Mooi Maria

Mooi Maria is a play by Pieter Fourie. A play about **.

The original text

Based on a real incident and personalities from his youth in Luckhoff, and set in the rural Free State, the play uses splitting of characters, simultaneous events and flashbacks to tell the story of a young woman who loses her looks through a cruel twist of fate, and the effect of this on her life and love. Fourie saw it as a further development in his work with volkstoneel.

The text was written in 1980 as an Oude Libertas commissioned work for the Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State (PACOFS).

Performed by both PACOFS and CAPAB in 1980, and published by Perskor in the same year.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1980: First produced by PACOFS, opening on Directed by Pieter Fourie with Sandra Kotzé (Mooi Maria), Ronel Kriel (Maria 2), Wilna Snyman (Ma Let), Willem de la Querra (Gert Koei), Paul Lückhoff (Neels), Chris Fourie (Dominee), Lida Meiring (Ennie) and George Barnes (Piet Lokasie). Decor by Cyril Londt, costumes by Dicky Longhurst and lighting by Brian Evans.

1980: The same production plays in the nIoc Malan Theatre, Cape Town. Sandra Kotzé wins the Fleur du Cap Best Actress Award for this performance.

1981: A new production by CAPAB toured the Western and Eastern Cape in May and June. Directed by [Pieter Fourie|Fourie]] with Trudie Taljaard (Mooi Maria), Selma van der Vyver (Maria 2), Marga van Rooy (Ma Let), Paul Lückhoff (Neels), David van der Merwe (Gert Koei), Neels Coetzee (Dominee/Piet Lokasie), Irma Huysamer (Ennie). In some of the performances Ennie was played by Heléne Coetzee. Decor was by Urs Richter, costumes by Dicky Longhurst, lighting by Leon Benzakein.

1982: Produced by PACT in the State Theatre and the Alexander Theatre. Directed by Louis van Niekerk with Trudie Taljaard, Rika Sennett, Selma van der Vyver and Louis van Niekerk.

2003: Done 2003 at KKNK*?.

2011: Produced by Impresario, directed and designed by Albert Maritz, with Isadora Verwey, Anthea Thompson, Roeline Daneel, Waldemar Schultz, Neels van Jaarsveld, André Roothman, Theresa C. Sedras, Lille Goosen. Music by Philip Moolman. Stage-manager Gaerin Hauptfleisch, Costumier Stephanie Hough. Opened at the Aardklop festival on 4 October in Banketsaal 1, Potchefstroom. The production won awards as the Best Afrikaans Production, best director and best actress (Anthea Thompson).

2012: The 2011 production by Impresario, played at the KKNK festival in Oudtshoorn in April, with both Anthea Thompson, and Isadora Verwey being nominated for best actress and Neels van Jaarsveld receiving the Fiesta Award for best actor.

Sources

PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988.

Mooi Maria theatre programme, 1981.

Nico Luwes 2010. Pieter Fourie (1940-) se bydrae as Afrikaanse dramaturg en kunsbestuurder: 1965-2010. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Bloemfontein: University of the Free State, pp.242-248 [1]

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