Naelstring

Naelstring ("umbilical cord") is an Afrikaans play by Pieter Fourie (1940-2021)

Also found as Naelstring (’n band tussen twee teaterstrominge)‎ ("umbilical cord - a link between two theatre movements") and

The original text

Intended as a "universal" play about the unbreakable umbilical cord that links mother and son, it was written as a commissioned play for the Aardklop national arts festival in Potchefstroom. The text is an almost surreal combination of conventional drama and physical theatre.

The première of the play took place at the Aardklop arts festival on 2 October 2001 and was published in the same year by Protea Boekhuis. The text was one of six nominated for the Anglo Gold Award for new plays in that year.

Translations and adaptations

Translated and adaprted as a shorter English play with the title Honour Thy Mother, Fuck Thy Father (or sometimes more circumspectly Honour thy Mother, F**k thy Father) and performed at the Standard Bank Nasionale Kunstefees in Grahamstad opgevoer. with the same cast.

Performance history in South Africa

2001: First performed in English as Honour Thy Mother, Fuck Thy Father by Rooderant Produksies at the Standard Bank National Arts Festival in Grahamstown during July. Directed by Gaerin Hauptfleisch, with Abduragman Adams and Lindie Stander.

2001: First produced in Afrikaans by Rooderant Produksies at the Aardklop festival in Potchefstroom on 2 October 2001, as a co-production between Rooderandt Produksies and the Festival. Directed by Gaerin Hauptfleisch, with Abduragman Adams and Lindie Stander.

2001: Performed in the Springs Civic Theatre

2002: Performed in the original Afrikaans version in Bloemfontein during January.

Sources

Rapport, 2 September 2001.

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 Unpublished doctoral dissertation.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. 530-539 [1]

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