Charley's Aunt
Charley's Aunt by Englsih actor, playwright and song-writer Brandon Thomas (1856-1914).
Contents
The original text
Opened at the Royalty Theatre, London, in 1892.
Performance history in South Africa
As popular in South Africa as everywhere else. An early (the first?) production in South Africa was by the Hawtrey Comedy Company under Ben and Frank Wheeler management in the Good Hope Theatre, Cape Town in 18**.
Done by Brian Brooke in 1960 with Stuart Brown and Lorna Cowell.
In March 1973 it was presented by PACT in the Breytenbach Theatre and the Alexander Theatre, directed by Frank Shelley. The cast included David Haynes, Paul Slabolepszy, James White, Shelagh Holliday, Siegfried Mynhardt, John Boulter, Norman Coombes, Caroline Cater, Gillian Garlick, Eleanor Thomas.
A Pieter Toerien production was directed by Rex Garner assisted by Tammy Bonell at the Theatre on the Bay, opening 15 December 1988, starring Tobie Cronjé as Lord Fancourt Babberley, Errol Hart, George Korelin, Bruce Fields, Eleni Cousins, Carol Andrew, John Boulter, Timothy Welsh, Patricia Sanders, Cassandra Holliday. Lighting by Jannie Swanepoel, set designed by Kay Page, costumes co-ordinated by Alison Yates.
Directed by Murray McGibbon, opening 9 December 1995, Natal Playhouse Drama Theatre.
Translations and adaptations
Also translated into Afrikaans as Piet s'n Tante (by Gustav Preller), first performed in Potchefstroom and Ermelo (1907), then at the Opera House, Pretoria, April, on 1908, by the Afrikaans-Hollandse Toneelvereniging to an invited audience including the colonial secretary, General J.C. Smuts. Backdrops painted by Frans Oerder. It was a firm favourite in the repertory of the AHTV until 1910, and became immensely popular on tour, including performances in Cape Town.
The CAPAB production of Charley se Tante in a new Afrikaans adaptation by Robert Mohr opened at the Hofmeyr Theatre on 20 March 1965, directed by Mohr. Decor and costumes by Pamela Lewis. The cast: Limpie Basson (Jack Chesney), Chris Fourie (Brassett), Ernst Eloff (Charles Wykeham), Jannie Gildenhuys (Lord Bancourt Babberley), Antoinette Terblanche, Marie Pentz, Pieter Bredenkamp, Bertie van der Merwe, Tine Balder, Valerie Shwer. It was that year's most popular play with audiences, with 58 performances.
Charley se Tante, PACOFS 1978 at the Observatory Theatre and 1983, directed by Marko van der Colff with Johan Malherbe, Pierre van Pletzen, Blaise Koch.
Made into a commercially successful Afrikaans film (Piet se Tante) featuring Al Debbo and Frederick Burgers (19*).
Sources
Grütter, Wilhelm, CAPAB 25 Years, 1987. Unpublished research. p 38.
Charley se Tante programme, 1965.
Charley's Aunt programme, 1988.
PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988.
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