Elckerlijc
An Anglo-Dutch morality play by an unknown playwright. Authorship ascribed to Petrus Dorlandus (also known as Petrus Diesthemius or Peter van Diest)
Contents
The original text
In his introduction to his edition of Gennep’s Een comedia ofte spel van Homulus, J.W. van Bart discusses the possibility that both plays Elckerlijc and Everyman are derived from a play Quilibet written in Latin by Petrus Dorlandus.
The spelling varies. Other forms of spelling are Elckerlijk, Elkerlijk, Elckerlyc. The English title is Everyman and in German it is known as Jedermann.
The story: God summons Everyman by ordering Death to take him for his own. Everyman pleads delay and then seeks around for anyone who may bear hin company. First he turns to Fellowship, later to Knowledge, Beauty, Strength, and so on.
Translations and adaptations
Performance history in South Africa
1927: Performed in Dutch as Elckerlijc in the open air, on the grounds of St Cyprian School in Cape Town on Saturday 9 April by Anton Verheyen, Louis de Vriendt, Mignon Sorel and others. A choir was directed by Sarah Goldblatt was also incorporated.
1927: This same production was performed in the Recreation Hall in Stellenbosch on 12 April. Due to bad weather the planned open-air performance was not possible.
Sources
World Drama, Allardyce Nicoll, 1949. p 164.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elckerlijc
Die Burger 8 April 1927.
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