La Maison de Zaza
La Maison de Zaza is a French play by actress, dancer, dramatist, and playwright Gaby Bruyère (1924-1978)[1].
Best known in South Africa under the English title: Birds of Paradise
Contents
The original text
A play about an attractive young widow thinks that she is investing in a respectable riding school, only to find out she has bought a brothel.
Translations and adaptations
Translated and adapted into English by Michael Pertwee as Birds of Paradise and performed in London with a cast that included former South African Moira Lister in the leading role.
A South African film version of the English text was directed by Tommie Meyer and Rex Garner in 1981 [2].
Performance history in South Africa
1974: Michael Pertwee directed the English text for The Academy, opening 17 December 1974. It starred Rex Garner, George Korelin, Melody O'Brian, Pat Sanders, Catherine Askew. It played a return season at The Academy in 1976. The Academy brought it back in 1979.
1992: Pieter Toerien presented the English version, starring Kryska Witkowska, Michael de Pinna, Jane Noble and Victor Melleney under Rex Garner's direction was staged at the Alhambra in 1992. Subsequently at the Theatre on the Bay.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaby_Bruy%C3%A8re
https://therealchrisparkle.com/tag/birds-of-paradise/
Theatre programme (1974 production) held by NELM: [Collection: KORT, Maurice]: 2012. 379. 6. 58.
Percy Tucker 1997. Just the Ticket. My 50 Years in Show Business. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press. (1992 production).
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