Candida

Candida is a play by George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)[1].

The original text

A comedy about the clergyman James Morell, his wife Candida and a youthful poet, Eugene Marchbanks, who idolises Candida and tries to win her affections. Written in 1894 and published in 1898, as part of his Plays Pleasant, the play was first performed on 30 March 1894 at the Theatre Royal, South Shields. In 1903-4 it had a its first London production.

Performance history in South Africa

1927: Performed by the Unie-debatsvereniging in Stellenbosch, with Anna Neethling-Pohl in the lead on 16th June 1927.

1928: Presented in English by the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society in the Hiddingh Hall in 1928, produced by W.A. Sewell, also in the role of Eugene, Southwell Jones as Burgess.

1947: Presented by the Brian Brooke Company in Cape Town, directed by Mary Fry (Petrina Fry's mother).

1950: Produced by National Theatre Organisation, with an all-Afrikaans cast, directed by Marda Vanne with Hendrik Hanekom (Rev. Morell), Pikkie van Niekerk (Miss Prosperine Garnett), Gerrit Wessels (Rev. Alexander Mill), Michal Grobbelaar (Mr Burgess), Philippa Conradie (Candida) and Laurie van der Merwe (Eugene Marchbanks). Decor and costumes designed by Nina Campbell-Quine, stage manager Japie van Niekerk.

1956: Produced by National Theatre Organisation in Johannesburg, Pretoria and several venues in the East Rand. John Hussey directed and the cast consisted of Margaret Inglis in the lead as "Candida", John Boulter ("Morell"), Leonard Graham ("Marchbanks"), Frank Wise ("Burgess"), Pat Trevor ("Lexy Mill") and Joyce Grant ("Proxy").

1968: Presented by CAPAB, directed by Elliot Playfair, first performed 15 February 1968 at the Hofmeyr Theatre. The cast: Yvonne Bryceland (Miss Prosperine Garnett), Frank Shelley (Rev. James Morell), Roger Dwyer (Rev. Alexander Mill), Norman Ettlinger (Mr Burgess), Vera Goodenough (Candida), Ken Leach (Eugene Marchbanks). Set designed by Jacke Richter, costumes designed by Jennifer Craig. Also played at the H.B. Thom Theatre in Stellenbosch on 3 April.

1976: Presented by Durban Theatre Workshop Company at an unknown theatre, directed by John Rogers, July 1976.

Sources

The Mime, 1(2), 1928.

Lantern, 6(2):168, 1956.

Brooke 1978. 170.

Tucker, 1997. 47, 92.

Candida theatre programmes 1950 and 1968.

Theatre programme (NTO) held by NELM: [Collection: BROOKE, Brian]: 2005. 57. 1. 2.

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