Mattewis en Meraai

Mattewis en Meraai is a play by P.G. du Plessis (1934-2017).

The original text

This is an immensely popular adaptation for the stage, based on a series of novellas by , telling of the lives of "Meraai Botes" en die many other people of the town Gonnakolk.

Translations and adaptations

Adapted for the stage by Bosman De Kock as Soetwater : Bruidjie Dit en Bruidjie Dot, the text published in 1967 by the DALRO (the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation) .

Adapted for the stage - along with Gonnakolk se Mense - by P.G. du Plessis (1934-2017) as Mattewis en Meraai For performances of this work, see the entry on Mattewis en Meraai

Performance history in South Africa

1970: Presented by PACT in 1970. Direction by Truida Louw, starring Louis van Niekerk (Mattewis Offer), Annette Engelbrecht (Meraai Botes), Marius Weyers (Die Verteller), Tine Balder (Suffie Barnard), Sandra Prinsloo (Maria Offer), Wilna Snyman ((Maatjie Visser), Don Lamprecht (Dominee Franke), Paul Eilers ((Jannie Gertenbach, Flip Rens), George Ballot (Selons Barnard, Krisjan Theron), Dalene Kotzé (Elisabeth Offer), Elize Hibbert (Bettie Pretorius). The same production, cast included, visited Durban, Welkom, Bloemfontein, Cape Town and Stellenbosch in 1971.

1978: Presented by CAPAB at the Nico Malan Theatre 10 - 24 June 1978. Directed by Paul Malherbe with Johan Botha as Mattewis Offer and Marga van Rooy as Meraai Botes. The rest of the cast were Neels Coetzee {Die Verteller), Sandra Ferreira (Bettie Pretorius), Philip Godawa ((Jannie Gertenbach), Anna Cloete (Suffie Barnard), Willem de la Querra (Selons Barnard), Lida Botha (Maatjie Visser), Marko van der Colff (Dominee Franke), Harriet Pienaar (Maria Offer), Mary Dreyer (Elisabeth Offer), Mees Xteen (Flip Rens), Johan Esterhuizen (Krisjan Theron). Design by Paul Malherbe, lighting by John T. Baker. This production was seen at the Bellville Civic Centre on 26 June 1978, the Worcester Civic Centre on 27 June 1978 and at the H.B. Thom Theatre from 28 June to 1 July 1978.

1979: PACOFS 1979, directed by Truida Louw with Mees Xteen and Sandra Kotzé.

1982: Directed by William Egan for PACT in the State Theatre in 1982, starring Louis van Niekerk, Annette Engelbrecht, Johan Malherbe, Roelien Spruyt, Nico Liebenberg. Designs by Chris van den Berg.

Sources

PACT theatre pamphlet.

PACT Newsletter, October 1971.

PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988.

Mattewis en Meraai theatre programme (KRUIK, 1978).

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