Marat/Sade

Marat/Sade [1] is the shortened title of a 1963 musical play by German writer Peter Weiss (1916-1982) [2], offering a complex, challenging and disturbing look at revolution. It was first produced on 29 April, 1964 in the Schillertheater, West Berlin, Germany.

The full German title is Die Verfolgung und Ermordung Jean Paul Marats dargestellt durch die Schauspielgruppe des Hospizes zu Charenton unter Anleitung des Herrn de Sade (English: The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade).

The original text

Translations and adaptations

Translated in 1964 into English by Geoffrey Skelton [3], with lyric adaptation by Adrian Mitchell [4], under the title The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade (shortened to Marat/Sade).

The English translation was first staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1964, directed by Peter Brook.

The English translation was filmed [5] in 1967, again directed by Peter Brook.

Performance history in South Africa

Staged in English translation

1969: Presented by the Dryden Society [6] on a tour of Lesotho and South Africa from 27 July - 20 September 1969.

1972: The first South African production of this landmark play was in 1972 by Barney Simon.

1973: In March 1973 (the Simon production?*) was chosen as the central production of MDALI’s Black Arts Festival.

1976: On October 19th Barney Simon did another version of the play with The Company as opening production in the Market Theatre main theatre. Kenneth Hendel played the Marquis de Sade, Marat was played by Wilson Dunster and Charlotte Corday by Sandra Prinsloo. Hazel Feldman was the publicist.

1980: Directed for the Baxter Theatre by Mavis Taylor.

2014: Performed in the UJ Arts Centre Theatre in April as part of UJ Arts and Culture’s RƎVO⅃UTION MMXIV programme. Directed by Alby Michaels, with Motlatji Ditodi as co-director, Craig Morris as choreographer, Franco Prinsloo as musical director, Nic Mayer as set designer, Oliver Hauser as lighting designer and and Jo Gladwill in charge of costumes. Performers include Jacques Bessenger, Mothusi Magano, Jenna Dunster and an ensemble cast of emerging performers including UJ alumni and students.

The play has been a popular training vehicle for training institutions all over the world ever since its first production, and has been used many times by Drama Departments in South Africa since the appearance of the film and its first appearance on stage in the country in the 1970s.