The Tempest
The Tempest by William Shakespeare. First performed 16**.
Performance history in South Africa
First performed in South Africa by *** in 18**.
Famous productions include **,
1923: three performances by the University Players at the Palladium Theatre, Johannesburg in 1923. (Incidental music was played by an ensemble of six which included Prof Percival Kirby, head of the Department of Music at Wits).
1946: an all-"coloured" production was done in the City Hall, Cape Town, presented by a non-European cast, directed by Rosalie van der Gucht. Sponsored by the SA Association of Arts, with settings and costumes by John Dronsfield and Cecil Higgs. George Veldsman as Prospero, Cecil Wynne as Trinculo, William McLeod as Ariel, Catherine Pienaar as Miranda, George Cloete as Ferdinand, Edmund Davis as Gonzalo.
1956: Johannesburg Reps directed by Leslie French and featuring David Crichton, **; Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival production with David Crichton as Ariel (date unknown).
1968: PACOFS and the Bloemfontein Shakespeare Circle in 1970, directed by Leslie French, featuring John Boulter as Prospero, the young Ralph Lawson as Ariel, Rina le Grange as Miranda and Neels Coetzee as Caliban.
1982: CAPAB at Maynardville, directed by Ken Leach with Michael Atkinson as Prospero, James Borthwick as Caliban, John Whiteley, George Jackson, Megan Kruskal, Mark Legward. Music, Johan Cloete, decor and costumes Penny Simpson, choreography Pamela Chrimes, lighting Brian Kennedy. Opened 17 December 1982.
1992: A performance in the H.B. Thom Theatre directed by Mark Graham, starring Peter Lloyd, Jaco Agenbach, André van der Merwe, Chris Vorster and others.
1994: CAPAB Drama in association with Nedbank production at Maynardville. Directed by Roy Sargeant. Design by Keith Anderson. Lighting by Malcolm Hurrell. Music by Michael Tuffin. Specialised movement by Marlene Blom. Stage director: Patrick Curtis. Opened on 21 January, 1994 after its run at the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre 12-15 January 1994. Cast: Prospero: Ralph Lawson Miranda: Jana van Niekerk Antonio: Anthony Bishop Alonso: Blaise Koch Sebastian: Dale Abrahams Ferdinand: Gavin Hood Gonzalo: Jay Heale Ariel/Ceres: Steven Stead Caliban: Nkosinathi Gqotso Adrian: Frank de Gouveia Francisco: André Samuels Trinculo: Ivan Abrahams Stephano: Ronald France Boatswain/Spirit: Morné Visser Ship's Master/Spirit: Xola Luse Iris/Spirit: Deirdre Wolhuter Juno/Spirit: Zoliswa Kawe Spirit: Craig Leo Spirit: James Baker-Duly
Translations and adaptations
Translated into Afrikaans as ????** and as Die Storm ( = The Storm) by Tjaart Potgieter in 1988), produced by PACT in 198*?.
In 2007 a radically new Afrikaans production, based on the earlier translation by Tjaart Potgieter adapted by Zandra Bezuidenhout, was produced by Vleis, Rys, en Aartappels in conjunction with the University of Stellenbosch Drama Department, for the Oudtshoorn Festival (KKNK), directed by Marthinus Basson with Antoinette Kellerman as Prospero, Jana Cilliers as Ariel, Neels Coetzee as Gonzalo, Gerben Kamper as Caliban and Riaan Visman as Stephano.
Sources
Bosman, 1928: pp.
South African Opinion, 3(3):22; Trek, 10(20):18, 1946.
PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988
H B Thom Theatre programme, April 1992.
Maynardville Theatre programme, January 1994.
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