The African Theatre

The African Theatre was a theatre venue in Cape Town, the first proper stone built European style theatre to be built in South Africa and one of the oldest existing pupose built theatrical structures in the Southern Hemisphere. Today it is the home of an active Dutch Reformed Church congregation and is known as St Stephen's Church.

NB: This title is not to be confused with the generic term African Theatre, which refers to the practice and products of "theatre in and of Africa" (for this, see the entry on African Theatre)

For a full history of the theatre, its performances and its impact, see Jill Fletcher's history entitled The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930 (Cape Town: Vlaeberg, 1994).

Names for the theatre

The theatre was officially known as The African Theatre in English and Di Afrikaansche Schouwburg in Dutch, though it has had a variety of other names in the popular parlance over the years. Thus it was often fondly referred to simply as "The Theatre", or as "The Cape Town Theatre" by the English-speaking residents and theatre companies, while the Dutch burghers and journalists called it the Zuid-Afrikaansche Schouwburg" ("South African theatre") - especially after 1829 - and also the Kaapsche Schouwburg ("Cape theatre") or simply Di Schouwburg ('The theatre"). It is occasionally also referred to as Die Afrikaanse Skouburg in Afrikaans publications, e.g. F.C.L. Bosman (1928).

The origins of the theatre

The idea of a purpose built theatre for Cape Town became prominent toward the end of the 18th century, and was strongly supported by various prominent officers and amateur performers of the British Garrison in the colony. It became a reality when the Governor, Sir George Yonge, inspired by a successful performance of Taste in the Barracks Theatre and in response to a request by a number of citizens, led by one Henry Murphy, to found an English/Dutch Private Theatre by subscription in Cape Town, made it a personal project, pushing it through despite much criticism and opposition. To this end Yonge appropriated a portion of Riebeeck Square to build a theatre upon the site in 1799.

Designed and built by the extravagant Governor Sir George Yonge in 1800. It was planned to operate on a subscription-only basis, with Yonge himself being one of the 24 initial partners, and catered equally for English and Dutch. The partners were Sir George Yonge, Lt. Col. James Cockburn, Major Birkenhead Glegg, Edmund Summers, Oloff Berg, Jos. Bray, Willem Stephanus van Ryneveld, Henry Erskine, John Pringle, Richard Blake, Joh. Zorn, John Grulsbone, Price Tucker, Thomas Wittenoom, Haines Wade Battersby, James Lourie, John Elmslie, Alexander Macdonald, Simon Tufts, and Alex. Tennant.

It originally had no pit, only a balcony and richly ornamented boxes. However this soon changed as a pit was added in 1804. The theatre had no foyer, and the stage (still there) was small, with two doors and dressingrooms behind (now the vestry). Below the theatre was a number of warehouses and shops, still there today and still in use. Designed and built by the extravagant Governor Sir George Yonge in 1800. It was planned to operate on a subscription-only basis, with Yonge himself being one of the 24 initial partners, and catered equally for English and Dutch. The partners were Sir George Yonge, Lt. Col. James Cockburn, Major Birkenhead Glegg, Edmund Summers, Oloff Berg, Jos. Bray, Willem Stephanus van Ryneveld, Henry Erskine, John Pringle, Richard Blake, Joh. Zorn, John Grulsbone, Price Tucker, Thomas Wittenoom, Haines Wade Battersby, James Lourie, John Elmslie, Alexander Macdonald, Simon Tufts, and Alex. Tennant.

Designed by Yonge himself, the theatre was constructed on what was variously referred to as the Boeren Plein ("Farmers Square"), the Hottentot's Square or Van Riebeeck Square in Cape Town in 1800. and opened in 1800, closing as a theatre in 1835. Built on The building still exists in Cape Town, a listed historic building now known as St Stephen's Church.

(This is now called Riebeeck Square and the building still stands there) and between  1801-1839 it served as a theatre, and from 1840 onwards as a Dutch Reformed church (today known as the St Stephen's Church). The building is still pretty much as it was, except for the ornamentation.

The Governor pushed through the project in the face of much criticism and opposition. However, when the theatre was on the eve of opening with a performance of a Shakespeare play by November 1800, a Commission of Inquiry into Sir George Yonge's affairs and his subsequent recall to England postponed it all. However, the theatre finally opened its doors early in September 1801 and in October 1801 presented its first production, Shakespeare’s Henry IV pt. 1 - a performance which ran for a week. According to a report by Lady Anne Barnard on 16 October, the event opened with an address to Apollo, written by Mrs Somers and spoken by Dr Somers, followed by the play - apparently a dull play, but with scenes "very well done". The theatre was run as a charitable venture and had a committee headed by the Governor, with Dr Somers, John Pringle and most probably the original petitioners (Henry Murphy and his signatories, including a large number of Dutch burghers). The treasurer was Joseph Bray. In line with the British policy at the time to win the support of the Dutch, the shares in the venture were apparently equally divided between the English and Dutch, and the plan was to alternate plays in English and Dutch. On occasion German plays were also done - a tradition of German performance still extant in Cape Town today. (See: German Theatre in South Africa) For the next 30 years or so hosted most of the major productions in Cape Town, except for the Circuses and equestrian shows, and the occasional plays in the Barracks Theatre. After the opening of the Liefhebbery Tooneel (sic) in 1825, it was used primarily by English groups and gradually it fell into the hands of a single owner (John Thos. Buck). In the face of a growing anti-theatrical feeling among the citizens in the Cape it was eventually sold in March 1839 and then converted into a church for freed slaves, to the disgust of the citizenry, who stoned the building. Hence the current name: St Stephen's Church, a name first noted from 1847 onwards.

In 199* a performance of Chickin' **** (starring Jonathan Pienaar*) was held in the church in order to raise funds for the restoration of the building and in 2002-2003 Die Burger, a Cape Town Afrikaans newspaper, set about raising the funds for a full resotration, with the help of the artistic community in the city. A key figure here was Martiens van Bart. By 2010 the warehouses and shops below the theatre were again being used commercially, as was the theatre itself. [TH, JH]

From SAHO [1]:

In 1799, during the first British occupation of the Cape, the Governor, Sir George Yonge, appropriated a portion of Riebeeck Square to build a theatre upon the site. This was opened on 17 November 1800 and by all accounts was considered by citizens of Cape Town to be a very fine building. However, it soon proved to be ineffective as a theatre and fell into disuse, and in 1838 Dr Adamson, of the Presbyterian Church, resolved to use it as a school for freed slaves. The proposal was supported by the Dutch Reformed Church, and the building, now named after St Stephen, the first martyr, was soon being used as a school during the week and as a place of worship and a religious school on Sundays. In 1857 its congregation it was incorporated into the Dutch Reformed Church, and the building was purchased by its Elders, making it, reputedly, the only Dutch Reformed Church to bear the name of a saint. During the first half of the 20th century the changing nature of the area immediately about it brought about a reduction in its congregation, and for a while it was proposed to demolish the structure and build a parking garage on the site. Fortunately the space proved too small for the project and it was abandoned. Further difficulties arose when the Apartheid Government proposed to declare the suburb a residential area for the exclusive use of the White group. This proposal too was eventually abandoned, and the church was declared a National Monument under old NMC legislation on 22 October 1965.

From http://www.capetownhistory.co.za/?page_id=453

St. Stephen's Church

The only building on Riebeeck Square is St Stephen's Church, but it was, in fact, the first theatre or, as some of the Dutch speaking population called it, the first "komediehuis" in South Africa. During the first British occupation of the Cape the public, and especially the garrison, lacked adequate entertainments. The British Governor, Sir George Yonge, authorized the building of a theatre. In 1799 construction of a theatre was started, on, what was then known as Boeren Plijn.

The theatre was opened on 17th November 1800. At street level there was provision for a number of shops, workshops and even storerooms. Above these was the theatre itself. The walls were of Table Mountain sandstone, rough-dressed and bonded in clay, but the upper courses of the walls were of stone mixed, with half-burnt bricks and plastered over. The exterior was distinguished by a low pitched roof, buttresses surmounted by urns, a row of oval windows and a covered colonnade of four columns reached by two gracious stairways. The stairways were demolished in 1824, but the building stands just as it was. Nothing remained of its “elegant” interior.The building soon proved to be ineffective as a theatre and fell into disuse. In 1838, when the four-year period of indenture of the slaves elapsed, Dr. Adamson of the Presbyterian Church used it as a school for freed slaves. The Rev. G. W. Stegmann of the Dutch Reformed Church supported him and it was soon used as a school during the week, and as a Sunday School and a place of worship on Sundays. It is said the church, the only Dutch Reformed Church that bears the name of a Saint, was called after the first martyr, because the dissatisfied slaves stoned it on a certain Sunday while a service was in progress.

In 1936, after the years of depression, the building was in a fairly poor condition and there was talk of selling it. The danger was averted for the time being through the intervention of various cultural organisations with the support of the Historical Monuments Commission.

In1949 a firm who proposed to build a parking garage on the site, made an offer ten times the amount offered in 1936. Fortunately, however, it was saved because the area proved too small for the project and the City Council refused to sacrifice an extra nine metres of Riebeeck Square.

The threat that the church might be demolished remained. It was only through persistence, tact and persuasion on the part of those who fought for its preservation that the building was eventually declared a National Monument.

It

St. Stephen’s Church, Cape Town, Cape Province is the only Dutch Reformed church named after a saint; and its congregation is the only Coloured congregation that forms part of the NG Kerk (the mother church), with full admission to its synod, while all other Coloured parishes of the N.G. Kerk belong to the daughter or mission church.

The rectangular edifice was erected during the First British Occupation as the African Theatre and is the oldest theatre building in South Africa, having been erected for that purpose by the Governor, Sir George Yonge, on what is now Riebeek Square, where it was opened on 17th November 1800. Thus it is the only church building that was formerly a theatre. Under the Batavian regime the theatre was called the Afrikaansche Schouwburg , but to the populace it was simply known as the Komediehuis. The basement was and still is used for workshops, storage and similar purposes. The building, repeatedly menaced with demolition, was proclaimed a historical monument in 1965.

Utilized as a performance space on occasion again between 2002 and 2010, to raise funds for the exstensive restoration of the historical building in this period.

[TH, JH]