Improvised Theatre Spaces

Improvised Theatre Spaces refers to places where no formal entertainment facilities existed for the benefit of professinal actors or amateurs and all seating, stages, curtains and lighting etc. had to be improvised.

KhoiSan Entertainment

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Indigenous People Entertainment

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Early Travelling Troupes

In the 19th century, when theatre facilities were unavailable in most rural South African villages, acting companies had to improvise when creating a space for staging their productions. Sound, for example, was non-existant and actors had to use their vocal chords to their utmost ability. Lighting consisted of candles, oil lamps and "lime-lights" but the latter were rare and curtains consisted of a cloth, such as hessian, tied to a piece of wire. Seating relied on what the audience patrons brought with them and consisted on barrels, planks and some chairs. At time the patrons sat on rocks, tree branches or they simply sat on the ground. This lack of facilities was limited only by the patron's imagination. Really adventurous actors sometimes lugged pianos with them, a really heavy task, but there was a wide variety of other musical instruments available as well. Acting was definitely not for the faint of heart.

In his book With a Show Through Southern Africa Charles Du Val explains how he set up an "improvised space" theatre in a "public room" in Middleburg, Cape, on the same day as the performance of Odds and Ends was to be given. The local inhabitants did not think it was possible to set up a theatre in time for the advertised hour for the performance but somehow they managed to haul down the baggage - with all the props and costumes - from the wagons with the help of the local Fingo tribesmen. Seats were brought in from one place, lamps from another, barrels from a third and planks from a fourth, and a platform was built. Six of Kreli's men were roped in to carry the heavy piano for which they were rewarded with as many copious servings of Cape brandy as they wanted.

"Shade of Mendelssohn; there's a chord as a gentle Fingo pushes up the keyboard in his enthusiasm, and strikes about three octaves simultaneously with his siney arm," he wrote.

Eventually the piano reached the "public room" just "as the audience assembled on the steps outside."

Everything was provided and "with the good-natured assistance afforded, the eight o'clock chime of the town clock saw everything complete, the curtain ready to draw up, and 'the show just agoing to commence'."

South African War, 1899-1902, Entertainment

For a fascinating article about the use of the "Magic Lantern" as a form of entertainment during the South African War 1899-1902, click on this link : https://www.theheritageportal.co.za/article/anglo-boer-war-sketches-magic-lanterns-and-lanternist

First World War Entertainment

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Second World War Entertainment

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Prisoner of War Entertainment

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Border War Entertainment

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Scout Movement Entertainment

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Awards, etc

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