As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is

As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is ("Once we two are married") is a romantic farce in four acts in Afrikaans by Gerhard J. Beukes. (Beukes was very fond of using exclamation marks in his titles, hence this play is sometimes written As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is!)

The original text

Described as "'n Spel in vier bedrywe oor 'n Afrikaanse familie in die stad". ("a play in four acts about an Afrikaans family in the city").

Published in Pretoria J.L. van Schaik in 1952, reprinted numerous times since.

Beukes was awarded the Hertzog Prize for Drama in 1952 for Langs die steiltes, Salome Dans! and As ons twee eers getroud is!.

Translations and adaptations

Adapted as a film by Pierre de Wet and Jan Perold and released in 1962.

Performance history in South Africa

1952: First performed professionally by NTO in 1952, playing for 185 performances. The cast included Dan Welman, Sara Louw, Pieter Wilcocks, Tromp Terreblanche, Emgee Pretorius, Nilo Naudé van Zyl, James Norval, Anna Cloete. Directed by Siegfried Mynhardt.

1968: A PACT production opened on 29 August 1968 in the Breytenbach Theatre. The cast included Christopher Hale (Herman), Wilna Snyman (Ma), James Norval (Oupa), Anna Cloete (Weduwee, Violet Bloom), Louw Verwey (Pa), Katinka Heyns as Annalies, Stephan Bouwer (Kalie), Thea Kirstein (Sans), Marius Weyers (Johan), Sheryl Stewardson (Pansy). Directed by Francois Swart, set designed by David Mackenzie.

The film version

Adapted for the screen from Beukes's play by Pierre de Wet and Jan Perold

Directed by Jan Perold, with Frederik Burgers , Lulu Kruger, Willem Loots, Emsie Botha, Jaco van der Westhuizen, Pat Gill, Abrie van Rooyen, Elsa Fouché, Ralph Loubser, Wena Naudé, Jan Bruyns, Christo Gerber, Sann de Lange, Patrick Mynhardt, Arthur Swemmer. Cinematography by John Brown, assisted by Denzil Doyle, film Editing by Peter Grossett, set décor by George Canes, makeup by William Bell and Lillian O'Flaherty, sound by Edward Howes and Otto Snel. Production manager George Vollaire.