Aurora

Aurora as name

Name, deriving from the Latin term for "dawn" and referring to the goddess of the dawn in Roman mythology, used by two or three amateur theatre organizations in the Cape in the 19th century. Probably intended to reflect the cultural aspirations of the emerging South African Dutch/Afrikaans culture at the time.

Aurora, Paarl (1862-18**)

An amateur theatrical society founded in Paarl by members of "Die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners" and was intended to establish and promote Dutch in the face of the Anglicisation policies. It presented Rocco by A. Wijnstok and Schijn bedriegt by "Neef Paul", along with recitals of lyric poetry, as its first production in August 1862. Among its members were S.J. du Toit, D.F ("Oom Lokomotief") du Toit, ***. During its existence it incidentally also produced some of the earliest Afrikaans plays, notably the first, a translation of De Jonge Kunstschilder by ***, directed by "Oom Lokomotief" and performed in Paarl and Montagu, as well as ***. [**EXPAND**]

Aurora, Cape Town (1866-1914)

History

The second formal "Rederijkerskamer" to be opened in the Cape Province (after Thespis). Established on 4 October 1866, in Cape Town, under the motto Onvermoeide vlijt komt alles te boven ("Untiring hard work overcomes everything"). Founded as a closed society formed by leading Dutch and and Cape-Dutch families, and including such useful performers as J. Combrink, W. Combrink, J.M. Belinfante, D.H du Toit and H.W. Teengs. Teengs was also a playwright. Perhaps its best known member was actor and playwright Melt Brink, who soon became its secretary and guiding light till 1914. Dutch-language oratory club (“rederykerskamer *?*) active in the Cape between 1862 and 1890. Although initially loyal to the British authorities, it steadily became a standard-bearer for the emergent Dutch-Afrikaans nationalism through certain important members likeMelt Brink. Temporarily suspended during the first war of independence ("Eerste Vryheidsoorlog" - 1888-18**), it was resuscitated afterwards under the guidance of Brink and lasted till 1914. However, its Dutch orientation gradually alienated it from the mainstream Afrikaans theatre. Aurora was honoured by the Dutch government as was Brink in 1873.

Productions

It followed the Dutch pattern of concentrating on poetry and plays under the guidance of professional teachers. Initially they tended to fragments from plays and poems, but after Brink took over, they tended to performances of compelte works. In addition to the works of a range of Dutch poets and playwrights, the society gradually also offered locally written plays, beginning with the works of H.W. Teengs (starting with the tragedy Willem Nel and the afterpiece Opstand 1815 in 1868) and going on to produce a large number of Melt Brink's plays over the years. In his case they started with his first Dutch comedy, Het Origineele Testament at the Germania Hall on 29 April 1869 and he eventually wrote 14 one-act Cape Dutch plays for them, ending with De Offers der Vrijheid of De Slagers van Ghent in 1877. Aurora never had its own premises, but performed in a variety of halls and theatres in and around Cape Town, including the Liedertafel Germania (or Germania Hall?*, cnr Hout and Loop streets), the Oddfellows Hall (Plein Street), and "de zaal van den Heer Hutchinson" (Hutchinson's Hall, Nieuw Street). As a result productions were simply and portably done, and the authors had to bear this in mind. Initially no women were allowed to be members and men played the female parts, but from 11 July 1876 onwards (when a woman finally appeared in a production, Het Ijzerin, at the Oddfellows Hall), women became part of the association. [***CHECK MET BOSMAN/NIENABER**] AURORA.

Aurora and Het Algemeen Nederlandsch Verbond, Cape Town

The second Aurora became defunct sometime before 1909, and was then apparently resuscitated under the guidance of Melt Brink, the name being adopted for the theatre division of the Dutch cultural organisation Het Algemeen Nederlandsch Verbond. In this form it lasted till 1914. [However, information here is uncertain. CHECK]

Sources

See Du Toit, 1988; Fletcher, 1994 [TH, JH]

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