The Proposal

The Proposal is a play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov [1] (1860-1904). Also known in English as A Marriage Proposal. (Russian title: Предложение). It is a one-act farce written in 1888-1889 and first performed in 1890. Performed widely and often internationally.

The original text

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Afrikaans as Die huweliksaansoek by C. Benade, Nerina Ferreira and Alewyn Lee. First performed

Translated into Afrikaans by I.L. Roux as Ouers-Vra.

Performance history in South Africa

1942: The Proposal was presented by the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society at the Little Theatre in February, directed by Joyce Burch.

1968: Presented in English by the University of Cape Town's Dramatic Society at the Little Theatre in May, directed by Peter Grobbelaar.

1970: Ouers-Vra was presented by KRUIK at the Hofmeyr Theatre in a double bill with Moeder Hanna opening 7 April 1970. Siegfried Mynhardt directed and the cast were Percy Sieff, Sandra Kotzé and Cobus Rossouw. Stage manager Mavis Lilenstein, decor and lighting by Pieter de Swardt, costumes designed by Elaine Aucamp.

1976: In 1976 The Space (Cape Town) staged The Proposal as a lunch hour presentation, directed by Brian Astbury with Charles Comyn, Andrea Fine and Len Sparrow-Hawk.

2013: Performed in tandem with The Bear from 22 to 26 August, 1 to 12 September at the Intimate Theatre, Cape Town, by The Mechanicals, as part of their Chekhov Season, which also included The Cherry Orchard (6 to 17 August and 27 to 31 August).