James Norval Geselskap
Die James Norval Geselskap ("The James Norval Company") was an Afrikaans touring theatre company.
Also later referred to as Die Norval Geselskap
The company
Founded in 1933 by James Norval, the company went on tour with Afrikaans versions of well-known melodramas e.g Verlore Siel (Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, 1934-5), Vadertjie Langbeen (Daddy Longlegs, 1935), Dracula (193*), and Gebeurtenis in die Nag ("??**", 193*).
Besides Norval himself in the lead roles, the original cast included Anton Heunis (actor and scene-painter), Louis Rood, Alida Holstock, Japie Lessing,Johann Volschenk, Jessie Kotzé, and Rina Lourenz. Later Anna Cloete and Hennie Slabbert also joined them. After the first tour, Heunis and Rood left to found their own company in 1935.
The cast had to play multiple roles to fill the plays, which (according to Ludwig Binge, 1969: p177) greatly affected the quality of performances.
Sources
Binge, 1969
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