Die Hartseerwals ("The heart-break waltz") is the name of a popular Afrikaans folk song as well as that of a short story by Hennie Aucamp (1934-2014). The story has been adapted for the stage and for TV.

The song

The original story

Published in the collection Die Hartseerwals: Verhale en sketse by‎ Afrikaanse Pers-Boekhandel in 1965.

Stage version

1970: Performed as a dramatic reading in the Libertas Theatre, Stellenbosch as part of a programme called Hennie Aucamp: Kortverhale en Eenakters ("Hennie Aucamp: Short Stories and One-act Plays"). Directed by Marie van Heerden and performed by Annelize van der Ryst.

Sources

Go to ESAT Bibliography

TV film version

The story was made into a TV film in 1985, directed by Annie Basson with script credited to Hennie Aucamp (short story) and Leon van Nierop (screenplay). The cast included Estelle Venter ("Hetta"), Trudie Taljaard ("Kotie"), Ernst Eloff ("Theuns"), Zack du Plessis ("Sagrys van Deventer"), Kelsey Middleton ("Trees"), Dale Cutts ("Benson") and Stem Thamaga ("Abraam").

The film was produced by Herman Binge and Dick Voorendyk, with cinematography by Digby Young, film editing by Ester Worst and costume and set design by Birrie le Roux. Other technical credits include Darrell Roodt (property master) and Koos Voorendyk (set builder), Barrie Kriel (sound), Rüdiger Payrhuber (sound transfers) and Eddie Pearse (final mix). Script and continuity by Meg Tainton.