Aurora

Aurora as name

Name, deriving from the Latin term for "dawn" and referring to the goddess of the dawn in Roman mythology, used by two or three amateur theatre organizations in the Cape in the 19th century. Probably intended to reflect the cultural aspirations of the emerging South African Dutch and Afrikaans culture at the time.

Theatrical companies named Aurora

Aurora, Paarl (1862-1890?)

A Dutch-language amateur theatrical society founded in Paarl by members of "Die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners", it was intended to help to establish and promote the Dutch language and culture in the face of the Anglicisation policies of the British government. Among its members were S.J. du Toit, D.F du Toit ("Oom Lokomotief"), ***.

It performed the Dutch plays Rocco by A. Wijnstok and Schijn Bedriegt ("appearances deceive") by "Neef Paul", along with recitals of lyric poetry, as its first production in August 1862.

During its existence it incidentally also produced some of the earliest Afrikaans plays, notably the first, a translation of De Jonge Kunstschilder by ***, directed by "Oom Lokomotief" and performed in Paarl and Montagu, as well as ***.

[**EXPAND**]

Aurora, Cape Town (1866-1886)

History

Aurora was the second formal Dutch Rederijkerskamer (oratory club) to be opened in the Cape Province (after Thespis). Established in Cape Town as a closed society on 4 October 1866, under the motto Onvermoeide vlijt komt alles te boven ("Untiring hard work overcomes everything"), its members consisted of leading Dutch and Cape-Dutch families. Among them were such useful performers as J. Combrink, W. Combrink, J.M. Belinfante, D.H du Toit and H.W. Teengs. Teengs was also a playwright. Perhaps its best known member was to be actor and playwright Melt Brink, who soon became its secretary and guiding light, remaining in this position till 1914.

Although initially loyal to the British authorities, it steadily became a standard-bearer for the emergent Dutch-Afrikaans nationalism. However, its Dutch orientation gradually alienated it from the mainstream Afrikaans theatre.

Aurora was temporarily suspended during the first war of independence ("Eerste Vryheidsoorlog" - 1888-18**) and finally became defunct sometime before 1909. The name was then apparently resuscitated as the name adopted for the theatre division of the Dutch cultural organisation Het Algemeen Nederlandsch Verbond, led by Melt Brink. In this form it lasted till 1914.

Aurora and Melt Brink were both honoured for their contribution to Dutch culture by the Dutch government in 1873.

Productions

Aurora followed the Dutch pattern of concentrating on poetry and plays under the guidance of professional teachers. Initially they tended to fragments from plays and poems by a range of Dutch poets and playwrights, but after Brink took over, they began to perform complete works as well, gradually also performing plays by local authors such as H.W. Teengs and Melt Brink.

Aurora never had its own premises, but performed in a variety of halls and theatres in and around Cape Town, including the Liedertafel Germania (or Germania Hall), cnr Hout and Loop streets, the Oddfellows Hall in Plein Street, and "de zaal van den Heer Hutchinson" (Hutchinson's Hall) in Nieuw Street. As a result productions were simply and portably done, and the authors had to bear this in mind. Initially no women were allowed to be members and men played the female parts, but from 11 July 1876 onwards (when a woman finally appeared in a production, Het Ijzerin, at the Oddfellows Hall), women became part of the association.

Some performances:

1868: Willem Nel and the afterpiece Opstand 1815 , both by Teengs.

1869: Het Origineele Testament (Melt Brink) at the Germania Hall on 29 April

1876: Het Ijzerin, at the Oddfellows Hall on 11 July.

1877: De Offers der Vrijheid of De Slagers van Ghent in 1877

[***CHECK BOSMAN/NIENABER**] AURORA.

Sources

F.C.L. Bosman. 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [1]: pp.

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.

P.J. du Toit. 1988. Amateurtoneel in Suid-Afrika. Pretoria: Academica

Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg: p.

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