French Theatre in South Africa
French Theatre in South Africa can mean two things:
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Contents
Productions of theatrical works in the French language
Productions of plays and other performance work in French has been a somewhat sporadic affair. Such productions did flourish briefly in Cape Town at the beginning of the 18th century, under the Batavian rule, when Cape Town had a number of French visitors as well as a French Garrison, but for the most part such events have been reliant on visiting companies and performers, the work of French teachers and University French Departments, authors of French or Belgian extraction (e.g. C.E. Boniface), amateur enthusiasts, and formal French organizations such as the Alliance Française[1] and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS)[2].
Some French theatre companies
Een Fransch Gezelschap van Liefhebbers van het Theater
Het Fransche Liefhebbery Geselschap, Cape Town
French Amateur Company, Cape Town
French-Dutch Amateurs, Cape Town
French Dramatic Artistes, Cape Town
The French Theatre, Cape Town
French Theatre Company, Cape Town
French Theatrical Company, Cape Town
When doing French plays, the company (like other companies doing French plays before and after) was referred to variously as Het Fransche Liefhebbery Geselschap in Dutch (or in some cases as Een Fransch Gezelschap van Liefhebbers van het Theater, een Fransch Blyspel Gezelschap; die Franse Geselskap or die Franse Amateurs in Afrikaans publications (e.g. Bosman); and in English as the French-Dutch Amateurs, the French Amateur Company, the French Theatre Company or The French Company.
Performances of French theatrical works in translation
Productions of French plays in translation on the other hand have been enormously popular, works having been translated into a number of the South African languages[3], and many of the performances becoming iconic events in the history of the theatre in the country.
Among the most popular for translation and performance over the centuries have been the works of Moliére, Anouilh,
To find the names of individual plays translated or performed, search the name of the author
For productions and translations of the individual plays, see:
South African Radio Plays and Serials
South African Television Plays and Series
Sources
F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [4]
http://www.ambafrance-rsa.org/Culture,865
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The French Theatrical Company 1808-9
The French Theatre Company 1848
A French Theatre Company is reported by "Sam Sly" to have opened the Drury Lane Theatre on Constitution Hill in Cape Town on June 19th, 1848, with "tragic Scenes, Vaudevilles, and Interludes of music and dancing". He may be referring to Dalle Case and the company from Mauritius which was billed as "French Dramatic Artistes".
The French Theatre, venue in Cape Town 1807-1808
Known as Den Franschen Schouwburg in Dutch and The French Theatre in English, this venue was a subscription theatre erected in the store of Mr J.H. Brand in Berg Street, Cape Town in 1807 by the French Theatre Company, to present French plays, and it was active till 1808.
The first performances were given in French on 28 November of that year, most probably under the guiding hand of C.E.Boniface. The venue appears to have closed by the end of 1808, since a sale and possible auction of all its goods (sets, costumes, etc) was advertised on 26 November 1808.
In 1809 the company appears to have amalgamated with the bilingual Dutch/French company Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense, and henceforth performed in the African Theatre.
See also Den Franschen Schouwburg
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_France
F.C.L. Bosman, 1928[5]: p. 93, 94, 125, 277
Jill Fletcher, 1994
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In 1808-1809 a group of amateur and professional players, apparently referred to as the "French Theatrical Company", produced a number of French works, including Les Plaideurs (Racine), Le Petit Matelot, ou Le Mariage Impromptu (Pigault Lebrun),
A French Theatre company reported by “Sam Sly” to have opened the Drury Lane Theatre on Constitution Hill in Cape Town on June 19th, 1848, with “tragic Scenes, Vaudevilles, and Interludes of music and dancing”. May have been Dalle Case and the company from Mauritius which was billed as "French Dramatic Artistes".
Sources
Bosman 1928, pp.
Fletcher, 1994
For more information
See also French Dramatic Artistes and French theatre in South Africa
