The Comedy of Errors

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare. Much performed and studied over the years, this play was first performed in English by ** in ***.

Performance history in South Africa

The first professional production in South Africa was performed by the touring Henry Herbert Company in 1913.

In July 1983 it was the first production in the new Wits Theatre with Ian Steadman directing Wits drama students. It featured students of the School of Music playing an especially written score by Professor Henk Temmingh.

A PACT production staged at the Alexander Theatre and the State Theatre in 1985 was directed by Janice Honeyman starring Neville Thomas, Dale Cutts, Graham Hopkins, Martin le Maitre, Frantz Dobrowsky, Russel Savadier, Maralin Vanrenen, Clare Stopford, Charlotte Butler, Peter Terry, Barry French, Billy Second, Margaret Heale, Guy de Lancey, Bruce Alexander, Gina Benjamin and Karen Going. Decor by Andrew Botha, costumes by Frances Michaletos, lighting by Stan Knight.

Produced by Ken Leach for CAPAB at Maynardville, opening on 17 January 1986. It was revived at the beginning of 1988, directed by Mark Graham.

First performed by ***.

Later performed by CAPAB in 1989, directed by Marthinus Basson and featuring **, ** Antoinette Kellermann , **. First published by Tafelberg in 19**).

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Setswana by Sol Plaatje entitled Diphosophoso and published as Diphosophoso : Shakespeare's 'The Comedy of Errors'; E fetoletswe mo puong ya Setswana ke Solomon Tshekiso Plaatje. Gaberones : Botswana Book Centre, 1964. Performed at the Aardklop festival 2005, directed by [[Josias Moleele.

Translated and adapted into Afrikaans as Kinkels innie Kabel (="twists in the cable") by André P. Brink. It was a hugely popular adaptation to a Western Cape setting , utilizing the local regional variant of Afrikaans called "Kaaps" to good effect.

Published by Buren in 1971.

Directed by Carel Trichardt for PACT in the Breytenbach Theatre, opening 15 April 1970.

Directed by Robert Mohr in Cape Town?

Directed by William Egan for CAPAB, opening in the Nico Malan Theatre 6 April 1979. Designs by Raimond Schoop, lighting by John T. Baker. The cast were Brümilda van Rensburg, Willem de la Querra, Neels Coetzee, Johan Esterhuizen, Johan Botha, Allan Dyssel, Marko van der Colff, Martin Crous, Amanda Strydom, Sandra Ferreira, Melanie-Ann Sher, Trix Pienaar.

PACT (the Afrikaans translation), 1981, directed by Carel Trichardt featuring Magda Beukes, Klasie Coetzee, Johan Blignaut, Nico Liebenberg, Pierre van Pletzen, Eric Nobbs, Graham Weir, Trudie Lamprecht. Designs by Frances Michaletos.

In 1981 a PACOFS production of Kinkels innie Kabel, directed by Sandra Kotzé visited several venues in KwaZulu Natal. Costumes were designed by Dicky Longhurst.

Staged for CAPAB in the Arena at the Nico Malan Theatre, directed by Mark Graham, with Peter Butler, Ivan Abrahams, Gail Reagon, Denise Newman, Noel Oostendorp, Shaun Arnolds, Denver Vraagom, Nazli George, Joseph Mitchell, Sizwe Msutu, Vinette Ebrahim, James Raubenheimer, and others, in March and the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees in April 1995.

Sources

CAPAB theatre pamphlet, 1979.

PACT theatre pamphlet, July 1981.

NAPAC News, April 1981.

Teaterforum, 4(1), 1983, 113.

Quince, 1990

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