Will of a Rebel
Will of a Rebel is a play by Ari Sitas and Hanchen Koornhof.
Contents
The original text
Devised by Ari Sitas and Hanchen Koornhof, it is a play about controversial Afrikaans poet, playwright and activist Breyten Breytenbach, dealing with his incarceration in prison.
According to the actor Stephen Sacks (who played the role of "Breyten") the play was first performed at the Nunnery Theatre at Wits and at the Space Theatre in Cape Town on 1977, directed by William Kentridge (who also did the set and poster design), while the Dolleee website gives the date as 1978 and the Junction Avenue Theatre website and Junction Avenue programme suggests that the first performance was by Junction Avenue Theatre Company from March 19 to 31.
A number of sources say that it was published as Will of a Rebel in 1979[1], though others aver that it is unpublished.
Interestingly a signed copy of the original 1979 poster for this rather forgotten play, was offered on auction by Stephan Weltz and Co. on 2 August 2022 for an estimated price of R22,000 - R30,000. (Described in the catalogue as: Lot 674: signed, silkscreen on brown paper, sheet size: 69,5 by 45,5cm, unframed.)[2]
Translations and adaptations
Performance history in South Africa
1977/1978/1979(?): Performed at the Nunnery Theatre at the University of the Witwatersrand and at the Space Theatre in Cape Town, directed by William Kentridge, with Stephen Sacks as "Breyten".
1979(?): Performed by Junction Avenue Theatre Company at the Student Drama Festival of the National Arts Festival, directed by William Kentridge.
Sources
https://www.sahistory.org.za/place/junction-avenue-theatre
https://books.google.co.za/books/about/Will_of_a_Rebel.html?id=md9fzgEACAAJ&redir_esc=y
https://www.kentridge.studio/william-kentridge-1970s-chronology/
https://herri.org.za/9/zoe-boshoff-sabitha-satchi/
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