Saint Joan

Saint Joan is a play by George Bernard Shaw (1856-1960)[1].

The original text

The play, originally written for Sybil Thorndike, first opened in America, at the Garrick Theatre on Broadway on 28 December 1923 performed by the Theatre Guild. The London première, starring Thorndike, took place on 26 March 1924 at the New Theatre, produced by Lewis Casson. The text first published in London by Constable, 1924.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Afrikaans in slightly abbreviated form by W.E.G. Louw. It was initially named Die Heilige Johanna (according to the prompt text used for the 1960 production, found in the Drama Department at Stellenbosch archive), but was seemingly first performed in 1960 as Johanna, die Soldaat van God, the title under which it was published by Nasionale Boekhandel Bpk in 1962.

Performance history in South Africa

1948: Presented in English by the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society at the Little Theatre in July, directed by George Vollaire.

1959: Produced in English by National Theatre Organisation in 1959 by Victor Melleney, directed by Leon Gluckman, with Afrikaans actress Kita Redelinghuys in the lead. The cast also included Harold Lake, David Herbert (as Brother Martin), Ivor van Rensburg, Siegfried Mynhardt, Frank Wise, Walter Glennie, Ivor Kruger, Michael Preston, Tone Brulin, Noël Borain, Pietro Nolte, Hélène de Jong, John Boulter, Innes Hirson, Jimmy Mentis (as the Bishop of Beauvais), Alfred Stretton (as the Inquisitor). Décor and costumes by Frank Graves and Doreen Graves. The play was performed in the Reps Theatre in Johannesburg for five weeks and subsequently in the civic teatres in Springs, Bloemfontein and Kinberley and in the Pretoria Opera House.

1960: Produced in Afrikaans (as Die Heilige Johanna or Johanna, die Soldaat van God) by the University of Stellenbosch under the auspices of the NTO. It opened at the Bellville Civic Theatre on 21 September 1960. The guest director was Fred Engelen of Belgium, whose wife Tine Balder played the title role. The cast also included Fred le Roux (as the Inquisitor) and Dawie Maritz as a soldier.