La regina e gli insorti
La regina e gli insorti is an Italian play by Ugo Betti (1892-1953)[1].
Contents
The original text
A drama set in WWII, the play is an adult drama about an adult situation, how a queen, tired of running from her terrible memories and the rebel regime, ends her life. A prostitute, at first teasing her rebel inquisitors, assumes the guise of the queen and goes to her death regally. First published in Italian (La regina e gli insorti) in 1949,
Translations and adaptations
Translated into English as The Queen and the Rebels and published in 1956.
Translated by Alewyn Lee as Die Koningin en die Rebelle, and published by DALRO in 1969.
Performance history in South Africa
1957: The English version first produced in South Africa in 1957 by the Johannesburg Reps, directed by Clifford Williams with Sonia Dresdel.
1967: The Afrikaans version, Die Koningin en die Rebelle produced by CAPAB in January, directed by Anna Neethling-Pohl. The cast: Milla Louw, Anna Cloete, Percy Sieff, Johan Malherbe, Willem de la Querra, Kristo Pienaar (replaced by Johann Nell in some performances), Glynn Day, Peter Grobbelaar, Gertie Smith-Visser, Pieter de Swardt, I. de la Querra (seuntjie). Decor and costumes by Bill Smuts.
1974: A production in Afrikaans version was directed by William Egan for PACOFS in 1974, starring, Jannie Gildenhuys, Estelle de Waal, Wim Vorster.
1975: Produced by Themi Venturas, co-directed with Bernadette Johnson, as a Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival (P.E.S.F.) Young 'uns production in English at the Holy Rosary Convent Hall from July 16. Cast: Antonio de Gouveia (0razio, the hall porter), Peter Israel (The Engineer), Ian Liston (Amos, the commissar), Themi Venturas (Raim), Carol-Anne Kelleher (Argia), Bernadette Johnson (Elisabetta, the queen), David Preston (Biante, the general), [William O'Driscoll]] (Maupa, his guard), Angela Davidson (peasant woman), Peter Alexandris (Peasant), Gwilym Wilkins (Young peasant boy), Patrick Scott, Anthony Mundell, William Rijs, Saki Zenios (Four travellers), Rosemary Welsh, Debbie Pienaar, Maureen Assheton-Smith, Hilton Gowar (Peasants), Aleco Kalimeris, William Rijs (Two soldiers).
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugo_Betti.
Tucker, 1997. 106.
Die Koningin en die Rebelle theatre programme, 1967.
Die Dame met die Kamelias, 1966, notes on coming productions.
The Queen and the Rebels theatre programme, 1975.
Evening Post, July 17, 1975.
PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
Return to
Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays
Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays
Return to PLAYS III: Collections
Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances
Return to South African Festivals and Competitions
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
