Difference between revisions of "Die Selbstmörder"
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''[[Die Selbstmörder]]'' ("The Suicide") is the German title of a 1928 play by Soviet dramatist and screenwriter [[Nikolai R. Erdman]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Erdman] (1900-1970). | ''[[Die Selbstmörder]]'' ("The Suicide") is the German title of a 1928 play by Soviet dramatist and screenwriter [[Nikolai R. Erdman]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Erdman] (1900-1970). | ||
| + | |||
| + | Originally written in Russian and called ''[[Самоубийца]]'' | ||
== The original text == | == The original text == | ||
| − | + | A satire about a young, unemployed man desperate enough to contemplate ending it all, and is besieged by spokespeople of discontented groups of society, from butchers to intellectuals, who want him to turn his suicide into a gesture on their behalf. The play forms a link in Russian literary history between the satirical mastery of Nikolai Gogol and the post-World War II Theatre of the Absurd. | |
| + | |||
| + | Originally written in 1928 under the title ''[[Самоубийца]]'', it was advertised for production by Meyerhold at the Wachtangow Theatre in Moscow, but was banned by the Soviet government and remained unproduced in Russia until 1990. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Originally planned for production by Meyerhold at the Wachtangow Theatre in Moscow, in 1929, under the direction of Meyerhold, the play was but censorship prevented it from happening. In 1990 Sergey Zhenovach finally directed the original Russian text at The Theatre Art Studio in Moscow. | ||
| − | + | The play actually had its first premiere in the German version, performed in Göteborg, Sweden, in 1969, followed by a production in Switzerland. | |
==Translations and adaptations== | ==Translations and adaptations== | ||
| − | + | Made into a TV film in 1971, directed by August Everding, the German translation by Ingeborg Gampert.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1703038/] | |
| − | ''[[The Suicide]]'' | + | Translated into [[Afrikaans]] from the German (''[[Die Selbstmörder]]'') by [[André P. Brink]], entitled ''[[Die Selfmoordenaar]]'' (1973). |
| + | |||
| + | Translated as into English as ''[[The Suicide]]'' by Peter Tegel and premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company at The Other Place, Stratford, on June 13, 1979. | ||
== Performance history in South Africa == | == Performance history in South Africa == | ||
| − | 1973: The first production of the play outside Europe was done by [[CAPAB]] (In [[Afrikaans]] as ''[[Die Selfmoordenaar]]'') at the [[Nico Malan Theatre]] | + | 1973: The first production of the play outside Europe was done by [[CAPAB]] (In [[Afrikaans]] as ''[[Die Selfmoordenaar]]'') at the [[Nico Malan Theatre]] from 11 May to 2 June 1973, directed by [[Pieter Fourie]] with [[Johan Malherbe]] as Semjon, also starring [[Sandra Kotzé]], [[Nerina Ferreira]], [[Louw Verwey]], [[Marie Pentz]], [[Schalk Jacobsz]], [[Cobus Rossouw]], [[Jan Prinsloo]], [[Johann Botha]], [[Mees Xteen]], [[Joan Brink]] and [[Roberta Durrant]]. Decor by [[Raimond Schoop]], costumes by [[Jenny de Swardt]], stage manager [[Mavis Lilenstein]]. This production played at the [[H.B. Thom Theatre]] in Stellenbosch 7-9 June 1973, . |
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
| − | |||
| − | + | ''[[Die Selfmoordenaar]]'' theatre programme, [[CAPAB]], 1973. (Copy in the [[PARC]] research collection, [[Africa Open Institute]], Stellenbosch) | |
| + | |||
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Suicide_(play). | ||
| + | |||
| + | https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1703038/ | ||
| + | |||
| + | https://www.concordtheatricals.co.uk/p/2279/the-suicide-erdmantegel | ||
Latest revision as of 12:33, 4 February 2026
Die Selbstmörder ("The Suicide") is the German title of a 1928 play by Soviet dramatist and screenwriter Nikolai R. Erdman [1] (1900-1970).
Originally written in Russian and called Самоубийца
Contents
The original text
A satire about a young, unemployed man desperate enough to contemplate ending it all, and is besieged by spokespeople of discontented groups of society, from butchers to intellectuals, who want him to turn his suicide into a gesture on their behalf. The play forms a link in Russian literary history between the satirical mastery of Nikolai Gogol and the post-World War II Theatre of the Absurd.
Originally written in 1928 under the title Самоубийца, it was advertised for production by Meyerhold at the Wachtangow Theatre in Moscow, but was banned by the Soviet government and remained unproduced in Russia until 1990.
Originally planned for production by Meyerhold at the Wachtangow Theatre in Moscow, in 1929, under the direction of Meyerhold, the play was but censorship prevented it from happening. In 1990 Sergey Zhenovach finally directed the original Russian text at The Theatre Art Studio in Moscow.
The play actually had its first premiere in the German version, performed in Göteborg, Sweden, in 1969, followed by a production in Switzerland.
Translations and adaptations
Made into a TV film in 1971, directed by August Everding, the German translation by Ingeborg Gampert.[2]
Translated into Afrikaans from the German (Die Selbstmörder) by André P. Brink, entitled Die Selfmoordenaar (1973).
Translated as into English as The Suicide by Peter Tegel and premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company at The Other Place, Stratford, on June 13, 1979.
Performance history in South Africa
1973: The first production of the play outside Europe was done by CAPAB (In Afrikaans as Die Selfmoordenaar) at the Nico Malan Theatre from 11 May to 2 June 1973, directed by Pieter Fourie with Johan Malherbe as Semjon, also starring Sandra Kotzé, Nerina Ferreira, Louw Verwey, Marie Pentz, Schalk Jacobsz, Cobus Rossouw, Jan Prinsloo, Johann Botha, Mees Xteen, Joan Brink and Roberta Durrant. Decor by Raimond Schoop, costumes by Jenny de Swardt, stage manager Mavis Lilenstein. This production played at the H.B. Thom Theatre in Stellenbosch 7-9 June 1973, .
Sources
Die Selfmoordenaar theatre programme, CAPAB, 1973. (Copy in the PARC research collection, Africa Open Institute, Stellenbosch)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Suicide_(play).
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1703038/
https://www.concordtheatricals.co.uk/p/2279/the-suicide-erdmantegel
Go to ESAT Bibliography
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