Difference between revisions of "Reigen"
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The play consists of ten sketches - ten private meetings between ten couples. It scrutinizes the sexual morals and class ideology of its day through a series of encounters between pairs of characters (shown before or after a sexual encounter). By choosing characters across all levels of society, the play offers social commentary on how sexual contact transgresses boundaries of class. Schnitzler's play was not publicly performed until 1920, on 23 December 1920 in Berlin and 1 February 1921 in Vienna. The play elicited violent critical and popular reactions against its subject matter. The titles of the play—in German ''Reigen'' and in French ''La Ronde'' refer to a round dance, as portrayed in the English nursery rhyme Ring a Ring o' Roses. | The play consists of ten sketches - ten private meetings between ten couples. It scrutinizes the sexual morals and class ideology of its day through a series of encounters between pairs of characters (shown before or after a sexual encounter). By choosing characters across all levels of society, the play offers social commentary on how sexual contact transgresses boundaries of class. Schnitzler's play was not publicly performed until 1920, on 23 December 1920 in Berlin and 1 February 1921 in Vienna. The play elicited violent critical and popular reactions against its subject matter. The titles of the play—in German ''Reigen'' and in French ''La Ronde'' refer to a round dance, as portrayed in the English nursery rhyme Ring a Ring o' Roses. | ||
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==Translations and adaptations== | ==Translations and adaptations== | ||
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'''South African adaptations''' | '''South African adaptations''' | ||
| − | Adapted into | + | Adapted into English as ''[[The Eternal Dance]]'' by [[Brian Astbury]]. |
Translated into [[Afrikaans]] by [[James Blanckenberg]], titled ''[[Liefdeskringloop]]'' ("love cycle"). | Translated into [[Afrikaans]] by [[James Blanckenberg]], titled ''[[Liefdeskringloop]]'' ("love cycle"). | ||
Translated from the German into [[Afrikaans]] by [[Arnold Blumer]] with the title ''[[Mallemeulwals]]'' ("merry-go-round waltz"). | Translated from the German into [[Afrikaans]] by [[Arnold Blumer]] with the title ''[[Mallemeulwals]]'' ("merry-go-round waltz"). | ||
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| + | == Performance history in South Africa == | ||
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| + | 1978: ''[[The Eternal Dance]]'', the adaptation by [[Brian Astbury]] was directed, designed and lit by him at [[Space Theatre|The Space]] (Cape Town) in 1978, starring [[Gillian Burl]], [[Andrea Fine]], [[Peter Fourie]], [[Errol Hart]], [[Bill Jervis]] and [[Corinne Willoughby]]. Costumes by [[Birrie le Roux]]. | ||
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| + | 1987: Baxter Theatre/Chacma production directed by [[Mark Legward]] starring himself with [[Odette Leat]], [[Gaye Barbour]], [[Tim Mahoney]], [[Kathy Clark]]. | ||
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| + | 2013: [[Jacqui Singer]] with UCT students, Arena Theatre , Cape Town. | ||
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| + | ''Liefdeskringloop'', directed by [[James Blankenberg]], assisted by [[Shirley Ellis]], was performed at the UCT Arena in May/June 1985. Costume and set design by [[Marthinus Basson]]. Cast members were [[Alexandra Murphy]], [[Mark Fleishman]], [[Anna-Mart van der Merwe]], [[Robert Finlayson]], [[Sandi Schultz]], [[Lionel Newton]], [[Susan Dall]], [[Gideon de Wet]], [[Isadora Verwey]], [[Mark Hoeben]]. | ||
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| + | ''[[Mallemeulwals]]'' was first performed at the [[Oude Libertas Theatre]] in Stellenbosch in January 1998, directed by [[Ilse van Hemert]], with [[Sandra Prinsloo]] and [[Ian Roberts]] and dancers [[Samantha Pienaar]] and [[Lanon Prigge]]. Lighting designer and stage manager [[Kobus Rossouw]], costumes by [[René Fourie]]. The same production was staged in the [[Thabong Theatre]] at [[The Civic]] in February 1998 and at the [[KKNK]] later in 1998. | ||
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== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
Revision as of 07:03, 23 March 2024
Reigen is a German play by Arthur Schnitzler (1862-1931)[1].
Sometimes also referred to as Der Reigen, but perhaps best known by its French title, La Ronde
Contents
The original text
Originally written in German in 1896-97, and the first German edition printed 1900.
The play consists of ten sketches - ten private meetings between ten couples. It scrutinizes the sexual morals and class ideology of its day through a series of encounters between pairs of characters (shown before or after a sexual encounter). By choosing characters across all levels of society, the play offers social commentary on how sexual contact transgresses boundaries of class. Schnitzler's play was not publicly performed until 1920, on 23 December 1920 in Berlin and 1 February 1921 in Vienna. The play elicited violent critical and popular reactions against its subject matter. The titles of the play—in German Reigen and in French La Ronde refer to a round dance, as portrayed in the English nursery rhyme Ring a Ring o' Roses.
Translations and adaptations
International versions
Translated into English a number of authors,m including Eric Bentley, often retaining the French title.
Numerous film adaptations have been made of the play over the years, beginning with The Merry-Go-Round by Richard Oswald (1920)
The play was also adapted as a German opera in ten scenes called Reigen by Philippe Boesmans to a libretto by Luc Bondy and was premiered at La Monnaie, Brussels in 1993.
South African adaptations
Adapted into English as The Eternal Dance by Brian Astbury.
Translated into Afrikaans by James Blanckenberg, titled Liefdeskringloop ("love cycle").
Translated from the German into Afrikaans by Arnold Blumer with the title Mallemeulwals ("merry-go-round waltz").
Performance history in South Africa
1978: The Eternal Dance, the adaptation by Brian Astbury was directed, designed and lit by him at The Space (Cape Town) in 1978, starring Gillian Burl, Andrea Fine, Peter Fourie, Errol Hart, Bill Jervis and Corinne Willoughby. Costumes by Birrie le Roux.
1987: Baxter Theatre/Chacma production directed by Mark Legward starring himself with Odette Leat, Gaye Barbour, Tim Mahoney, Kathy Clark.
2013: Jacqui Singer with UCT students, Arena Theatre , Cape Town.
Liefdeskringloop, directed by James Blankenberg, assisted by Shirley Ellis, was performed at the UCT Arena in May/June 1985. Costume and set design by Marthinus Basson. Cast members were Alexandra Murphy, Mark Fleishman, Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Robert Finlayson, Sandi Schultz, Lionel Newton, Susan Dall, Gideon de Wet, Isadora Verwey, Mark Hoeben.
Mallemeulwals was first performed at the Oude Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch in January 1998, directed by Ilse van Hemert, with Sandra Prinsloo and Ian Roberts and dancers Samantha Pienaar and Lanon Prigge. Lighting designer and stage manager Kobus Rossouw, costumes by René Fourie. The same production was staged in the Thabong Theatre at The Civic in February 1998 and at the KKNK later in 1998.
Sources
Wikipedia [2].
World Drama by Allardyce Nicoll. Harrap, 1949.
Astbury 1979.
Liefdeskringloop programme, 1985.
Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne 1988.
Mallemeulwals theatre programme, 1998.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
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Return to R in Plays II Foreign Plays
Return to South_African_Theatre/Plays
Return to The ESAT Entries
