2,3 million times, while the various other articles in the encyclopaedia combined have recorded over 127 million views in the same period.</small>
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Among the new personality entries, [[Pieter Madibuseng Odendaal]] (19**–) is a bilingual Afrikaans and English poet, playwright and educator whose multilingual drama ''[[Droomwerk]]'' won the 2021 ATKV-Woordveertjie and was nominated for the Hertzog Prize. [[Adrian van Wyk]] (19**–), who has also performed as "Diff", is a Cape Town–based performance poet, filmmaker and cultural historian, documented here for the first time. Two historical figures have also been added: [[Vivienne Adley]], a Durban-born singer and actress who performed widely in the mid-twentieth century; and [[Thomas Barrow-Dowling]] (1861–1926), a British-born organist and choirmaster who made a significant contribution to musical life in South Africa.
  
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=='''New contributors registered in 2026'''==
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On the plays side, ''[[The Scarlet Pimpernel]]'', the 1903 adventure drama by Baroness Orczy, and ''[[The Prisoner of Zenda]]'', Edward Rose's 1895 adaptation of Anthony Hope's novel, both have new entries documenting their South African performance histories. New SA work is represented by ''[[What the Water Remembers]]'', a
  
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A number of volunteers have recently approached the editorial team to help with [[ESAT]]. Among the new individuals welcomed onto the team in the last few months are [[Martin Botha]], [[Riaan Oppelt]], [[Annel Pieterse]] and [[Kevin Turner]].
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<big>May 2026 — New contributors</big>
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: Volunteers [[Martin Botha]], [[Riaan Oppelt]], [[Annel Pieterse]] and [[Kevin Turner]] have joined the editorial team. See [[Contributing to ESAT]] to find out how to help.
  
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<small>(For more about working on the [[ESAT]] project, see the entry on: '''[[Contributing to ESAT]]''')</small>
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<big> May 2025 — The ESAT archive finds a home</big>
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: ESAT's growing collection of programmes, posters, photographs and texts is now the [[Performing Arts Research Collection]] (PARC) at the [[Africa Open Institute]], University of Stellenbosch, with [[Esther Marie Pauw]] appointed as its first administrator.
  
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=='''The [[ESAT archive]]''' finds a home==
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<big> March 2025 — ESAT recognised at the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards</big>
 +
: At the 60th [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards]], founding editor [[Temple Hauptfleisch]] received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his career documenting South African theatre and for establishing ESAT.
  
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<small>Since the beginning of the project in 2010 the editors of [[ESAT]] have accumulated a large body of documentation on the performing arts in South Africa, much of it generated by the [[ESAT]] research itself, but a large part of it also received in the form of donations by interested individuals of collections of programmes, posters, photographs, texts, journals, books, articles and other materials. 
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== About ESAT ==
  
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Initially regarded as an informal collection of archival documents and other materials (permanently or temporarily) in the possession of, or stored by, the editor and used in writing the entries, it is generally referred to as the '''[[ESAT archive]]''' throughout the [[ESAT]] encyclopaedia when listed as a source.
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ESAT grew out of research by the Centre for South African Theatre Research between 1979 and 1987, continued at the [[University of Stellenbosch]] from 1988, and opened to the public online in 2011. It documents the evolution, history and forms of theatre, film, media and performance in South Africa.
  
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However, by 2024 this collection had grown so much that an alternative home became essential, one where the material and information would be available to all researchers. At the suggestion of Professor [[Stephanus Muller]] of the [[Africa Open Institute]] ([[AOI]]) at the [[University of Stellenbosch]], plans were made to create a research collection of performing arts materials in the institute. This became a reality with the support of the [[Het Jan Marais Fonds]] in May 2025, when [[Esther Marie Pauw]] was appointed as the first administrator of the collection, charged with collating, sorting and indexing the materials in the various theatre and music collections and donations that make up the larger entity. The collection is now referred to as the '''[[Performing Arts Research Collection]]''' ('''[[PARC]]''')</small>
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It is built openly — edited by a team of research editors and written by contributors around the world — and is deliberately structured like a printed encyclopaedia, with an index of entries grouped into sixteen categories.
  
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='''<big>Go directly to the listing of contents</big>'''=
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''The main focus is on pre-21st-century theatre, film, media and performance. ESAT is a work in progress and, by its nature, will always be incomplete and subject to occasional error.''
  
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For the full history, aims and list of editors, see [[About ESAT]].
  
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'''NOTE: ''To skip the introductory notes and instructions for using the encyclopaedia and go directly to the listing of contents, simply click in the link below:''
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== Finding your way around ==
  
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'''<big>[[The ESAT Entries|INDEX TO ESAT ENTRIES]]</big>'''
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; Search
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: Type a name, title or keyword into the search box (top right, or Alt+F) and press Enter.
  
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=<big>'''About [[ESAT]] and how to use it'''</big>=
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; Browse the index
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: Go to [[The ESAT Entries]] for the full list of sixteen categories, each managed by a research editor.
  
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=='''Introduction to the ''[[ESAT]]'' project'''==
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; Follow the links
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: Links shown in red mark entries not yet written. Click one, then choose "What links here" under Tools to find related mentions elsewhere in the encyclopaedia.
  
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==='''The project'''===
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'''Good to know:''' ESAT focuses on [[The main focus is on pre-21st-century theatre, film, media and performance|pre-21st-century performance]], is [[It is work in progress and thus subject to error on occasion|a work in progress]], follows a [[Policy regarding offensive language and terminology|policy on historical and offensive terminology]], and [[ESAT is not an archival facility|is not itself an archival facility]].
  
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The ''[[ESAT]]'' encyclopaedia-project was conceived as an interactive resource for researchers interested in the evolution, history and forms of performance and media in South Africa, and it is based on research originally undertaken by the ''[[Centre for South African Theatre Research]]'' under the auspices of, and with the support of, the [[Human Sciences Research Council]] ([[HSRC]]) between 1979 and 1987. In 1988 the research was transferred to, and continued at, the [[University of Stellenbosch]] by the ''[[Centre for Theatre and Performance Studies]]'', with the support of the University's Division for Research Development, the former [[Centre for Science Development]] ([[CSD]])  and the [[National Research Foundation]] ([[NRF]]). The website was opened for public use in 2011.
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== Contributing to ESAT ==
  
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'''''Please note that any opinion, finding and conclusion or recommendation expressed in this material is that of the particular author(s) and that none of the sponsors of the project accept any liability in this regard.'''''
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ESAT is always growing, and all researchers, artists and interested readers are welcome to help expand, correct and update it. To find out how, see [[Contributing to ESAT]].
  
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The project is currently headed by [[Temple Hauptfleisch]] (original founder, editor-in-chief and project director of the undertaking), with the assistance of [[Freddy Ogterop]], [[Ivor Markman]], [[Karina Hauptfleisch]], [[Darryl Nel]]  and [[Christo Snyman]] as assistant editors, while numerous contributors across the globe have helped in collating and writing the information since its first inception. It uses the standard  [[Wiki]] programme and is published on the web with the assistance of  the [[University of Stellenbosch, Department of Drama|Drama Department]] (http://www.sun.ac.za/drama) and its former [[Centre for Theatre and Performance Studies]], the IT staff of the [[J.S. Gericke Library]] and the division for Information Technology at the [[University of Stellenbosch]] (http://www.sun.ac.za/index.asp).
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== Copyright and referencing ==
  
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'''''For more detailed information on the nature of the project, including the history and aims of the encyclopaedia and the names of all the editors, researchers and supporting staff involved - go to their entry on the encyclopaedia by clicking on the link below:'''''
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ESAT is an [[Open access|open-access]] publication. Although its content is [[Copyright|copyrighted]] to ESAT and the [[University of Stellenbosch]], it may be freely used for academic and artistic purposes, provided the use is clearly referenced and attributed to the ''Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance'' (ESAT), including the URL of the entry used.
  
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* <big>'''[[About ESAT]]'''</big>
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== Contact the editors ==
  
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==='''Contacting the [[ESAT]] editors''' ===
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; Postal
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: The Editor: ESAT, Department of Drama, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa.
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'''You can contact [[ESAT]] at the following addresses:'''
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; E-mail
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: [mailto:satj@sun.ac.za satj@sun.ac.za]
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''Postal address'': The Editor: [[ESAT]], Department of Drama, [[University of Stellenbosch]], Private Bag X1, MATIELAND 7602, South Africa.'''''
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; Fax
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: +27 21 882 9141
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''E-mail address'': satj@sun.ac.za  
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</small>
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''Fax number'': (+ 27) 21 882 9141
 
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==='''How to use ''ESAT'''''===
 
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While [[ESAT]] uses the [[Wiki]] programme, which makes provision for a very useful '''''search''''' function, the database has avoided contemporary multi-screen web-design, and has been constructed rather more traditionally, like a printed encyclopaedia, with an '''[[The ESAT Entries|Index]]''' to the various entries (also called '''[[The ESAT Entries]]'''). The entries in the [[The ESAT Entries|Index]] have been grouped in '''sixteen''' distinct categories, each one managed and edited by one of the research editors.
 
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=== Four important notes for everyone using ''ESAT''===
 
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# '''[[The main focus is on pre-21st-century theatre, film, media and performance]]'''
 
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# '''[[It is work in progress and thus subject to error on occasion]]'''
 
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# '''[[Policy regarding offensive language and terminology]]'''
 
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# '''[[ESAT is not an archival facility]]'''
 
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''To find out more about these matters, click on the relevant item(s) listed above.''
 
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=== Accessing the database of entries===
 
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To access '''database material''' on the relevant category, the reader has three options:
 
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=== Using the "Search" function ===
 
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Go to the '''''"Search"''''' block at the top right of this page (or type: Alt+F),  type in the search word/phrase and click on the '''search''' icon there (the magnifying glass) or press the '''''Enter''''' button on your keyboard.
 
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=== Using the "Index" function ===
 
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Simply click on '''[[The ESAT Entries]]''' at the start of this main page (or '''[[The ESAT Entries|HERE]]''') , to go to the list of 16 categories into which the material has been divided. On the list provided, click on the appropriate one, then follow instructions on the landing page.
 
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=== Using the "What links here" function ===
 
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While searching for information you will notice many links are highlighted in red and a notice reading "[name] (page does not exist)" pops up. Do not give up your search at this stage. All this means is, due to the tremendous amount of work involved, a specific page on that subject/person has not yet been created. However, if you first click on the red notice, this will take you to a blank page. Next, look near the top left-hand side of the page and under "Tools" you will notice a link reading "What links here". Click on this link and it will generate a complete list of links which contain the name you're looking for. Try it, you may be pleasantly surprised by what you find.
 
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===Photographs and illustrations===
 
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Photographs and illustrations in the entries are usually posted in a small format, however, the reader can see a larger version by '''clicking on the relevant photograph'''.
 
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=='''NB''': Copyright and referencing of material used==
 
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[[ESAT]] is an [[open access]] publication, which means that even though the material contained in the encyclopaedia is [[copyright]]ed to [[ESAT]] and the [[University of Stellenbosch]], it may be freely used for academic and artistic purposes as long as such use is clearly referenced and the material used is attributed to The '''[[Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance]]''' ('''[[ESAT]]'''), the reference also including the '''URL for the particular entry''' in [[ESAT]].
 
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= <big>'''[[Contributing to ESAT]]'''</big>=
 
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''All researchers, artists and other interested parties are invited to help us to expand, improve, update and correct '''[[ESAT]]''' since, by its very nature, the database will always be incomplete and prone to error on occasion.''
 
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'''To find how you can contribute, click on the HEADING above.'''
 

Revision as of 21:46, 23 June 2026

The Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance (ESAT) is an open-access, online record of theatre, film, media and performance in South Africa — its history, forms, people and places.

Founding editor: Temple Hauptfleisch. A project of the University of Stellenbosch Drama Department.

Start here

  • Browse all entries — over 25,500 entries, grouped into sixteen categories.
  • Search — use the search box at the top right of the page (or press Alt+F) to jump straight to a person, play, venue or company.

The encyclopaedia holds over 25,500 full entries. Since its launch in 2011 the main page has been viewed over 2.3 million times, and its articles over 127 million times.

What's New?

June 2026 — New entries: people, plays, companies and venues

Fifty new entries have been added to ESAT this month, spanning four centuries of South African theatre history.

Among the new personality entries, Pieter Madibuseng Odendaal (19**–) is a bilingual Afrikaans and English poet, playwright and educator whose multilingual drama Droomwerk won the 2021 ATKV-Woordveertjie and was nominated for the Hertzog Prize. Adrian van Wyk (19**–), who has also performed as "Diff", is a Cape Town–based performance poet, filmmaker and cultural historian, documented here for the first time. Two historical figures have also been added: Vivienne Adley, a Durban-born singer and actress who performed widely in the mid-twentieth century; and Thomas Barrow-Dowling (1861–1926), a British-born organist and choirmaster who made a significant contribution to musical life in South Africa.

On the plays side, The Scarlet Pimpernel, the 1903 adventure drama by Baroness Orczy, and The Prisoner of Zenda, Edward Rose's 1895 adaptation of Anthony Hope's novel, both have new entries documenting their South African performance histories. New SA work is represented by What the Water Remembers, a

May 2026 — New contributors

Volunteers Martin Botha, Riaan Oppelt, Annel Pieterse and Kevin Turner have joined the editorial team. See Contributing to ESAT to find out how to help.

May 2025 — The ESAT archive finds a home

ESAT's growing collection of programmes, posters, photographs and texts is now the Performing Arts Research Collection (PARC) at the Africa Open Institute, University of Stellenbosch, with Esther Marie Pauw appointed as its first administrator.

March 2025 — ESAT recognised at the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards

At the 60th Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, founding editor Temple Hauptfleisch received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his career documenting South African theatre and for establishing ESAT.

About ESAT

ESAT grew out of research by the Centre for South African Theatre Research between 1979 and 1987, continued at the University of Stellenbosch from 1988, and opened to the public online in 2011. It documents the evolution, history and forms of theatre, film, media and performance in South Africa.

It is built openly — edited by a team of research editors and written by contributors around the world — and is deliberately structured like a printed encyclopaedia, with an index of entries grouped into sixteen categories.

The main focus is on pre-21st-century theatre, film, media and performance. ESAT is a work in progress and, by its nature, will always be incomplete and subject to occasional error.

For the full history, aims and list of editors, see About ESAT.

Finding your way around

Search
Type a name, title or keyword into the search box (top right, or Alt+F) and press Enter.
Browse the index
Go to The ESAT Entries for the full list of sixteen categories, each managed by a research editor.
Follow the links
Links shown in red mark entries not yet written. Click one, then choose "What links here" under Tools to find related mentions elsewhere in the encyclopaedia.

Good to know: ESAT focuses on pre-21st-century performance, is a work in progress, follows a policy on historical and offensive terminology, and is not itself an archival facility.

Contributing to ESAT

ESAT is always growing, and all researchers, artists and interested readers are welcome to help expand, correct and update it. To find out how, see Contributing to ESAT.

Copyright and referencing

ESAT is an open-access publication. Although its content is copyrighted to ESAT and the University of Stellenbosch, it may be freely used for academic and artistic purposes, provided the use is clearly referenced and attributed to the Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance (ESAT), including the URL of the entry used.

Contact the editors

Postal
The Editor: ESAT, Department of Drama, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa.
E-mail
satj@sun.ac.za
Fax
+27 21 882 9141

Retrieved from "https://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php?title=Main_Page&oldid=293063"