Hansel and Gretel is a well-known German fairy tale best known through the version recorded by the Brothers Grimm (Jacob Ludwig Karl, 1785–1863, and Wilhelm Carl, 1786–1859)[1].

The original tale

Hänsel und Gretel on the original German, it is also known as "Hansel and Grettel", "Hansel and Grethel", or "Little Brother and Little Sister", the story was published in German by the Brothers Grimm in 1812.

Telling of the young brother and sister, Hansel and Gretel, who are lured into captivity by a witch living in a house made of gingerbread, cake, confection, candy, and many other treats and pastries.She plans to cook and eat them, but the children outwit her and manage to escape.

There is a similar traditional fairytale called Cerceruska, known in Hungary.

See further the Wikipedia entry on Hansel and Gretel [2]

Dramatized versions

The tale has often been adapted to various media, most notably the popular Märchenoper (fairy-tale opera) Hänsel und Gretel (1893) by Engelbert Humperdinck (1854–1921)[3], with a libretto by Adelheid Wette.

Performance history in South Africa

Various stage versions of it have been done in South Africa.

1973: The Space (Cape Town) (1973, adapted and directed by Lily Herzberg).

1987: In 1987 a Baxter Theatre/Glynn Day Children's Theatre production was directed by Glynn Day and John Dennison in the Baxter Studio. The cast: Patrick Walton, Lee-Ann Horwood, Glynn Day, Pippa Duffy, John Auld, Rachel Griggs, Kristie Nielsen, Andre Thomas, Maike Boer.

2003: Opera directed by Janice Honeyman, Spier Summer Arts Festival (Feb/March 2003).

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hansel_and_Gretel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hansel_and_Gretel_(opera)

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.398

Astbury 1979.

Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne 1988.

Playscript (Typescript photocopy) held by NELM: [Collection: BAXTER ARCHIVES]: 2006. 31. 21. Accession Number:MANU-68165.

Go to ESAT Bibliography