De Nieuwe Ridderorde of De Temperantisten

by C.E. Boniface. A farcical comedy in four acts. First published in 1832 by P.A. Brand, Market Square, Cape Town.

(“The New Knighthood or the Temperance Societies”) by C.E. Boniface. A satirical play in four acts and 26 scenes, it was the first recorded play in Dutch-Afrikaans and satirized the wave of English philanthropic puritanism which was sweeping the Cape at the time, a movement which was ultimately to lead to the freeing of the slaves in 1834 and strong prohibitionist measures against alcohol abuse. Though written in Dutch, it contained some of the first Afrikaans on stage, set in the mouths Cape Dutch and drunken "Hottentot" characters, including one "Grietje Drilbouten". Although written in dramatic form, it was never performed, but written as a polemical and satirical burlesque, to be read - and indeed may have been too virulous to perform. It appears to be have been very successful, both commercially and polemically, and for a while established Boniface as an important writer. In the published version (P.A. Brand, Market Square, Cape Town, 1832) it appears under the first title of ‘’De Nieuwe Ridderorde’’, on the title-page, with the alternative title of ‘’De Temperantisten’’. However, elsewhere it appears that Boniface had in fact also written a separate work under the title ‘’De Nieuwe Ridderorde’’.

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