The Diary of Anne Frank
A play (1955) based on Anne Frank’s war-time diary Het Achterhuis. Dagboekbrieven 14 Juni 1942 – 1 Augustus 1944 ("The Annex: Diary Notes 14 June 1942 – 1 August 1944") by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. The play won the 1955 Pulitzer Prize.
Performance history in South Africa
First produced in South Africa in two versions, one in Cape Town the other in Johannesburg. Leonard Schach’s version for the Cockpit Players opened on the 7th of January 1957 at the Hofmeyr Theatre and ran for seven weeks, in which time it broke every box-office and other record at the time. Cast members included Joyce Bradley, Johann Nell, Joss Ackland and Felicity Bosman. It was taken on a national tour with The Rainmaker. In Johannesburg Minna Schneier directed it in the same year for the Johannesburg Reps with Bodil Brink and Victor Lucas. Significantly its South African productions coincided with those in 24 other cities around the world.
Translations and adaptations
Die Dagboek van Anne Frank, Afrikaans translation by Fred Nel, performed by the University Theatre of Stellenbosch in the H.B. Thom Theatre in May/June 1972, directed by Fred Nel (assisted by Dawie Malan), with Pieter Bredenkamp (Mnr Frank), Brenda du Toit (Miep), Jeannine le Roux (Mev van Daan), Robin Malan (Mnr van Daan), Deon Bosman (Peter van Daan), Lois Malan (Margot), Ben Dehaeck (Mnr Kraler), Lottie Jansen van Rensburg (Mev Frank), Bettie Kemp (Anne) and Johann van Heerden (Mnr Dussel). Décor by Emile Aucamp, lighting by Marilyn Simpson and costumes by Elaine Aucamp.
Presented by TRUK in Afrikaans (text by Hannes Horne), directed by Leonard Schach, April 1977, starring Harriet Pienaar, Petru Wessels, Gerben Kamper, David van der Merwe, Louise Mollett-Prinsloo, Don Lamprecht, Nigel Vermaas, Elise Hibbert, Jan Prinsloo and Trudie Taljaard. Decor by Frank Graves.
Sources
UTS theatre programme, May 1972.
CAPAB 1979.
Inskip, 1977. p 121
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