My Fat Friend

My Fat Friend is a 1972 comedy in two acts by Charles Laurence (1931-2013)[1].

The play

The comedy is an ugly duckling tale about an overweight young woman who attracts the attention of a potential suitor. The play premiered on November 6, 1972 at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, where it ran for one week before transferring to the Rex Theatre in Wilmslow for another week's engagement. On December 6, it opened in London's West End at the Globe Theatre. Published by Samuel French, 1974.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Afrikaans by Johan Bernard in 1985, and titled: Vettie, Vettie! ("Fatty, Fatty!").

Performance history in South Africa

1973: Presented for the first time in South Africa by Pieter Toerien in association with Michael Codron in the Nico Malan Opera House, opening 7 August 1973, directed by Jan Butlin.

1985: The Afrikaans translation, Vettie, Vettie!, presented by PACOFS 1985, directed by Johan Bernard with Marie Pentz, Blaise Koch and Pierre Knoesen.

1987: Johan Bernard's Afrikaans translation Vettie, Vettie! was staged by PACT, directed by Ben Kruger. with Hélène Truter (Vicky), Tjaart Potgieter (Henry), Andre Odendaal (James) and Percy Pretorius (Tom). Designed by Stan Knight.

1987: The Afrikaans translation, Vettie, Vettie!, presented by CAPAB, directed by Hannes Horne, designs by Piet Odendaal, lighting by Malcolm Hurrell in the H.B. Thom Theatre, the Nico Malan Theatre and visiting several towns in the Western Cape. The cast were Marie Pentz, Ernst Eloff, Willie Fritz and Gustav Geldenhuys.

1994: Marko van der Colff directed a production of the Afrikaans translation for the Bellvillese Afrikaanse Toneelvereniging (BAT) starring Jonathan Pienaar and Deirdre Wolhuter.

1995: My Fat Friend directed by Rex Garner starring Malcolm Terrey, Eckard Rabe, Jo da Silva, Warren Bachelor, 12 July to 5 August at Theatre on the Bay.

2000: The Afrikaans translation, Vettie, Vettie! as translated and adapted by Pierre van Pletzen, was staged in the Arena at the State Theatre, directed by Van Pletzen, with Lizz Meiring, Van Pletzen, Jean Marais and Justin Strydom.

2014: The Afrikaans translation, Vettie, Vettie! as reworked by Pierre van Pletzen, directed by André Odendaal, is presented by Kosie Smit at Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre.

2016: Presented at the Theatre on the Bay in English by Pieter Toerien Productions, directed by André Odendaal, with Michelle Botha, Tobie Cronje, Jeremy Richard and Charlie Bouguenon.