'n Seder val in Waterkloof

A immensely popular comedy by P.G. du Plessis about the pretentions of a Pretoria academic and the machinations of his visiting family from Klerksdorp.

Productions in Afrikaans

First produced by PACT in 19**. Directed by ..

English versions

An Oak falls in Bishopscourt

Send For Dolly originally emerged in the late 1970's. Pieter Fourie commissioned Sargeant to do the English translation and adaptation of the Afrikaans play for CAPAB Drama. It was then called An Oak falls in Bishopscourt. Then a theatrical scandal broke out, as the Board of CAPAB banned the staging of the English version of the play.

Send For Dolly

John Slemon snapped the play up and produced it at the Baxter Theatre where it was a smash hit. First performed in 19** at the Baxter Theatre Concert Hall with James Irwin, Brenda Wood, Lynita Crofford, Graham Clarke Brümilda van Rensburg, Ronald France, Christine Basson, Nico de Beer, Alida Labia, Richard Farmer and Don Maguire. Design by Peter Krummeck, directed by Don Maguire. Later Send For Dolly went on to create an unofficial South African record for a straight play when it ran for 48 weeks at the Academy Theatre in Johannesburg.

Now Artscape brings this new, updated version to the Centre's Theatre for In 2004 Roy Saregeant and brent Palmer updated the play, translating it into into English and Kaapse Engels, and relocating it from Johannesburg to Newlands, Cape Town. Ralph Lawson directed the play. Set design is by Keith Anderson. Send For Dolly stars Nazli George (returning from Johannesburg especially for the play) as Dolly, Ivan Abrahams as 92-year-old Pa Tampan and Royston Stoffels as the Professor whose life and pomposities are turned into comic chaos. The Professor, who lives in Newlands, Cape Town, wants to be a big shot in the world of academe. This is within his grasp but then his plattelandse family, a rough-and-tumble crowd from Arniston, arrive at his upmarket Newlands home and bring with them high comic havoc.

Return to

Return to South African Theatre Plays

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page