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| − | ''[[En attendant Godot]]'' is a French play by Samuel Beckett (1906–1989)
| + | #REDIRECT [[En attendant Godot]] |
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| − | Also known as ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'' in English
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| − | == The original text ==
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| − | One of the most influential plays of the twentieth century, Beckett’s Absurdist masterpiece of two clowns waiting for the "coming" of the enigmatic "Godot" has been performed in numerous guises across the world by professionals, amateurs and students.
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| − | The original French text was composed between 9 October 1948 and 29 January 1949, and first performed on 5 January 1953 at the Théâtre de Babylone, Paris, directed by Roger Blin. The text was published by Editions de Minuit.
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| − | ==Translations and adaptations==
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| − | The original French version was reworked into English by Beckett himself. It premiered in London in 1955 and the text was published by Faber and Faber in 1956.
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| − | Locally it has also had an enormous influence on the nature of South African theatre, inter alia on the work of [[Athol Fugard]] (see ''[[Boesman and Lena]]'' for example), [[Bartho Smit]], [[André P. Brink]] and [[Charles J. Fourie]]. (See the entry on ''[[Absurdist Theatre]]''')
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| − | In 1980 it was given an "African flavour" by director [[Donald Howarth]] for his production at the [[Baxter Theatre]], adding an the arid set, a parched sky and a lullaby crooned in [[Xhosa]]. The cast consisted of [[John Kani]], [[Winston Ntshona]], [[Solly Philander]], [[Peter Piccolo]] and [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]].
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| − | In 2001 [[Lara Foot-Newton]] and [[Gerhard Marx]] adapted and staged a Karoo version of ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'' called '''''[[Duckrabbit]]'''''.
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| − | Adapted and translated into [[Afrikaans]] by [[Suseth Brits]] ([[Suseth Wilcocks]]) as '''''[[Afspraak met Godot]]'''''.
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| − | In 2015 [[Maude Sandham]] and [[Rachael Neary]] , two young theatre-makers in South Africa, created and performed '''''[[Actress & Girl]]''''', a two-woman play based on ''[[Waiting for Godot]]''. First performed at the [[Musho! Festival]] in 2015, produced by [[Masidlale Productions]].[http://original-vs-copy.interartive.org/2015/07/jacobs/]
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| − | In 2024 [[Naòmi Morgan]] obtained permission from the Samuel Beckett will and Editions de Minuit to translate the piece into [[Afrikaans]] as '''''[[Ons wag vir Godot]]''''', utilizing both the French and the English versions (''[[En attendant Godot]]'' and ''[[Waiting for Godot]]''). First performed in as in 2024 and published by [[Naledi]] in a limited edition of 300.
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| − | == Performance history in South Africa ==
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| − | 1955-6: First produced professionally in South Africa by [[Leonard Schach]] on his return from an overseas excursion in 1955. It opened at the [[Little Theatre]] in Cape Town with [[Gavin Haughton]] as Vladimir and [[Alec Bell]] as Estragon, also starring [[Donald Inskip]] (Lucky), [[Gordon Roberts]] (Pazzo) and [[Frank Rothgiesser]] (A Boy). Decor by [[Cecil Pym]] and lighting by [[E.G. Marshall]]. The play was also presented at the [[Hofmeyr Theatre]] and then taken on a tour of several country towns in South Africa under [[Brian Brooke]]’s management. Schach claims that Cape Town audiences saw it before any other English language audiences, outside of London.
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| − | 1956: Schach then collaborated with [[Leon Gluckman]] and [[Taubie Kushlick]] as co-producers to stage it once again, this time at the [[Technical College Hall]] in 1956, starring [[Alec Bell]], [[Gerrit Wessels]] and [[Gavin Haughton]].
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| − | 1959: Presented in the [[NTO Kamertoneel]], Pretoria, from 2 to 13 July, directed by [[Tone Brulin]] with Brulin, [[David Herbert]], [[Gabriel Bayman]] (Pozzo), [[Gerrit Wessels]] (Lucky) and [[Ivor Kruger]]. [[Ivor Krüger]]
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| − | 1962: A production of the play was directed by [[Athol Fugard]] in the [[AMDA]] [[Rehearsal Room]], with a cast including [[Connie Mabaso]] (Estragon) [[David Phetoe]] (Vladimir), [[Gilbert Xaba]] and [[Job Mnisi]].
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| − | 1965: Presented by the [[University of Cape Town]] Department of Speech and Drama at the [[Little Theatre]], directed by [[Robert Mohr]], starring [[Frank Lazarus]] (Extragon), [[John Mitchell]] (Vladimir), [[Joey Wishnia]] (Lucky), [[Roy Sargeant]] (Pozzo) and Chronis Papacostas (A Boy). Set designed by [[Keith Anderson]], costumes by [[Helen Rooza]], lighting by [[Cliff Taylor]].
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| − | 1970: A [[PACOFS]] production, directed by [[Bill Smuts]] with [[Neels Coetzee]], [[William Egan]], [[George Barnes]] and [[Leon Cloete]], performed in Bloemfontein and in Pretoria for [[PACT]].
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| − | 1971: Performed by the Wits [[University Players]] on Tuesday 6 July 1971 starring [[John Coulton]], [[John Jackson]], [[Malcolm Rosenfeld]], [[Bill Stevens]], [[Johnny Levin]]. Directed by [[Frank Morton]]. ([[TECON]]).
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| − | 1976: A workshopped version with the all-black cast that included [[James Mthoba]] and [[Sam Williams]], directed by [[Benjy Francis]] (Durban, Soweto and [[Upstairs at the Market]]).
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| − | 1976: Performed by the [[Rhodes University Drama Department]] directed by [[Graham Brown]] and [[Richard McKenzie]] in September 1976 starring, among others, [[Dennis Gazard]] and [[John Maytham]].
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| − | 1980: Staged at the [[Baxter Theatre]], directed by [[Donald Howarth]], with [[John Kani]] ("Vladimir"), [[Winston Ntshona]] ("Estragon"), [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]] ("Pozzo"), [[Peter Piccolo]] ("Lucky") and [[Silamour Philander]] ("the messenger"). The multiracial cast, approved by Beckett himself, caused quite a stir back then, but the play received good reviews. After the Cape Town run, the play was also performed at the [[Grahamstown National Arts Festival]], the [[Port Elizabeth Opera House]], and the [[Market Theatre]], Johannesburg (in the latter case, playing for three weeks).
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| − | 1981: The [[Baxter Theatre]] production went on an international tour to the USA and Britain, with [[Bill Flynn]] now taking over the role of "Pozzo" from Uys. The tour included New Haven, Connecticut, the Old Vic Theatre in London and the Oxford Playhouse in Oxford. It was also invited to participate in the ''First International Baltimore Theatre Festival'' but on arrival the play was picketed by anti-Apartheid demonstrators for the seemingly bizarre reason that it and the Baxter theatre were viewed by the demonstrators as "part and parcel of the South African propaganda machine to misrepresent what was taking place in the country". So the performances were was called off.
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| − | 1991: [[PACT]] Drama, November 1991, directed by [[Dieter Reible]], the cast consisted of [[Michael McCabe]] as Estragon, [[Dale Cutts]] as Vladimir, [[Louis van Niekerk]] as Pozzo and [[James Borthwick]] portrayed Lucky.
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| − | 1998: Staged in the [[Thabong Theatre]] at [[The Civic]] in Johannesburg in June 1998, directed by [[Maralin Vanrenen]], with [[James Ngcobo]], [[Russel Savadier]], [[André-Jacques van der Merwe]] and [[Christopher Kindo]].
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| − | 2001: ''[[Duckrabbit]]'' produced and directed by [[Lara Foot-Newton]] for the 2001 ''[[Grahamstown Festival]]'', with [[Seputla Sebogodi]], [[Lionel Newton]], [[Robert Whitehead]] and [[Bheki Vilakazi]]). (Also produced in Stockholm at the Civic Theatre, along with ''[[ The Return of Elvis du Pisanie]]'' by [[Paul Slabolepszy]] and ''[[Ways of Dying]]'' by [[Zakes Mda]])
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| − | 2010: After two years of touring with a critically acclaimed production of ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'', British actor Ian McKellen [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_McKellen] and his cast were in SA to perform Beckett's seminal play at The [[Fugard Theatre]] in July-August. The play was directed by [[Sean Mathias]] and besides Sir Ian, the cast included Roger Rees, Matthew Kelly and Brendan O'Hea. The lighting design was by [[Mannie Manim]] and the producer was [[Eric Abraham]].
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| − | 2024: ''[[Ons wag vir Godot]]'', [[Naòmi Morgan]]'s [[Afrikaans]] translation, performed in the ''[[Scaena Theatre]]'' in July, as part of the ''[[Vrystaat Fees]]''. Produced by Ahumba en [[Walter Strydom]] and sponsored by [[NATi]]. Directed and designed by [[Dion van Niekerk]] with [[Chris Vorster]] (Vladimir), [[Charl Henning]] (Estragon), [[Peter Taljaard]] (Pozzo) and [[Gerben Kamper]] (Lucky) The boy/messneger was played by [[Sibalwe Jokani]].
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| − | == Sources ==
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| − | Theatre programme (PACOFS 1970): [[NELM]] [Collection: Performing Arts Council Orange Free State (PACOFS)]: 2009. 67. 1. 2. 49).
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| − | Three black and white photographs of scenes from the [[PACOFS]] production of ''[[Waiting for Godot]]''. Directed by [[Bill Smuts]], 1970.
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| − | Review by [[Lewis Sowden]], ''[[The Rand Daily Mail]]'', 10 April 1956.
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| − | ''[[Lantern]]'', December 1959.
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| − | [[Ruphin Coudyzer]]. 2023. Annotated list of his photographs of [[Market Theatre]] productions. (Provided by Coudyzer)
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| − | Photograph (1962 production) held by [[NELM]]: Photograph collection, large format [Collection: MISCELLANEOUS]: 2005. 20. 71.
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| − | [[ESAT Bibliography I|Inskip]], 1977. p 119.
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| − | Theatre programmes Little Theatre (1955), UCT (1965) and Baxter (1980).
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| − | ''PACT Info'' (1), 1991-1992.
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| − | [[Die Beeld]], 26 June, 2001.
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| − | http://original-vs-copy.interartive.org/2015/07/jacobs/
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| − | ''Business Day'', 7 September 2010.
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| − | https://versindaba.co.za/2024/10/08/boekbespreking-ons-wag-vir-godot-deur-samuel-beckett-vertaal-deur-naomi-morgan/
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| − | [[ESAT Bibliography Scha|Schach]] 1996.
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| − | E-mail correspondence from [[Wim Vorster]] (27 November, 2024).
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| − | == Return to ==
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| − | Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]]
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| − | Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
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| − | Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]]
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| − | Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]]
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| − | Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]]
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| − | Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
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| − | Return to [[Main Page]]
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