Die Verhoor

Die Verhoor (“The Trial”) can refer to one of two Afrikaans theatre texts:

1. Die Verhoor by André P. Brink. This play is discussed below.

2. Die Verhoor, an Afrikaans translation (by Chris Fourie) of The Trial, a one-act play by Anthony Booth. (For a discussion of both the English and the Afrikaans versions of Booth's play, see The Trial.)

Die Verhoor by André P. Brink (1935-2015)

The original text

A dramatization in three acts of the 1815 rebellion (often referred to as the Slachter's Nek or Slagtersnek Rebellion) by the Dutch farmers of the Eastern Cape border against British Colonial rule. The action is set from April 1813 to October 1815.

First part of a two-part collection of plays. The second is Die Rebelle.

First published by Human and Rousseau in 1970.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into English by Michael Venables under the title The Road to Slagtersnek in 1986.

Performance history in South Africa

1973: Staged by PACT, directed by Francois Swart, with Don Lamprecht (Andries Stockenström), Will Bernard (Sekretaris), Louis van Niekerk (Frederik Bezuidenhout), Tobie Cronje (Booi), Gerben Kamper (Jacob Erasmus), Eckard Rabe (Hans), Zack du Plessis (Johannes Londt), David van der Merwe (Flip Opperman), Marko van der Colff (Kerneels Olivier), Elise Hibbert (Jeanette), Wilma Stockenstrom (Anna) and Siegfried Mynhardt (Lord Charles Somerset).

1980: Staged by PACT, directed by Francois Swart, with with Don Lamprecht (Andries Stockenström), Ronnie Belcher (Sekretaris), Louis van Niekerk (Frederik Bezuidenhout), Pierre van Pletzen (Booi), Christo Gerlach (Jacob Erasmus), Gerben Kamper (Hans), Richard van der Westhuizen (Johannes Londt), At Botha (Flip Opperman), Eric Nobbs (Kerneels Olivier), Riana Wilkens (Jeanette), Wilma Stockenstrom (Anna) and William Egan (Lord Charles Somerset). Decor by Martin Pelser and costumes by Jennifer Andrew.

1986: The Road to Slagtersnek, the English translation by Michael Venables, was staged by PACT Drama at the State Theatre Pretoria, directed by Louis van Niekerk assisted by Ben Kruger. In the cast were Johan Malherbe (Andries Stockenström), Frans Kalp (Secretary), Eric Nobbs (Frederik Bezuidenhout), Bill Curry (Booi), Gert van Niekerk (Jacob Erasmus), Kurt Egelhof (Hans), Pieter Brand (Johannes Londt), Ben Kruger (Flip Opperman), Chris van Niekerk (Kerneels Olivier), Ronel Kriel (Jeanette), Natalia da Rocha (Anna), Albert Raphael (Lord Charles Somerset), James Winkler (Soldier), Speedo Wilson (Soldier). Lighting designer Jacques Mulder.

Sources

PACT theatre programme (Die Verhoor), 1973.

PACT theatre programme (Die Verhoor), 1980.

Review by Raeford Daniel, The Rand Daily Mail, 11 April 1980.

PACT theatre programme (The Road to Slagtersnek), 1986.

Petru & Carel Trichardt theatre programme collection.

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