Piet Retief

Piet Retief is a tragedy by an unnamed author.

The original text

A play about the massacre of the Voortrekker leader Piet Retief (Retief, Pieter 1780-1838) and his men by the impis of the Zulu king Dingane at Mgungundlovu in Natal on 6 February 1838.

Gustav Preller (1875–1943) wrote a romanticised Afrikaans biography of Piet Retief (published in 1906), which was the basis of a number of subsequent stage works. From a Zulu perspective, Credo Mutwa's publication Indaba, My Children is important. .

The Possibly first performed 1903(?), published 1906 by *.

Performance history in South Africa

1904: A piece called Piet Retief (by an unnamed author) was performed by the Muziek-en Debatsvereeniging in the Gymnasiumzaal, Paarl, on 27 May, accompanied by two oral recitals, two solo songs and two choir pieces.

Sources

Jackie Grobler. 2011. The Retief Massacre of 6 february 1838 revisited, Historia (vol.56 n.2)[1]

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: p.480

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