Macbeth

South African productions

In the English original

1854: Mr Nightingale, the Port Captain, obtained the African Theatre for two (unspecified) nights in 1854, to put on Macbeth with the mariners of Simonstown, under the patronage of the Lt. Governor. (Bosman, 1928: pp. 409.)

1942: Produced by Henry Miles at the Standard Theatre, 1942.

1973: Produced by New York-born Charles Marowitz for PACT Drama in the Alexander Theatre, starring Siegfried Mynhardt, Molly Seftel, Billy Matthews and Ken Leach.

1981: Directed by Philip Grout in a CAPAB production in the Nico Malan Theatre in 1981, starring Sandra Duncan, Roger Dwyer, Diane Wilson, Sean Taylor, John Whiteley, Alan Swerdlow and Neville Thomas. Decor and costumes by Penny Simpson, lighting by Leon Benzakein.

1996: directed by Marthinus Basson in 1996 with Keith Grenville as King Duncan, André Roothman as Macbeth, Terry Norton as Lady Macbeth, Joshua Lindberg as Banquo, Nicholas Dallas as Donaldbain, also featuring Diane Wilson and Graham Weir and others. At the Nico in Cape Town and the National Arts Festival, 1996.

2000: Presented by University of Stellenbosch Drama Department in the H.B. Thom Theatre, directed by Johan Esterhuizen with André Weideman as Macbeth.

2006: an Actors Centre production directed by Mark Graham, assisted by Dorothy-Ann Gould, in 2006 in the Tesson Theatre. Carl Beukes as Macbeth, Ilanit Shapiro as Lady Macbeth, David Dennis as Duncan, David Butler as Banquo, Nick Boraine as Macduff, Sivan Raphaely Lady Macduff. Decor by Denis Hutchinson, choreography by Ivan D. Lucas.

2013 Presented in the PEMADS Little Theatre, as a joint production between PEMADS and the Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival. Directed by Lesley Barnard, with Gareth Bain, Helen Flax, Andrew White, Robert van den Ordel, Liz Yates, Mark Farrow , Yolande Farrow and David Roll.

In Translation

In Afrikaans

Produced by African Theatres in 1950 with André Huguenet, Anna Neethling-Pohl and Berdine Grünewald in the leading roles, directed by Gwen ffrangçon-Davies. It was staged in Johannesburg and eventually in the Alhambra Theatre in Cape Town. (Source: Leonard Schach: The Flag is Flying, 62)

Translated into Afrikaans by W.J. du P. Erlank, 1965. Produced by Fred Engelen, presented by Stellenbosch University Theatre in 1967, performed in the H.B. Thom Theatre, subsequently in the Van Zyl Chamber, Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn. Décor, costumes and lighting by Elaine Aucamp and Pieter de Swardt. Tine Balder as Lady Macbeth, Fred Engelen as Macbeth, Charles Fryer as Banquo. Other members of the cast were Jocelyn de Bruyn, Johan Esterhuizen, Ben Dehaeck, Mees Xteen. The three witches were portrayed by Gretchen Holzapfel, Rahila Steyn and Bettina Camerer. (Source: Newspapers clippings and photographs collected by Johan Esterhuizen).

In Tsonga

Macbeth. Translated by Felix M. Shilote and Charlotte Nkondo. Published: Braamfontein : Sasavona, 1982. 1st Edition.

In Xhosa

uMacbeth (1959) by B.B. Mdledle.

Adaptations in all languages

Umabatha by Welcome Msomi

A Zulu reworking of the play. First presented in the University of Natal’s Open Air Theatre under the direction of Pieter Scholtz and Elizabeth Sneddon in 1970. It also travelled to London in 1972, where it played to acclaim in the *** theatre.

During 1978 it was performed in the Baxter Theatre, directed by Phillip Msomi.

Revived in 1998, it was once more taken to London, and

In 2001 played in London to acclaim once more, as part of the Celebrate South Africa Festival in London.

First published by ** in 19**.

MacBeki - A Farce to the Reckoned With by Pieter-Dirk Uys

A farce broadly based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, providing a comic and satiric version of the events surrounding the deposition of Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's second president after Apartheid, using the Scottish play as a framework. Originally devised and written for production by UCT students in 2008, first produced by the University of Cape Town Drama Department, directed by Christopher Weare in the Little Theatre, Cape Town on the 25th February, 2009, with Thema Mchunu, Lerato Motshwarakgole, Gabriel Marchand, Gerald Dhunrajah, Rudi Swart, Chase Downs.

The first professional production at the Market Theatre in 2009, directed by Pieter-Dirk Uys, with Fezile Mpela, Nthati Moshesh, Lizz Meiring, Mpho Osei-Tutu, Coco Merckel, Sello Sebotsane

Published by Peninsula , in association with Junkets Publishers, 2009.

macbeth.slapeloos by Marthinus Basson

(Also written Macbeth, slapeloos; translation: "macbeth.sleepless")

An Afrikaans adaptation of Shakespeare's play, using the translation by W.J. du P. Erlank, and adapted by Marthinus Basson and the cast. First produced by Hugo Theart/TEATERteater, in association with Clover Aardklop and Artscape. Directed by Marthinus Basson, with Dawid Minnaar, Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Jana Cilliers, Antoinette Kellerman, Stian Bam, Charlton George, Ludwig Binge, Edwin van der Walt en Senzo Madikane. It played the KKNK in 2014.

Sources

Trek, 7(12):17, 1942.

Beeld, 23 February 2006.

National Arts Festival programme, 1996

Aardklop 2013 Programme

Macbeth finds new home in PE's Little Theatre Bob Eveleigh (Artslink 02/11/2014 10:20:05)

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