Smallholding
A play in two acts by Paul Slabolepszy. A play set on an arid smallholding, in which a father and his son terrorize a postal worker.
In this play a young Afrikaner stumbles upon a heartland he never knew existed. A desolate farm-plot on the edge of the East rand becomes the ultimate battleground between the urban and the rural, the future and the past. A cataclysmic, anarchic celebration of the frontier spirit.
Contents
The original text
Published by * in Mooi Street and Other Moves by Witwatersrand University Press (1994).
Translations and adaptations
Performance history in South Africa
After its run at the Grahamstown Festival (Rhodes Theatre) the play opened in the Nico Arena on 27 July 1989, presented by CAPAB Drama for Snap Productions, directed by Bobby Heaney, with Nicky Rebelo (Christiaan), Paul Slabolepszy (Pa), Martin le Maitre (JJ), Sello Maake ka-Ncube (Gideon), Kate Edwards (Evie) 1989. Set design Nadia Cohen, costume design Margo Fleisch, lighting design Paul Pamboukian, music Glynn Storm. Stage director Skip Wright, production stage manager and sound operator Merle Pretorius, lighting Jack Arnot.
Directed by Bobby Heaney, presented by Snap Productions in association with Michael Hunt at the Market Theatre in November 1989, featuring Nicky Rebelo, Paul Slabolepszy, Louis Seboko, Martin le Maitre and Kate Edwards.
Presented by PACOFS, directed by Pieter Brand with Nico Liebenberg, Petro-Nelise Trichardt, Cobus Fourie, Duma Mnembe and Hannes Potgieter at the Observatory Theatre, May 1994.
A Young Directors’ Season Honours in Directing production of Smallholding was presented by Rhodes University Drama Department directed by Emily Stockil Aug-Sept 2005 .
Sources
Nico Malan Theatre pamphlets, Aug-Nov 1989.
Smallholding theatre programme 1989.
Volksblad 6 May 1994.
Return to
Return to South_African_Theatre/Plays
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page