Tot Oefening en Vermaak
Tot Oefening en Vermaak ("For Practice and Entertainment") was the name of an amateur dramatic society sporadically active in Cape Town, initially apparently in the period 1837-1839, then again between 1848 and 1851.
Contents
History
The phrase first appears in 1837 as the motto of a Hollandsche Private Tooneellievende Gezelschap ("Dutch private amateur company") , of which only one performance is certain (see below).
In 1849 the phrase was once more adopted as the motto for the company Hoop en Trouw, which had been founded in Cape Town in 1848 by what appears to have been some former members of Tot Nut en Vermaak en Door Yver Vruchtbaar. The company for a while announced itself as Hoop en Trouw, spelende as Tot Oefening en Vermaak (i.e."Hope and Loyalty playing as For Practice and Entertainment") between 1849 and 1851, though later referred to simply as Tot Oefening en Vermaak.
This company apparently disbanded in 1851.
See also Tot Nut en Vermaak and Hoop en Trouw.
Recorded productions by Tot Oefening en Vermaak
1837 A company performing under this motto in the De Liefhebbery Tooneel on in 12 August did Roland de Monglave, of De Zegepraal der Onschuld (Tréogate) and Monsieur Tonson (Moncrieffe), with an "Indian dance" and a dance on the slack wire served as interlude.
On 8 June 1849: Zoë, of De Zegepraal eener Standvastige Liefde (Lijnslager, based on Mercier), Oude Meisjes van drie en vyftig Jaren, Die het Schoentje past, die trekt ze aan) and De Hoefsmid (Quétant, translated by J. Menkema Jr.).
[JH/TH]
Sources
Sources
F.C.L. Bosman. 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [1]: pp. 452-456, 480-490, 502
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