Boetman is die Bliksem in!

Boetman is die Bliksem in! ("this boy is the hell in!") is a documentary drama in Afrikaans by Pieter Fourie (2000).

The original text

The play is based on a letter to the press written by SABC journalist Chris Louw (1953–2009)in reaction to the book Afrikaners: kroes, kras, kordaat by Willem de Kerk, including the resulting reaction to Louw's letter. In an attack on the power-hungry ooms ("uncles") of Apartheid, the Broederbond and the Angolan Border War, who were accused of misleading a younger generation of Afrikaner males into fighting and dying for a despicable cause. Louw’s original letter, transcripts of radio and TV interviews, newspaper articles and other documentation of the debate were all used as the basis of the stage play. Louw would soon after publish a book dealing with the whole matter entitled Boetman en die swanesang van die verligtes (Cape Town: Human en Rousseau, 2001).

The play was a sensational hit, the first performances in September 2000 being sold out three weeks in advance and received standing ovations at every performance, while those at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK)in April 2001 were even traded on the black market. It also went abroad.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

2000: Performed at the Aardklop National Arts Festival in September by Rooderandt Produksies, directed by Marthinus Basson with Dawid Minnaar, Cobus Rossouw, Sandra Kotzé and Albert Snyman.

2000 Performed by Rooderandt Produksies in the Wynand Mouton Theatre in Bloemfontein in October.

2001: Performed by Rooderandt Produksies at the KKNK in April.

2001: Performed at the Baxter Theatre Centre's Main Theatre from 12 to 16 June, and at the Baxter Concert Hall from 21 to 30 June.

2001: Performed 4-7July by Rooderandt Produksies at the main festival of the Standard Bank National Arts Festival.

2001: Performed 10-21 July by Rooderandt Produksies in The Arena at the State Theatre, Pretoria

2001: Performed 1-2 Augustus by Rooderandt Produksies in die Springs Civic Theatre

2001: Taken on tour of the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands in August.

Sources

Nico Luwes 2010. Pieter Fourie (1940-) se bydrae as Afrikaanse dramaturg en kunsbestuurder: 1965-2010. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Bloemfontein: University of the Free State, pp. [1]

Johann van Heerden. 2008. Theatre in a New Democracy. Some major trends in South African theatre from 1994 to 2003, Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Stellenbosch [2]. p. 114

Boetman is die bliksem in. Press Release by the Baxter Theatre Centre, 05/17/2001, Artslink.co.za News[3]

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