The Sleeping Beauty

The Sleeping Beauty is a pantomime written in 1990 by Janice Honeyman for PACT.

The original text

"Sleeping Beauty" [1] (French: La Belle au bois dormant "The Beauty Sleeping in the Wood") by Charles Perrault [2] or "Little Briar Rose" (German: Dornröschen) by the Brothers Grimm [3] is a classic fairy tale involving a beautiful princess, a sleeping enchantment, and a handsome prince. Many adaptations for stage and screen, in many different languages have been done over the centuries.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Afrikaans by Nerina Ferreira as Doringrosie (Die Slapende Skone) or Doringrosie or Die Skone Slaapster or Die Slapende Skoonheid.

Performance history in South Africa

1990: Staged by PACT, directed by Janice Honeyman, with Gaby Lomberg (Princess Aurora Adora), Joanna Weinberg (Prince Harry the Handsome), James Borthwick (Sir Poensface Ponce-a-lot), Michael Richard (Nora the Royal Nurse), Shirley Johnston (Queen), Michael McCabe (King), Hannes Muller (Cracker Jack), Susan Danford (Floradora Daisy), Maralin Vanrenen (Khakibos), Itumeleng Wa-Lehure (Maaikie Mouse), Nomsa Nene(Miemsie Mouse) and Nicky Rebelo (Pierneef the Turtle). Sets and costumes by Andrew Botha. Musical director Bradley Miller and choreography by Jill Osborne. Assistant director: Maralin Vanrenen.

1992: Doringrosie, the Afrikaans translation by Nerina Ferreira was staged by PACT, opening 20 October in the Drama at the State Theatre, directed by Tobie Cronjé (assisted by André-Jacques van der Merwe), with Ilse Fourie-Mazzone, Karen Meiring, André-Jacques van der Merwe, Patrick Mynhardt, Louis van Niekerk, Marion Holm, James Borthwick, Sarah Theron, Antoinette Kellermann, Samson Khumalo, Wilmien Rossouw and Gustav Geldenhuys. Designer Andrew Botha, musical direction by Lolly Sönmez, choreography by Jill Osborn, lighting by Jane Gosnell. Deon Breytenbach was the stage manager.

19**: Produced by PACT Drama in association with Nedbank, directed by Hannes Muller and assistant director Lizz Meiring. Designer: Andrew Botha. Musical director: Lolly Sönmez. Choreography: Adele Blank. Lighting: Jacques Mulder. The cast was: Vanessa Pike (Princess Aurora Adora), Chantal Nativel (Prince Harry the Handsome), Francois Theron (Sir Poensface Ponce-a-lot), Christo Compion (Nora the Royal Nurse), Ronel Kriel (Queen), Mike Huff (King), Samson Khumalo (Cracker Jack), Michelle Simpson (Floradora Daisy), Sarah Theron (Khakibos), Sello Sebotsane (Maaikie Mouse), Lizz Meiring(Mybil Mouse), Jan Stoop (Casper) and the Chorus: Mandy Bowen, Jessica Gilbert, Dinah Hlongwane, Samantha Bremridge, Jiana Fullard, Gary Lawson, Francois Henning, Arnold Hoon, Bertus Dreyer and Brandon Auret.

Sources

PACT theatre programme, 1990.

PACT theatre programme, 1992.

The Sleeping Beauty programme notes in ****.

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