Drie Daghe Here

Drie Daghe Here is a Medieval Dutch farce by an unknownb author(ca. 1400-1420).

The original text

Described in the subtitle as "Ene sotte boerde ende ene goede sotternie"[1], it ids part of what is known as the "Abele spelen" and dates from ca. 1400-1420. Written in Middelnedelands (Middle Dutch), the (incomplete) text preserved in the Hulthemse Manuscript.[].

It tells of a downtrodden husband who makes a deal with his wife: In exchange for three days of being the boss in his house, he will give her an expensive fur coat. He enjoys it so much that he then invites friends over for a party where he can boss her around.

Translations and adaptations

Rewritten in modern Flemish as Drie Dagen Here by Herman Teirlinck (1879-1967) [2], published in 1936 and described as "een zotte boerde" ().

Teirlink's version translated from the Flemish into Afrikaans as Drie Dae Meester by Isabel Combrink and Cynthia Dekker (1965).

Performance history in South Africa

1965: Presented by Universiteitsteater Stellenbosch in the Botha Hall in 1965, directed by Deon Joubert, starring Henk Hugo, Woutrine Theron, Deon Joubert and Rina la Grange.

1973: Performed as Drie Dae Heer en Meester (referred to as "a medieval play"), in the Hofmeyr Theatre for CAPAB Afrikaans Company in July. Directed by Pieter de Swardt directed a play called

1975: Presented by the Parow Toneelvereniging at a drama festival in Vishoek under the direction of Woutrine Theron, starring Lisma Kotze as a supporting actress.

1996: Performed at the KKNK by the Brackenfell Hoërskool.