Robinson Crusoe

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Robinson Crusoe is a famous character from the book by Daniel Defoe.


The novel

The book was published on 25 April 1719 with the (very) full title of The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Of York, Mariner: Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an un-inhabited Island on the Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself. With An Account how he was at last as strangely deliver'd by Pyrates, but is generally known by the name of the hero.


A number of plays and other adaptations - usually with the name by this name Robinson Crusoe and broadly based on the book - have been performed in South Africa.

See the entries on the following:

Robinson Crusoe, or Harlequin Friday (Sheridan)

Robinson Crusoe. A Pantomime

Robinson Crusoe on Ice

Robinson Crusoe. A Christmas Pantomime (John Moss)


1939-1940: Produced by African Consolidated Theatres , with Moira Lister as "Fairy Coraline".

Robinson Crusoe on Ice

1950s: Robinson Crusoe on Ice presented by African Consolidated Theatres

Robinson Crusoe: Christmas pantomime written by John Moss

The original text

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1983/84: A version by John Moss presented by PACT, directed by John Moss at the State Theatre, Pretoria. Designer Hugh Durrant, musical director Howard Morgan, choreographer Rosemary Brandt, lighting Tim Heale, costume co-ordinator Bronwen Lovegrove. The cast included Paul Andrews, Johan Engelbrecht, Jocelyn Broderick, James Borthwick, Frantz Dobrowsky, Peter Se-Puma, John Lesley, David Crichton, Schalk Schoombie, Karin Jerg and others.



Sources

Scrapbook held by NELM: [Collection: LISTER, Moira]: 2007. 20. 6. 1.

AFRICAN CONSOLIDATED THEATRES LTD dramatic contract dated 8 December 1939 for the Robinson Crusoe pantomime, held by NELM.

Robinson Crusoe theatre programme, PACT, 1983/84.


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