Rashomon

Rashomon [1] is the name of several different stage productions, all ultimately derived from works by Japanese author Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892-1972) [2].

The original text

Akutagawa's two short stories "Rashomon" (1915), also known as "The Rashomon Gate", and "In a Grove" (1921), also known as "The Cedar Grove", were famously fused and adapted as the basis for Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's [3] award-winning film Rashomon (1950), screenplay by Kurosawa and frequent collaborator Shinobu Hashimoto. (Wikipedia)

Translations and adaptations

Rashomon by Fay and Michael Kanin, based on two short stories by Ryonsuke Akutagawa and the 1950 film by Akira Kurosawa.

The stage version opened in 1959 with Claire Bloom and Rod Steiger. Published by

Translated into Afrikaans by Robert Mohr.

Performance history in South Africa

Rashomon opened in Afrikaans at the Hofmeyr Theatre on 14 October 1964, translated and directed by Robert Mohr. Revived there on 10 March 1965. Cast included Limpie Basson, Tine Balder, Ernst Eloff, Chris Fourie, Pieter Bredenkamp and Jannie Gildenhuys. This was also the debut with CAPAB of the redoubtable actress and translator Nerina Ferreira. Set designed by Pamela Lewis. The paly was taken on an extensive tour of the Cape Province in 1965.

First produced in English in South Africa by PACT in 1965 (directed by Joan Brickhill, starring Patrick Mynhardt).??**

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashomon_(play)

Grütter, Wilhelm, CAPAB 25 Years, 1987. Unpublished research. p 36-37.

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