The Happiest Days of Your Life
The Happiest Days of Your Life is a farce by John Dighton John Dighton (1909 – 1989)[1].
Contents
The original text
The play is set after World War II, and shows what happens when a boys' school receives the news that they are to billet another school which is all female. The character "Miss Muriel Whitchurch" had been written for Margaret Rutherford, who played it in the first production at London's Apollo Theatre in 1948.
Became the basis for the 1950 British comedy film directed by Frank Launder, one of a series of classic British film comedies produced by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat for British Lion Film Corporation. Script co-written by Dighton.
Translations and adaptations
Translated into Afrikaans as Gelukkige Dae by A.J.B. de Klerk.
Performance history in South Africa
1952: Performed in English for the East Rand Theatre Club in 1952, directed by ??**.
1952: Performed in Afrikaans as Die Gelukkigste Dae, directed by Leonie Pienaar for K.A.T. in December 1952, starring Nerina Ferreira, Kestelle Herbert, Herman Steytler, Francois Marais. The play was taken on tour to Durbanville, The Strand, Morreesburg and Bellville.
1953: Performed in Afrikaans for J.A.A.T.S. in 1953 by Aletta Gericke. The cast for the performance in Afrikaans included Gys Steyn, Natie Steyn, Billy Pretorius, Frances Coertze, Willem van Heerden, Jan Esterhuizen and others.
1953: Performed in Afrikaans by the Bloemfonteinse Teatergroep in March 1953 in the Visser Hall, Bloemfontein, directed by Bessie Kotzé. The cast included Margaretha Spies, Schalk Theron, Jan Eksteen, Anna van Biljon, Ulrich Fabian, Lina Waldeck, Pieter van Aswegen, Maria Bosman, Alice Wilmot, Jaco Kruger, Philip de Wet, William Harding and Marietjie Mostert. Decor and costumes by Hennie van Deventer and Dollie Serfontein. Hans Binswanger***???.
1955: Toured in Afrikaans as Gelukkige Dae by National Theatre Organisation in 1955, playing for 66 performances. Directed by Schalk Theron, with Pieter Geldenhuys, Elsa Fouché, Reenen van Niekerk, Kobus Botha, Louw Botes, Jane Potgieter, Bettie Coetsee, Pieter Wilcocks, Eugene von Bülow and Petro van der Walt.
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Happiest_Days_of_Your_Life
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dighton
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/487612/
Helikon, 2(11), 1953.
Helikon, 2(12), 1953.
Lantern, 5(3):283-286. Feb 1956.
Nel, 1972.
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