Phiri

Phiri ("hyena" in Tswana) is a South African version of Volpone by Ben Jonson, adapted and directed by Barney Simon???****.

The original text

A musical play about the richest people and the poorest people in Soweto, based on Ben Jonson's Volpone, book and lyrics by Barney Simon, with help from Oswald Mthsali, Stanley Motjuadi and Wally Serote, and music by Mackay Davashe, Cyril Magubane and Sophie Mcgina.

Phiri is an African jazz musical, an adaptation by Barney Simon of Jonson's Volpone, placing Ben Jonson's play in a township setting. Directed by Simon, and improvised and performed by the Phoenix Players, with music . (See Phiri)

Recorded on long play album "Hits from Phiri" by CBS in 1972.

Performances in South Africa

1962: First performed by Phoenix Players at Union Artists, directed by Barney Simon, with . Add Wally Serote to the co-writing team, and then mix four months of intensive musical composition input from Mackay Davashe, Cyril Magubane and designs by Axel Peterson,