Gerhard J. Beukes

(1913 - 1998) Academic cultural activist and prolific Afrikaans playwright and compiler of plays. Also known as Gerhard Beukes.

Biography

Born Gerhard Johannes Beukes on 21 November 1913 on the farm Biesjespoort near Upington, Northern Cape. One of seven children, he only began school at eleven years of age in a farms chool, then and continued his schooling at Keimoes en in 1932 matriculated from the high school at Upington. Married Isabella Pretorius in 1940, and had two sons: Johann and Gerhard. His wife passed away in 1992 and in 1994 he married Marie Lategan. Beukes died in Bloemfontein in 1998.

Training

He studied Afrikaans and Dutch at the University of Stellenbosch (BA 1935, Senior Teacher's Diploma 1936), then completed an MA on Afrikaans poetry at the University of South Africa (1939) and in 1946 a doctorate (D.Litt) at the University of Pretoria with a thesis on the modern one-act play. This led him to theatre and drama as a creative field. In 1956 he obtained a Carnegie-burasry to spend 3 months in the USA to study cuyrrent trends in theatre.

Career

After 10 years teaching at schools, beginning at Michaelhouse in Natal in 1937, and ending at Pretoria Boys’ High School, he became a lecturer in Afrikaans and Dutch at the then University College of the Orange Free State (UKOVS - later to become the University of the Orange Free State and ultinately the University of the Free State) in Bloemfontein (1947 -1960), made professor in 1961 and in 1973 became Head of the Department of Afrikaans en Nederlands. Retired in 1978.

Contribution to South African theatre and performance

As playwright

While a teacher he began writing plays for children and adults, both numerous one-act plays and full length works. His full length plays include:

Die swart engel ("The black angel"), a play in three acts (1947), Salomé dans! (1950), Langs die steiltes(1952), Jesus van Nasaret (1954),

As ons twee eers getroud is! (1952); Langs die Steiltes (perf 1953); Speurhonde van die Dood (195?); Verkiesing sonder politiek! (1956); Judas van Keriot (1959); Die vonkel in haar oë! (1964); Uur van die waarheid (1969). Die Braaiboud (19**), As Nefie Kom Kuier (19**) and Familieportret (19**).

His one act plays include:

Laat die Kerse Brand! (1945);Oktobernag (1946); Die vrees (1948); Kerse teen die wind (1950);

Most of them were published in collections of plays by J.L. van Schaik. Collections of his own plays include Laat die kerse brand! en ander eenbedrywe (1945), Kerse teen die wind: tien eenbedrywe (1950),

Among these are Die Swart Engel (perf 1946, pub. **), Oktobernag (Perf 1946, pub 19*), Bo-op die Berge (perf 1947, pub 19*) Langs die Steiltes (perf 1953, pub 195*), Speurhonde van die Dood, As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is (perf. 1952, pub. 19**), Verkiesing sonder politiek! (perf 1955, pub. 1964), Die vonkel in haar oë! (perf 1960, pub. 1960), Die Braaiboud (19**), As Nefie Kom Kuier (19**) and Familieportret (19**).

Die Winde van U Toorn, Oktobernag, In my Dae, Die Hand wat hy eenmaal geneem het, Laat die Kerse Brand!, Braaiboud.

Collections of his one-act plays include Kerse teen die wind, met die subtitel tien eenbedrywe,

In 1978 J.L. van Schaik published Kortgesprek ("Short discussion"), a collection of his one act plays, in celebration the author's 65th birthday and his retirement from the Universiy. (Compiled by Charles Malan.)

As translator

Besides translations of works by Trygve Gulbranssen and Khalil Gibran, he also translated Molière's Tartuffe ou L'Imposteur into Afrikaans as Die huigelaar (Pretoria: Van Schaik, 1970).

As compiler and editor

Over the years he compiled and edited numerous anthologies of plays (containing not only his own texts, but also works by other playwrights), for use by schools, universities and amateur companies. These include: Ses eenbedrywe (1946), Uitgesoekte eenbedrywe (1948), Nuwe eenbedrywe (1952), Vyf nuwe eenbedrywe (1957), Skerm en masker (1958), Kom ons speel toneel (1959), Spele vir die jongspan (1959), Kom ons speel toneel (1963), Woord en masker (1964), Twee sente vir ’n pêrel (1968), Uur van die waarheid (1970), Vier Nederlandse eenbedrywe (1970), Iewers langs die pad (1970), Skuif oop die gordyn! (1982), Roep van die naguiltjie en ander eenbedrywe (1983), ’n Lag en ’n traan (1988) and Spel en spelers (1988).

As academic writer

Die moderne eenbedryf ["The Modern One-act Play"], a published verion of his 1947 doctoral thesis.

Skrywers en rigtings (co-edited with F.V. Lategan), a much used handbook on Afrikaans literature. Beukes also wrote the section on Drama.

As lecturer and mentor

A kind and gentle man with a genuine fondness for his students, he was an immensely engaging and enthusiastic lecturer with a passion for Afrikaans literature and particularly drama. Over his many years at the University, Beukes inspired many young writers and academics to contribute to the canaon of Afrikaans writing.

Cultural actitivities and contributions

Much involved in cultural work, he was a member of Volksteater in Pretoria, particularly involved in their children's theatre project (1941) and was also involved with FATSSA, NTO and other similar organizations.

He became a member (and chairman 1973–1975) of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, Chairman of the Kommissie vir Woordkuns ("Commission for Verbal Arts") of the Nasionale Kultuurraad ("National Cultural Council" - 1973-4), and member of the executive of the Federasie vir Afrikaans Kultuurvereniginge (FAK - 1973-6). He was the co-founder of a number of organizations, including the National Drama Library and DALRO. In 1977 he was made a member of the committee created by the Department of National Education to study and make recommendations regarding Amateur Theatre in South Africa.

Awards

1948: Winner of the FATSA competion for one-act plays: Die vrees

1952: The Hertzog Prize for drama for his three plays As ons twee eers getroud is, Langs die steiltes en Salomé dans!. He controversially shared the Prize with W.A. de Klerk, in a time when all expectations were that Uys Krige would be the winner.

1952: The Van Riebeeck Festival prize for drama for As ons twee eers getroud is

1959: Prize of the NG Kerk-uitgewers (on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the South African Bible Society) for Judas van Keriot

1984: Made an Honorary Member of SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns

[JH/TH]