Anastasia

Anastasia is a full length play by French playwright Marcelle Maurette (1903-1972)[1]

The original text

A play about the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia (1901-1918)[2], purported to be the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last sovereign of Imperial Russia, and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra Fyodorovna. First performed and published in French in 1952.

Translations and adaptations

Adapted into English by Guy Bolton from the French play. First published in English by Samuel French, 1952. First performed in English at the St James Theatre, London, opening 5 August 1953. Filmed in 1956 starring Ingrid Bergman as Anya.

The Bolton adaptation was adapted and translated into Afrikaans by Petrovna Metelerkamp.

Performance history in South Africa

According to a list of productions published in the Oedipus Rex theatre programme of 1956, André Huguenet was in a production of this play with Arts Theatre in Cape Town, exact year not mentioned.

1977: The Afrikaans adaptation by Metelerkamp staged by PACT, directed by Francois Swart, with David van der Merwe (Tsjernow), Harriet Pienaar (Warja), Don Lamprecht (Petrowski), Louis van Niekerk (Prins Bounine), Evert Snyman (Sergei), Sandra Prinsloo (Anna), Phillip Swart (Drivinitz), Jan Prinsloo (Sleedrywer), Trudie Taljaard (Skropvrou), John Harley (Oblenski), Wilna Snyman (Oud-Keiserin), Elise Hibbert (Livenbaum), and Etienne Puren (Prins Paul). Decor and costumes by Chris van den Berg.

1979: Presented by KRUIK Toneel in Afrikaans opening 1 September 1979 at the Nico Malan Theatre directed by Pieter Fourie starring Liz Dick (Anna), Marko van der Colff, Brümilda van Rensburg, Johan Malherbe, Schalk Jacobsz, Roger Dwyer, Willem de la Querra, Anna Cloete, Neels Coetzee, Wilna Snyman, Nerina Ferreira, Johan Esterhuizen and Marikie Basson. Decor and costumes by Dicky Longhurst, lighting by Malcolm Hurrell. This production ran at the H.B. Thom Theatre from 27 to 29 September 1979.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchess_Anastasia_Nikolaevna_of_Russia

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelle_Maurette

PACT theatre programme, 1977.

CAPAB theatre programme, 1979.

Petru & Carel Trichardt theatre programme collection.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page