Othello

The play

Othello by William Shakespeare. Possibly written 1604.

Othello and South Africa

In the early 19th century this was the most popular Shakespeare play in Cape Town, at least 15 performances being done between 1800 and 1864. This includes one travesty and three productions by a Dutch amateur groups Door Yver Bloeit de Kunst and Vlyt en Kunst, in Dutch translation. However, most probably because of its racial overtones, the play was seldom performed in the later 19th and most of the 20th centuries, though the play was studied by University students. It resurfaced in the later part of the 20th century, influenced by the eventual release of the 1965 Laurence Olivier film in 197*. In 1975, an Afrikaans version of it (tr Anna Neethling-Pohl?*) was done by PACT in 1975, the latter featuring Louis van Niekerk in the lead role in black-face, Sandra Prinsloo as Desdemona and Marius Weyers as Iago. (The same translation was done by SWAPAC in Windhoek in 1977) The first black Othello in the country was played by John Kani in a landmark production directed for the Market Theatre by Janet Suzman in 1986, with designs by Johan Engels.

South African translations of the text

The [play has been tranlated into * South African languages, namely Afrikaans, **

The South African productions

1818

A performance (with The Poor Soldier as afterpiece) by the Gentlemen Amateurs in the African Theatre on 24 October, 1818; as a benefit for the Liverpool actress Miss Williams.

Though an African-American Shakespearen actor, **, also toured the country in the 18**'s and no doubt included excerpts from the play in his repertoire.

So did Sir ** Benson?* CHECK***] It resurfaced in the later part of the 20th century with a production by ** in 19**. Shortly after the showing of the Laurence Olivier film in 19**, was done by

1837

A performance in Dutch, called Othello, of De Moor van Venetien by Vlyt en Kunst in the Liefhebbery Toneel (Amateur Theatre) in Cape Town on 19 August 1837, directed by C.E. Boniface. The rest of the programme consisted of Dirk Menschenschrik by Holberg and some tricks by "een Groote Baviaan" as afterpiece.

1975

Shortly after the release of the 1965 Laurence Olivier film in South Africa in 197*, PACT produced an Afrikaans version, in a translation by Anna Neethling-Pohl?*. Breytenbach Theatre, . The production featured Louis van Niekerk in the lead role in black-face, Sandra Prinsloo as Desdemona and Marius Weyers as Iago, and was directed by Francois Swart.

1977

The same Afrikaans translation was done by SWAPAC in Windhoek.

1986

The first black Othello in the country was played by John Kani in a landmark production directed for the Market Theatre by Janet Suzman in 1986, with designs by Johan Engels. Iago was superbly played by Richard Haines, while Joanna Weinberg played Desdemona. (A film of this production was shown on BBC television)

Adaptations

South African

197* Othello Slegs Blankes

An interesting aside on this was the 197* production of Othello Slegs Blankes ("Othello, For Whites Only") at The Space (Cape Town) Written and directed by Donald Howarth in 197*, it featured John Badenhorst, Limpie Basson, Peter Benedix, Mavourneen Bryceland, Yvonne Bryceland, Ben Dekker, Val Donald, Anthony Flesch, Keith Grenville, David Haynes, John Kennedy, Charles Kidd, Charles Kinsman, Icky Kurgan, Michael McGovern, Paul Slabolepszy, Michael Swinton and Harry Victor. Costumes by Aubrey Couling, lighting by Brian Astbury and stage management by Bee Berman. (Unpublished).

Sources

Astbury 1979:

Bosman, 1928: pp ;338-9;

Fletcher, 1994

Schwartz, 199*

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