Difference between revisions of "Hamlet"

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The better known title for ''[[The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark]]'' by William Shakespeare, written and performed some time  between 1599 and 1602.   
 
The better known title for ''[[The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark]]'' by William Shakespeare, written and performed some time  between 1599 and 1602.   
  
It is believed that Shakespeare basedthe play on the legend of Amleth, preserved by 13th-century chronicler Saxo Grammaticus in his Gesta Danorum as subsequently retold by 16th-century scholar François de Belleforest.  
+
It is believed that Shakespeare based the play on the legend of Amleth, preserved by 13th-century chronicler Saxo Grammaticus in his Gesta Danorum as subsequently retold by 16th-century scholar François de Belleforest.  
  
 +
== Performance history in South Africa ==
  
As elsewhere in the world, this is one of the more popular of the tragedies and often performed in South Africa. The first time according to Fletcher (1994, quoting Keeling and Bonner) was when Captain W. Keeling had it performed on board his ship the Dragon off the coast of Southern Africa in 1608, on his way to the Cape. The first recorded performance of  a substantial excerpt from Hamlet (act 3) on land was only in 1854 in Cape Town (Bosman 1928). However the first recorded (semi-) professional performance of the full play came with the arrival of [[Sefton Parry]] and his 1858 season of Shakespeare plays, followed by [[Disney Roebuck]]'s production of 1876. Done by the [[Ben Wheeler Theatre Company]] in Cape Town in 1896 (with [[Leonard Rayne]]), **. Other notable productions were at [[Maynardville]] ([[Leslie French]] directing, 1964 and 1975), at the [[Civic Theatre|Johannesburg Civic]] in 1964 (by [[PACT]], directed by [[Margaret Inglis]] with [[Francois Swart|François Swart]] , [[Reinet Maasdorp]], [[Joe Stewardson]] and [[Joan Blake]]). [[NAPAC]] (1964), **and [[CAPAB]] in association with [[PACOFS]] (1973, with  [[Ralph Lawson]], [[Cobus Rossouw]], [[Pierre Knoesen]], [[Errol Ross]], directed by [[Robert Mohr]]) (CAPAB, 198*?), [[PACT]] (198*, directed by [[Francois Swart]], with [[Marius Weyers]] and **), [[Baxter Theatre]] (197*/8*? With [[Brumilda van Rensburg]]?*) *** (19**, with **, ** and [[Peter Butler]]); [[Loft Theatre Company]] in Durban (19**),  [[Baxter Theatre]] and [[National Arts Festival]], (1992, directed by [[Christopher Weare|Chris Weare]] with [[Ralph Lawson]], [[Diane Wilson]], [[Michelle Scott]], [[Gys de Villiers]], [[Blaise Koch]], [[Neels Coetzee]] and 2005, directed by [[Janet Suzman]] with [[John Kani]], [[Dorothy-Ann Gould]] and [[Rajesh Gopie]]), **. Perhaps one of the most important Hamlet productions, however was the Afrikaans production in 1947, translated by [[L.I. Coertze]], produced by [[André Huguenet]] in conjunction with [[African Consolidated Theatres]], directed by [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]] and [[Siegfried Mynhardt]], and featuring [[André Huguenet]]  and [[Berdine Grünewald]] as Hamlet and Ophelia, alongside a stellar cast of Afrikaans performers, including [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]] as Gertrude, [[Gideon Roos]], [[Olivier Burgers]], [[Jan Schutte]]. It opened to enormous ovation in the [[Opera House]], Pretoria on *** 1947, and the clamour surrounding its success led directly to the founding of the [[National Theatre Organisation]]. (The same Afrikaans version was used to open the [[Wynand Mouton Theatre]] in Bloemfontein on Thursday October 13 1983.) Notable other performances of this text were those of *** in 19**, [[Cobus Rossouw]] and [[Pieter Joubert]] for [[CAPAB]] and [[PACOFS]] in 19**? *** in 19**, [[Marius Weyers]] for [[PACT]] in 198*?,  etc?? Hamlet has also been translated into a number of other South African languages, including Southern Sotho as  ''[[Hamlet, kgosi ea Denmark]]''  by [[I. Mahloane]]. (Published by Mazenod in 1964), .  
+
As elsewhere in the world, this is one of the more popular of the tragedies and often performed in South Africa. The first time according to [[Jill Fletcher]] (1994, quoting Keeling and Bonner) was when Captain W. Keeling had it performed on board his ship the Dragon off the coast of Southern Africa in 1608, on his way to the Cape.  
 +
 
 +
1854: According to [[F.C.L. Bosman]] (1928, p426) the first recorded performance of  a substantial excerpt from ''[[Hamlet]]'' on land was only in 1854 in Cape Town, when Act 3 was performed by the [[City Amateur Theatrical Society]] on Wednesday, 26th July in the Dutch Company's [[Bree Street Theatre]] (corner of Dorp Street), Cape Town. (It was followed by ''[[A  Race for Dinner]]'' (Rodwell),  ''[[The Secret]]'' (Morris), and ''[[Ion]]'' (Talfourd).)
 +
 
 +
1858: The first recorded (semi-) professional performance of the full play came with the arrival of [[Sefton Parry]] and his 1858 season of Shakespeare plays,  
 +
 
 +
1876: followed by [[Disney Roebuck]]'s production of 1876.  
 +
 
 +
1896: Done by the [[Ben Wheeler Theatre Company]] in Cape Town in 1896 (with [[Leonard Rayne]]), **.  
 +
 
 +
Other notable productions were at [[Maynardville]] ([[Leslie French]] directing, 1964 and 1975), at the [[Civic Theatre|Johannesburg Civic]] in 1964 (by [[PACT]], directed by [[Margaret Inglis]] with [[Francois Swart|François Swart]] , [[Reinet Maasdorp]], [[Joe Stewardson]] and [[Joan Blake]]). [[NAPAC]] (1964), **and [[CAPAB]] in association with [[PACOFS]] (1973, with  [[Ralph Lawson]], [[Cobus Rossouw]], [[Pierre Knoesen]], [[Errol Ross]], directed by [[Robert Mohr]]) (CAPAB, 198*?), [[PACT]] (198*, directed by [[Francois Swart]], with [[Marius Weyers]] and **), [[Baxter Theatre]] (197*/8*? With [[Brumilda van Rensburg]]?*) *** (19**, with **, ** and [[Peter Butler]]); [[Loft Theatre Company]] in Durban (19**),  [[Baxter Theatre]] and [[National Arts Festival]], (1992, directed by [[Christopher Weare|Chris Weare]] with [[Ralph Lawson]], [[Diane Wilson]], [[Michelle Scott]], [[Gys de Villiers]], [[Blaise Koch]], [[Neels Coetzee]] and 2005, directed by [[Janet Suzman]] with [[John Kani]], [[Dorothy-Ann Gould]] and [[Rajesh Gopie]]), **. Perhaps one of the most important Hamlet productions, however was the Afrikaans production in 1947, translated by [[L.I. Coertze]], produced by [[André Huguenet]] in conjunction with [[African Consolidated Theatres]], directed by [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]] and [[Siegfried Mynhardt]], and featuring [[André Huguenet]]  and [[Berdine Grünewald]] as Hamlet and Ophelia, alongside a stellar cast of Afrikaans performers, including [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]] as Gertrude, [[Gideon Roos]], [[Olivier Burgers]], [[Jan Schutte]]. It opened to enormous ovation in the [[Opera House]], Pretoria on *** 1947, and the clamour surrounding its success led directly to the founding of the [[National Theatre Organisation]]. (The same Afrikaans version was used to open the [[Wynand Mouton Theatre]] in Bloemfontein on Thursday October 13 1983.) Notable other performances of this text were those of *** in 19**, [[Cobus Rossouw]] and [[Pieter Joubert]] for [[CAPAB]] and [[PACOFS]] in 19**? *** in 19**, [[Marius Weyers]] for [[PACT]] in 198*?,  etc?? Hamlet has also been translated into a number of other South African languages, including Southern Sotho as  ''[[Hamlet, kgosi ea Denmark]]''  by [[I. Mahloane]]. (Published by Mazenod in 1964), .  
  
 
In 2013  performed by the [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]] (PESF) in the [[Noel Morgan Auditorium]] at the  [[Little Theatre]] of the [[Port Elizabeth Musical and Dramatic Society]] ([[PEMADS]]).  
 
In 2013  performed by the [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]] (PESF) in the [[Noel Morgan Auditorium]] at the  [[Little Theatre]] of the [[Port Elizabeth Musical and Dramatic Society]] ([[PEMADS]]).  
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== Translations ==
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== Translations into South African languages==
  
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For performances in translation, see above "Performance history in South Africa"
  
=== Afrikaans ===
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=== [[Afrikaans]] ===
  
At least three published translations of ''Hamlet'' into Afrikaans exist, viz. that by [[Eitemal]] (published by Tafelberg, 1973), [[D.P. de Klerk]] (Tafelberg, 1959) and [[L.I. Coertze]], (published by Stewart, Cape Town in 1945).  
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At least three published translations of ''Hamlet'' into [[Afrikaans]] exist, viz. that by [[Eitemal]] (published by Tafelberg, 1973), [[D.P. de Klerk]] (Tafelberg, 1959) and [[L.I. Coertze]], (published by Stewart, Cape Town in 1945).  
  
  
=== Southern Sotho ===
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=== [[Southern Sotho]] ===
  
  
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http://www.pe-express.co.za/articles/articledetails.aspx?id=45893
 
http://www.pe-express.co.za/articles/articledetails.aspx?id=45893
 +
 +
F.C.L. Bosman 1928
 +
 +
F.C.L. Bosman 1994
 +
 +
Jill Fletcher, 1994.
 +
  
 
== Return to ==
 
== Return to ==

Revision as of 18:03, 28 April 2014

The better known title for The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, written and performed some time between 1599 and 1602.

It is believed that Shakespeare based the play on the legend of Amleth, preserved by 13th-century chronicler Saxo Grammaticus in his Gesta Danorum as subsequently retold by 16th-century scholar François de Belleforest.

Performance history in South Africa

As elsewhere in the world, this is one of the more popular of the tragedies and often performed in South Africa. The first time according to Jill Fletcher (1994, quoting Keeling and Bonner) was when Captain W. Keeling had it performed on board his ship the Dragon off the coast of Southern Africa in 1608, on his way to the Cape.

1854: According to F.C.L. Bosman (1928, p426) the first recorded performance of a substantial excerpt from Hamlet on land was only in 1854 in Cape Town, when Act 3 was performed by the City Amateur Theatrical Society on Wednesday, 26th July in the Dutch Company's Bree Street Theatre (corner of Dorp Street), Cape Town. (It was followed by A Race for Dinner (Rodwell), The Secret (Morris), and Ion (Talfourd).)

1858: The first recorded (semi-) professional performance of the full play came with the arrival of Sefton Parry and his 1858 season of Shakespeare plays,

1876: followed by Disney Roebuck's production of 1876.

1896: Done by the Ben Wheeler Theatre Company in Cape Town in 1896 (with Leonard Rayne), **.

Other notable productions were at Maynardville (Leslie French directing, 1964 and 1975), at the Johannesburg Civic in 1964 (by PACT, directed by Margaret Inglis with François Swart , Reinet Maasdorp, Joe Stewardson and Joan Blake). NAPAC (1964), **and CAPAB in association with PACOFS (1973, with Ralph Lawson, Cobus Rossouw, Pierre Knoesen, Errol Ross, directed by Robert Mohr) (CAPAB, 198*?), PACT (198*, directed by Francois Swart, with Marius Weyers and **), Baxter Theatre (197*/8*? With Brumilda van Rensburg?*) *** (19**, with **, ** and Peter Butler); Loft Theatre Company in Durban (19**), Baxter Theatre and National Arts Festival, (1992, directed by Chris Weare with Ralph Lawson, Diane Wilson, Michelle Scott, Gys de Villiers, Blaise Koch, Neels Coetzee and 2005, directed by Janet Suzman with John Kani, Dorothy-Ann Gould and Rajesh Gopie), **. Perhaps one of the most important Hamlet productions, however was the Afrikaans production in 1947, translated by L.I. Coertze, produced by André Huguenet in conjunction with African Consolidated Theatres, directed by Anna Neethling-Pohl and Siegfried Mynhardt, and featuring André Huguenet and Berdine Grünewald as Hamlet and Ophelia, alongside a stellar cast of Afrikaans performers, including Anna Neethling-Pohl as Gertrude, Gideon Roos, Olivier Burgers, Jan Schutte. It opened to enormous ovation in the Opera House, Pretoria on *** 1947, and the clamour surrounding its success led directly to the founding of the National Theatre Organisation. (The same Afrikaans version was used to open the Wynand Mouton Theatre in Bloemfontein on Thursday October 13 1983.) Notable other performances of this text were those of *** in 19**, Cobus Rossouw and Pieter Joubert for CAPAB and PACOFS in 19**? *** in 19**, Marius Weyers for PACT in 198*?, etc?? Hamlet has also been translated into a number of other South African languages, including Southern Sotho as Hamlet, kgosi ea Denmark by I. Mahloane. (Published by Mazenod in 1964), .

In 2013 performed by the Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival (PESF) in the Noel Morgan Auditorium at the Little Theatre of the Port Elizabeth Musical and Dramatic Society (PEMADS). Directed by Linda-Louise Swain, with Andrew White, , Cameron Robertson, Lesley Barnard, Gift Buqa, Jessica Rijs, David Emery, Dennis Slattery and Ray Saunders.


Adaptations

Tom Stoppard's 1966 play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

There have also been the various adaptations and **s such as **, Dogg's Hamlet- Cahoot's Macbeth (PACOFS, 198*), **

The Marowitz Hamlet, written by American critic, theatre director, and playwright Charles Marowitz, was the U.S. Drama entry for the 2004 National Arts Festival Student Drama. It was directed by Floyed de Vaal.


Translations into South African languages

For performances in translation, see above "Performance history in South Africa"

Afrikaans

At least three published translations of Hamlet into Afrikaans exist, viz. that by Eitemal (published by Tafelberg, 1973), D.P. de Klerk (Tafelberg, 1959) and L.I. Coertze, (published by Stewart, Cape Town in 1945).



Southern Sotho

Translated into Southern Sotho as Hamlet, kgosi ea Denmark by I. Mahloane. Published by Mazenod in 1964.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet

http://www.pe-express.co.za/articles/articledetails.aspx?id=45893

F.C.L. Bosman 1928

F.C.L. Bosman 1994

Jill Fletcher, 1994.


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