Selle Ou Storie

Selle Ou Storie is a bilingual (Afrikaans and English) play about the loves of gay and straight urban whites by Pieter-Dirk Uys (1974) - English "Same Old Story". Sometimes written (more correctly in Afrikaans) Selle ou Storie.

The original text

Originally written in English as a follow up to Uys's play Faces in the Wall (1969).

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Afrikaans and English by the playwright, with the setting moved to South Africa.

The bilingual text was also translated into English as Same Old Story by Uys.

Performance history in South Africa

1974: The première production opened on 12 October in the Outer Space at the Space Theatre in Cape Town. It was directed, designed and lit by Pieter-Dirk Uys, with Christine Basson (Ester), Johann van Heerden (Rufus), Marthinus Basson (Gregory) and Lynne Maree (Sandra). The stage manager was Vincent Ebrahim.

It was banned on its second run in 1975, but eventually allowed again, with cuts and an age restriction, in 1981. In the northern regions of the country the script was banned, but the production was allowed.

1975: Done as its first Afrikaans play by The Company at the Chelsea Theatre, directed by Pieter-Dirk Uys with Christine Basson (Ester)], Uys (Rufus), Danny Keogh (Gregory) and Val de Klerk (Sandra). The production won a number of awards. This too was eventually banned.

Done again between 1981 and 1983, and often subsequently.

1991: Presented by KRUIK Toneel at the Nico Arena from 28 March to 20 April under the direction of the author, starring Shaleen Surtie-Richards (Ester Viljoen), Peter Butler (Rufus), Soli Philander (Gregory) and Pauline O'Kelly (Sandra). Design by Birrie le Roux, lighting by Malcolm Hurrell, stage manager Merle Pretorius.

2004: Staged in English as Same Old Story in the Tesson Theatre of the Johannesburg Civic Theatre in September, directed by Lynne Maree, with Evita Bezuidenhout (Pieter-Dirk Uys) (Ester), Greg Melvill-Smith (Rufus), James van Helsdingen (Gregory) and Michelle Bradshaw (Sandra), produced by the Johannesburg Civic Theatre in association with P.D. Uys Productions, design by Nicholas de Klerk, Evita's costumes by Francois Vedemme and Gideon, lighting by Denis Hutchinson.