Die Nag van Legio

Die Nag van Legio ("The Night of Legion") was the first play written by P.G. du Plessis. A 1969 Afrikaans play about the inmates of an insane asylum, who become pawns in a battle between good and evil fought out by one of their number and a stranger who arrives that night.

First published Nasionale Boekhandel in 1969. A critically acclaimed play which was instrumental (in conjunction with Siener in die Suburbs) in winning the author the coveted Hertzog Prize for Drama in 1972.

The original text

Translations and adaptations

Du Plessis himself reworked the play for women, for PACOFS in 1990. In this version the play is about a group of women in an asylum who, on the eve of their move to a new institution, get a new roommate, Maluna. Maluna plays an evil game to settle an old score, choosing Hanna as her victim.

Presented by PACOFS 17 May - 2 June 1990, using the original decor design for PACT's production in 1970 in the Bloemfontein Civic Centre. Isadora Verwey portrays Maluna (Dogoman in the original play), Marion Holm as Hanna, Marie Pentz, Marga van Rooy, Anna Richter-Visser, Marlene van Heerden, Christo Compion (the doctor) and Maria de Koker.

A production of this version was done by the students of the Stellenbosch University Drama Departement, May 1991 and October 2002, H.B. Thom Theatre, in both cases directed by Marthinus Basson. The 1991 production featured Ilze Bezuidenhout, Celeste Slabber, Nanine Wessels, Tanya ven der Merwe, Theresa van As, Delia Kruger, Chris Vorster, Sandra Fourie.

Performance history in South Africa

1969: First performed in the Breytenbach Theatre in Pretoria by PACT, directed by Truida Louw and featuring i.a. Carel Trichardt, Louis van Niekerk and Schalk Jacobsz.

1970: Staged by PACT, directed by Francois Swart, with Louis van Niekerk (Dogoman), Marius Weyers (Dirk Jooste), Carel Trichardt (Oubaas Menge), Schalk Jacobsz (Charley van Zyl), Don Lamprecht (Claasens), William Egan (Jakkie), Nigel Vermaas (Dokter) and Errol Ross (Verpleër). Design by David MacKenzie.

1972: Staged by PACOFS, directed by William Egan, with [[Ernst Eloff] (Dogoman), Neels Coetzee (Dirk Jooste), Jannie Gildenhuys (Oubaas Menge), Errol Ross (Charley van Zyl), Gerrit Geertsema (Claasens), Leon Cloete (Jakkie), William Egan (Dokter) and Pieter Crous (Verpleër). Design by Jan Hamers.

1976: Presented by KRUIK Afrikaanse Toneel at the Nico Malan Theatre directed by Cobus Rossouw, assisted by Marko van der Colff, opening 26 February. Design by Raimond Schoop, lighting by John T. Baker. Senior stage manager Martin Crous. The cast: André Rossouw (Dogoman), Neels Coetzee (Dirk Jooste), Siegfried Mynhardt (Oubaas Menge), Pierre van Pletzen (Charley van Zyl), Chris Truter (Claassens), Etienne Pienaar (Jakkie), Pieter Joubert (Dokter) and Marko van der Colff (Verpleër).