Die Laaste Middagmaal

Die Laaste Middagmaal (“The last midday meal”) is a one-act play by Wilma Stockenström (1933-).

The original text

It is a play about lunch in an Afrikaner household, a family gathering celebrating Mrs Van der Vyver's sixtieth birthday. The piece explores the family complications that arise from a threatening courtcase involving Andries, the youngest brother, who is to be charged with contravening the South African Immorality Act.

The original version was written in 1966 according to the published text, and the first act was then submitted for a one-act play competition organised for the The Space (Cape Town) by the Foundation for Art and Theatre in 1974. The piece was selected as the joint winner along with Sheila Roberts’s My Weekend, Too.

The one act version was performed as Die Laaste Middagmaal in The Outer Space (at the The Space) in 1975.

(Brian Astbury's production photo of the 1975 Space production.)

The full text, expanded by the addition of the second act, which takes place after the death of the mother, when Andries returns from Swaziland - where he and his black wife had settled - to talk to his brothers and persuade them to pay him a monthly allowance.

The longer text was published as Laaste Middagmaal ("Last midday meal") by Taurus Publishers in 1978. The published text was shortlisted for the Hertzog Prize for Drama in 1981 by selection panel convenor Elize Botha.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1975: First staged as part of a double-bill in the Outer Space (Cape Town) in 1975, directed by Limpie Basson, with Danie Botha, Johan Burgher, Carina du Plessis, Faan Oosthuizen and Cornelia Stander. The stage managers were Bill Anderson and Fatima Dike. (See photo above)

1983: Performed by PACOFS, directed by Pierre van Pletzen with Anton Dekker as as "Andries",

1983: Performed by PATSO at the Kleinteater, Sunnyside, Pretoria, 25-28 May, directed by Johan van Rooyen

Programme of the 1983 PATSO production of Die Laaste Middagmaal (ESAT Archives)

Sources

Brian Astbury 1979. The Space/Die Ruimte/Indawo. Cape Town: Moira and Azriel Fine.

André P. Brink 1980. Tweede voorlopige rapport, Cape Town

André P. Brink 1986. Aspekte van die Nuwe Drama. Pretoria: Academica (second edition).

Stephan Bouwer 1978. Review. Oggendblad, 29 September.78)

P.J. Conradie 1980. Standpunte XXXIII: 2, April.

Ronèl Johl. 1978 Review. Volksblad, 18 October.

Hilda Grobler 1978 Hoofstad, 19 October

Material held by NELM: [Collection: SIEFF, Percy]: 2013. 25. 15. 4.

Herman Pretorius 1995. Apartheid en verset: Die ontwikkeling van ‘n politieke protesteater in Suid-Afrika tot Soweto 1976. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Pretoria: University of Pretoria

J.P. Smuts in T.T. Cloete 1980. Die Afrikaanse literatuur sedert sestig Nasou.

Wilma Stockenström. 1978. Laaste Middagmaal. 'n Toneelstuk. Taurus publishers.