See How They Run

See How They Run is an English comedy in three acts by Philip King. Its title is a line from the nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice. It is considered a farce for its tense comic situations and headlong humour, heavily playing on mistaken identity, doors, and vicars. In 1955 it was adapted as a film starring Roland Culver. His play was first staged by Henry Kendall at the Peterborough Rep in 1944 prior to a British tour as an entertainment for the troops.

Performance history in South Africa

Produced at His Majesty's Theatre by Brian Brooke for African Theatres, directed by Shaun Sutton in 1950, subsequently touring for four months, also staged at the Hofmeyr Theatre.

Presented by CAPAB English Drama in the Nico Malan Theatre in February 1973, directed by Roger Dwyer.

Presented by Pieter Toerien in 1988, directed by Rex Garner, starring Garner, Mark Richardson, Anne Power, Patricia Sanders, George Korelin, Kate Edwards, Graham Hopkins, Errol Hart and Timothy Welsh. Lighting design by Jannie Swanepoel, set design by Kay Page, costumes by Alison Yates.

Student production presented and mounted by the Performing Arts Administration on behalf of the Wits School of Dramatic Arts in August 1991. Directed by Margaret Heale. Designed by Paul Romanoff and Adam Steyn. Cast included Cheryl Gow, Barbie Rubin, Robert Lucas, Sarah Edwards, Gideon Emery, Justin Foxton, Jason Kennett, Donald Woodburn, Donovan Woodburn and Donovan Marsh.

Translations and adaptations

An Afrikaans translation by Pieter Fourie, Kyk Hoe Hol Hulle was presented by CAPAB in 1983 under the direction of Fourie, starring Riana Wilkens, Christine Basson, Mary Dreyer, Neels Coetzee, Pieter Joubert, Johan Malherbe, Marthinus Basson, Tjaart Potgieter, Eric Nobbs. Decor and costumes by Penny Simpson, lighting by Malcolm Hurrell. The first performance was in the Bellville Civic Centre on 11 February 1983.

Fourie directed Kyk Hoe Hol Hulle for PACOFS in 1986, with Annemarie Rauh, Blaise Koch, Michele Burgers, Shaleen Surtie-Richards and for TRUK Toneel in 1987 starring Bill Curry, Christine Basson, Chris van Niekerk, Amor Tredoux, Richard van der Westhuizen, Peter Terry, Ben Kruger, Johan Malherbe and Tjaart Potgieter.

Sources

Brooke 1978, 196.

PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988

Programme notes of the student production of See How They Run in 1991.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_How_They_Run_(play)

Kyk Hoe Hol Hulle theatre programmes 1983 (CAPAB); 1987 (PACT).

See How they Run programmes, 1988, 1991.

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