Boesman and Lena

by Athol Fugard (1969). A play about two wandering “coloured” vagrants who speculate on life, love and freedom. Perhaps one of Athol Fugard’s most celebrated works, a setwork for schools in post-1994 South Africa.

Publication history

First published in 1969. Published in Buren as well as in Boesman and Lena and Other Plays (Oxford University Press).

Performances in South Africa

1969: First performed at Rhodes University in 1969, directed by Athol Fugard with himself as Boesman, Yvonne Bryceland as Lena and Glynn Day as Outa.

1969: Presented by the Cape Performing Arts Board (in a CAPAB, PACT and Phoenix Players collaboration), with Athol Fugard (Boesman), Yvonne Bryceland (Lena) and Glynn Day (Outa) at the Alexander Theatre, Johannesburg.

1970: CAPAB with Athol Fugard (Boesman), Yvonne Bryceland (Lena) and Glynn Day at the Hofmeyr Theatre (lighting devised by Scott Robertson), subsequently touring the Transvaal in association with PACT.

1980: Presented in Afrikaans (Boesman en Lena) by PACOFS Drama, directed by Cobus Rossouw, starring Schalk Jacobsz (Boesman), Sandra Kotzé (Lena) and Laurens Cilliers (Outa).

1984: Janet Suzman as Lena, 29 March 1984. (NELM: [Collection: SUZMAN, Janet]: 2008. 15. 1. 29)

1993: Jerry Mofokeng directed a version of this play starring Bill Curry, Nomhle Nkonyeni and James Mthoba at Upstairs at the Market in 1993.

1996: Staged in the Arena Theatre at the Nico Malan Theatre in July 1996, directed by Nkosinathi Gqotso, with Neels Coetzee, Sylvia Esau and Shaun Arnolds. Design by Michael Mitchell, lighting by Jack Arnott.

2012: Production by Daphne Kuhn, directed by James Ncgobo, starring Quanita Adams, Elton Landrew and Charly Azade, ran at the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square until June 30 2012.

2014: Performed by Prompt Side Productions, supported by the Arts and Culture Trust (ACT), at the Hexagon Theatre, Pietermaritzburg. Directed by Brenda-Lee Celewith Sade Wagner, Tshepang Koloko and Musa Nkomo.

2016: Produced by UJ Arts & Culture[1] as part of a festival of works under the title LIBERAT!ON MMXVI[2] at the Con Cowan Theatre from 17 May. Produced by Grace Meadows, directed by Phala Ookeditse Phala with Lalu Mokuku, Lebohang Inno and Lebogang Motaung. Design by Alby Michaels.

Film versions

Has twice been filmed:

1974 by Ross Devenish, produced by Bluewater Productions, with the 1970 cast, including Percy Sieff as a fisherman.

2000 A film by Anant Singh, directed by John Berry. Writers: Athol Fugard (play), John Berry (adaptation), with Danny Glover, Angela Bassett, Willie Jonah.

Translations

Translated into Afrikaans by respectively** Alta Coetzee, Frederick B. Philander and Petrovna Metelerkamp: Boesman en Lena. Directed by Cobus Rossouw for PACOFS in 1980, starring Sandra Kotzé and Schalk Jacobsz.

An Afrikaans production by Die Bywoners (Schalk Jacobsz and Elma Potgieter) in 198*.

Metelerkamp's translation was staged in the André Huguenet Theatre in Bloemfontein in March 1998, directed by Gerben Kamper for PACOFS and the Vrystaat Ensemble, with Maurice Carpede, Maria de Koker and Babes Mphatseng. The same production was later staged at the KKNK 1998.

Sources

CAPAB programme, 1969.

Theatre programmes 1970, 1980, 1996.

PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988.

KKNK programme, 1998.

Boesman and Lena set-work for PMB, Prompt Side Productions (05/14/2014)[3]

IMDB [4]

Wikipedia [5]

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