Difference between revisions of "The Arabian Nights"
| (19 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | ''[[The Arabian Nights]]'' is the most popular English title for the | + | ''[[The Arabian Nights]]'' is the most popular English title for the collection of Middle Eastern folk tales called أَلْف لَيْلَة وَلَيْلَة in Arabic (pronounced "Alf layla wa-layla", and meaning "[[One Thousand and One Nights]]"), compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. |
=The original stories= | =The original stories= | ||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
'''See further the entry in ''[[Wikipedia]]'' on ''One Thousand and One Nights''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Thousand_and_One_Nights].''' | '''See further the entry in ''[[Wikipedia]]'' on ''One Thousand and One Nights''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Thousand_and_One_Nights].''' | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
= Adaptations and translations = | = Adaptations and translations = | ||
| Line 17: | Line 11: | ||
The stories from ''[[The Arabian Nights]]'' have been the source of many plays, dances, pantomimes, films and TV dramas over the years. What follows below is a list of titles for those that have made their way to South African stages and the local media. Where the entry is not discussed below, click on the appropriate title to go to the particular entry for more detail. | The stories from ''[[The Arabian Nights]]'' have been the source of many plays, dances, pantomimes, films and TV dramas over the years. What follows below is a list of titles for those that have made their way to South African stages and the local media. Where the entry is not discussed below, click on the appropriate title to go to the particular entry for more detail. | ||
| − | + | Stage versions of the stories include: | |
| + | * ''[[The Arabian Nights]]'' by Hal Collier Edwards and F.H. Dudley (This was apparently a comedy , based on a German tragedy called ''[[Harun Alraschid]]'' by an unidentified author.) | ||
| − | + | * ''[[Arabian Nights]]'' by Sydney Grundy | |
| + | === Performance history in South Africa === | ||
| − | + | 1888: The version by Hal Collier Edwards and F.H. Dudley performed in the [[Exhibition Theatre]], Cape Town, by [[Hirshfield's Theatre Company]] as part of a repertoire that also included ''[[Sweet Lavender]]'' (Pinero), and ''[[In His Power]]'' (Quinton). The company included the actors [[J.A. Rosier]], [[Albert Lucas]] and [[Joseph Ashman]]. | |
| − | + | 1890: The Grundy version presented by [[Emma Chambers and Company]] at the [[Theatre Royal]], Johannesburg in September. | |
| − | + | 1892: ''[[The Arabian Nights]]'' (version unknown) presented by the [[Edgar Perkins Company]] (September) at the [[Theatre Royal]], Johannesburg. | |
| − | + | =Sources = | |
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Thousand_and_One_Nights | ||
[[D.C. Boonzaier]]. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in ''SA Review'', 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]] 1980: pp. 374-439.) | [[D.C. Boonzaier]]. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in ''SA Review'', 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]] 1980: pp. 374-439.) | ||
[[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1980. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916''. Pretoria: [[J.L. van Schaik]]: pp. 387. | [[F.C.L. Bosman]]. 1980. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916''. Pretoria: [[J.L. van Schaik]]: pp. 387. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Walter Greyvenstein|Greyvenstein, Walter]] 1988. The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University. | ||
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]] | Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]] | ||
= Other dramatized versions of the stories= | = Other dramatized versions of the stories= | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | == ''An Arabian Night'' by [[Janice Honeyman]] and cast | + | ==''[[Aladdin]]''== |
| + | |||
| + | There are a number of dramatised versions of this story, by local and international authors. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''See ''[[Aladdin]]''''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | == ''[[An Arabian Night]]'' == | ||
| + | |||
| + | A South African play, devised and performed by [[Janice Honeyman]] and cast and based on Sir Richard Burton's English translation. | ||
'''See ''[[An Arabian Night]]''''' | '''See ''[[An Arabian Night]]''''' | ||
| − | ==''[[ | + | ==''[[Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves]]''== |
| − | + | There are numerous of dramatised versions of this story, by local and international authors. | |
| + | '''See ''[[Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves]]''''' | ||
| + | ==''[[Sinbad the Sailor]]''== | ||
| + | See '''''[[Sinbad the Sailor]]'''''. | ||
= Return to = | = Return to = | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[The South African Context/General Terminology and Thematic Entries]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[South African Theatre/Terminology and Thematic Entries]] | ||
Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]] | Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]] | ||
Latest revision as of 21:26, 13 June 2026
The Arabian Nights is the most popular English title for the collection of Middle Eastern folk tales called أَلْف لَيْلَة وَلَيْلَة in Arabic (pronounced "Alf layla wa-layla", and meaning "One Thousand and One Nights"), compiled during the Islamic Golden Age.
Contents
The original stories
This title derives from the first English-language edition (1706), which rendered the title as The Arabian Nights' Entertainment, in turn based on the first European version (1704–1717) by Antoine Galland, called Les Mille et une nuits, contes arabes traduits en français ("Thousand and one nights, Arab stories translated into French"), and also containing additional material such as the popular stories of "Aladdin's Lamp", "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" and "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor".
See further the entry in Wikipedia on One Thousand and One Nights[1].
Adaptations and translations
The stories from The Arabian Nights have been the source of many plays, dances, pantomimes, films and TV dramas over the years. What follows below is a list of titles for those that have made their way to South African stages and the local media. Where the entry is not discussed below, click on the appropriate title to go to the particular entry for more detail.
Stage versions of the stories include:
- The Arabian Nights by Hal Collier Edwards and F.H. Dudley (This was apparently a comedy , based on a German tragedy called Harun Alraschid by an unidentified author.)
- Arabian Nights by Sydney Grundy
Performance history in South Africa
1888: The version by Hal Collier Edwards and F.H. Dudley performed in the Exhibition Theatre, Cape Town, by Hirshfield's Theatre Company as part of a repertoire that also included Sweet Lavender (Pinero), and In His Power (Quinton). The company included the actors J.A. Rosier, Albert Lucas and Joseph Ashman.
1890: The Grundy version presented by Emma Chambers and Company at the Theatre Royal, Johannesburg in September.
1892: The Arabian Nights (version unknown) presented by the Edgar Perkins Company (September) at the Theatre Royal, Johannesburg.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Thousand_and_One_Nights
D.C. Boonzaier. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)
F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 387.
Greyvenstein, Walter 1988. The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
Other dramatized versions of the stories
Aladdin
There are a number of dramatised versions of this story, by local and international authors.
See Aladdin
An Arabian Night
A South African play, devised and performed by Janice Honeyman and cast and based on Sir Richard Burton's English translation.
See An Arabian Night
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
There are numerous of dramatised versions of this story, by local and international authors.
See Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Sinbad the Sailor
See Sinbad the Sailor.
Return to
Return to The South African Context/General Terminology and Thematic Entries
Return to South African Theatre/Terminology and Thematic Entries
Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays
Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays
Return to PLAYS III: Collections
Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances
Return to South African Festivals and Competitions
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
