Charley's Aunt

Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas. Opened at the Royalty Theatre, London, in 1892.

As popular in South Africa as everywhere else. An early (the first?) production in South Africa was by the Hawtrey Comedy Company under Ben and Frank Wheeler management in the Good Hope Theatre, Cape Town in 18**. Done by Brian Brooke in 1960 with Stuart Brown and Lorna Cowell. In March 1973 it was presented by PACT in the Breteynbach Theatre and the Alexander Theatre, directed by Frank Shelley. The cast included David Haynes, Paul Slabolepszy, James White, Shelagh Holliday, Siegfried Mynhardt, John Boulter, Norman Coombes, Caroline Cater, Gillian Garlick, Eleanor Thomas.

Also translated into Afrikaans as Piet s'n Tante (by Gustav Preller), first performed in Potchefstroom and Ermelo (1907), then in the Opera House, Pretoria, April, on 1908, by the Afrikaans-Hollandse Toneelvereniging to an invited audience including the colonial secretary, General J.C. Smuts. Backdrops painted by Frans Oerder. It was a firm favourite in the repertory of the AHTV until 1910, and became immensely popular on tour, including performances in Cape Town. Made into a commercially successful Afrikaans film (Piet se Tante) featuring Al Debbo and Frederick Burgers (19*).

The CAPAB production of Charlie se Tante opened at the Hofmeyr Theatre on 20 March 1965, directed by Robert Mohr. It was that year's most popular play with audiences, with 58 performances.

Sources

Grütter, Wilhelm, CAPAB 25 Years, 1987. Unpublished research. p 38.

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