Drif

("a river ford", "passion"), by Reza de Wet. A play about two sisters who guard the ford in the river and pull drowned bodies out of the water. The arrival of a Svengali-like magician-hypnotist (“Maestro”) and his assistant is the catalyst for a serious confrontation between the sisters and the past. Apparently inspired by H.A. Fagan's Opdrifsels. The third play in a trilogy published by HAUM Literary as Trits ("Threesome") in 1993*, a publication which won De Wet a Hertzog Prize for Afrikaans Literature.

Performance history in South Africa

1994: First presented by CAPAB opening 28 May 1994 at the Nico Arena, also at the National Arts Festival opening 30 June 1994, directed and designed by Marthinus Basson, with Wilna Snyman (Hermien), Mary Dreyer (Sussie), Michelle Scott (Esmeralda), and André Roothman (Maestro). Lighting by Malcolm Hurrell, music by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder. Winner of a number of awards, including Fleur du Cap Best Actress Award for Mary Dreyer, Fleur du Cap Best Director Award and Fleur du Cap Award for Best New Indigenous Script.

1995: Performed by students of the University of Stellenbosch Drama Department in the H.B. Thom Theatre in November 1995, directed by Johan Esterhuizen, assisted by Hugo Theart, starring Suzanne Smith, Martelize Kolver, Lisl Wolmarans, Paul van Wyk, Gaerin Hauptfleisch, Willemien Brümmer, Christelle Stoltz, Jeanine du Plessis. Stage manager and lighting designer Kobus Rossouw.

1996: Staged by CAPAB in English as Drift in 1996, opening on 26th October in die Nico Malan Theatre. Directed by Marthinus Basson with Mary Dreyer (Sussie), André Roothman (Maestro), Diane Wilson (Hermien) and Jana van Niekerk (Esmeralda). Design by Marthinus Basson, lighting design by Malcolm Hurrell.

2000: Produced in English as Crossing in the Riverside Studios in London in October.

2003: Later renamed Crossings and Performed in an adapted form as a physical theatre production in South Africa. Directed by Floyd de Vaal, it premiéred at the Grahamstown Festival.

Translations and adaptations

Originally translated into English by the author as Drift and staged by CAPAB in 1996.

An adapted English translation by Steven Stead, was published under the title Crossing in the anthology Drama for a New South Africa (ed David Graver) by Indiana University Press in 1999 (also containing Sophiatown, Mooi Street Moves, Ipi Zombi?, Horn of Sorrow, And the Girls in Their Sunday Dresses, Purdah) and thereafter in 2000 by Oberon Books in De Wet Plays One by Reza de Wet, also containing Missing and Miracle.

Sources

Drif programme 1994

Drift programme 1996

The Sunday Independent, 1 October 2000.

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