Busybody
Busybody is a comedy by Jack Popplewell (1909-1996)[1].
Contents
The original text
A play about a voluble cleaning woman who keeps telling the cops how to mind their business and who steps forward with the right evidence in every pinch. She lives in the basement of the office building she cleans and one night finds a body. By the time the police arrive, there is no body and no evidence.
First performed on the West End at Duke of York's Theatre in 1964. Published by Samuel French in 1965.
Translations and adaptations
La Perruche et le Poulet ("The Parrot and the Chicken") is a comic detective play by French dramatist Robert Thomas [2] (1927-1989).
The original text
A French adaptation by Thomas of Jack Popplewell's play Busybody
It premiered at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris on 12 August 1966.
Translations and adaptations
Stage
Translated into Afrikaans as Babbelkous en Bruidegom ("chatterbox and brideroom") by Tine Balder and adapted for an Afrikaans audience by Anna Neethling-Pohl.
Babbelkous, the film
Filmed by Koos Roets as an Afrikaans film with the title Babbelkous starring Katinka Heyns.
Performance history in South Africa
1973: The Afrikaans version, Babbelkous en Bruidegom was staged by PACT in the Breytenbach Theatre, directed by Truida Louw, featuring Janice Honeyman (Ann Parker), Jan Engelen (Speurder-Sersant Greyling), Annette Engelbrecht (Grietjie Roos), Marie Koeleman (Susan Bergh), Peter Terry (David Preller), David van der Merwe (Fredrik Cilliers), Marko van der Colff (Jan Rademan), Tobie Cronjé (Konstabel Mentz), Magda Beukes (Clara Rademan) and Peter Terry (Harry Logan). Decor designed by Richard Cook. {Katinka Heyns as Babbelkous?)
1977: PEAAT presented Babbelkous en Bruidegom by Robert Thomas at the Port Elizabeth Opera House from September 7 - 10, 1977, in Uitenhage on September 16, 1977 and in Humansdorp on September 24, 1977. The three-Act play, produced by Marlene Pieterse. Starring Jeanette Hardy, Elizabeth Klonus, At Roux, Petro van Niekerk, Adriaan van Ree, Susan Strydom, Jannie Britz, Syd Lottering, Marais Uys, and Naydene Smith. Stage Manager: Denise Grobler, Lighting: David Yates, Decor: Jannie Britz, and Stan Roberts, Requisition: Sonje Maree and Gay Schonborn, Sound: Dien Verstappen, Theatre Manager: Hester Stegman, Photography: Trevor O'Riordan.
1978: Babbelkous en Bruidegom Produced by Pauline van Zyl for the Jansenville Dramavereniging. Starring Renier Grobler, Ria Grobler, Jannie van Zyl, Pauline van Zyl, Ice Lötter, Rykie Lötter, Wessel Cornelius, Janet Cornelius and Ina van der Westhuizen.
Sources
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Perruche_et_le_Poulet
PACT Newsletter, February 1973.
PACT theatre programme, 1973.
Babbelkous en Bruidegom theatre programme, 1977.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
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Performance history in South Africa
1965: Produced by Hugh Goldie at the Alexander Theatre starring Jane Fenn, Kenneth Baker, Robert Langford, Anne Curteis, Angus Neill, Shelagh Holliday and Shirley Firth. Set by Roy Cooke.
1972: Presented by the Bank Players.
Circa 1980(?): Performed in the Bloemfontein Civic Theatre by the Bloemfontein Repertory Society, directed by George Prosser
Sources
https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/4703/busybody
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Popplewell
Theatre programme (Alexander Theatre production) held by NELM: [Collection: THEATRE PROGRAMMES]: 2012. 285. 1. 41.
The Rand Daily Mail, 18 February 1965, 15 March 1972.
Personal correspondence and a CV provided by Otto Bohlmann (January, 2020).
Go to ESAT Bibliography
Return to
Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays
Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays
Return to PLAYS III: Collections
Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances
Return to South African Festivals and Competitions
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
