The Frogs

The Frogs (Ancient Greek: Βάτραχοι) is a comedy by Aristophanes (c. 446 BC– c.386 BC)[1].

The original text

It was performed at the Lenaia, one of the Festivals of Dionysus in Athens, in 405 BC, and received first place. The Frogs tells the story of the god Dionysus, who, despairing of the state of Athens's tragedians, travels to Hades (the underworld) to bring the playwright Euripides back from the dead. (Euripides had died the year before, in 406 BC).

Translations and adaptations

Usually translated into English as The Frogs

Twice translated from the Greek into Afrikaans as Die Paddas, first by T.J. Haarhoff (though this was never published, existing only in manuscript form, a typed text of which was used as study material by the Drama Department at Stellenbosch University) and then translated for performance CAPAB by Merwe Scholtz (the latter published by Perskor in 1978).

Performance history in South Africa

1977: Die Paddas (Van der Merwe version) presented by CAPAB at the Nico Malan Theatre 25 July to 13 August under the direction of Peter Kleinschmidt. The four actors in speaking roles were Neels Coetzee as Dionysos, Percy Sieff as Aeschylos and Xantias, Mees Xteen and Errol Ross. World champion discus athelete John van Reenen appeared as the donkey. Members of the choruses led by Marko van der Colff were James Blanckenberg, Johan Botha, Fitz Morley, Pieter Joubert, Chris Truter, Sandra Ferreira, Juanita Swanepoel, Antoinette Kellermann, Johan Esterhuizen, Tarina Kleyn, Philip Godawa, Willem de la Querra. Decor and costumes by Gralf-Edzard Habben (resident designer at the Cologne Civic Theatre), lighting by John T. Baker.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frogs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristophanes

Die Paddas theatre programme (CAPAB).

A typed copy of the Haarhoff translation found in the Stellenbosch Drama Department archives in 2022.

A photocopy of the typed Merwe Scholtz translation, used as a performance text by Antoinette Kellerman, found in the Stellenbosch Drama Department archives in 2022.

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