Difference between revisions of "Cape Flats Players"

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CAPE FLATS PLAYERS, The Cape Town (1973- [Kruger 1999, p199, has 1971*?] ) A famous and influential community theatre group founded by poet, playwright and academic Professor [[Adam Small]] at the University of the Western Cape. Arose From a student group Small had founded, called [[DRAMSOC]], it gradually became less and less university based as people from the community began to get involved. Individuals such as [[Peter Braaf]], [[Ivan Sylvester]] and [[Bertram Adams]] became central to the company and it moved away from the University to headquarters in Bellville and later Kraaifontein. The company consisted of amateurs who all had full-time jobs, though individual members gradually obtained professional acting jobs on stage, film and TV as well. They began with the work of [[Adam Small|Small]] – which has remained stock work for them. First there was ''[[What about de lô]]'' (a programme of Small's poetry, 1973-85, and again later), then  ''[[Kanna, hy kô Hystoe]]'' (1973-1975), ''[[Die Krismis van Map Jacobs]]'' (late 1970s/early 1980s),  ''[[The Orange Earth]]'' (***?) and  ''[[Joanie Galant-hulle]]'' (1975-6). Gradually they began doing original work by other playwrights from the flats, such as [[Peter Braaf]] and [[Melvin Whitebooi]], as well as workshopped plays focussed on life in the community, written in Afrikaans, English and "Kaaps", the regional version of Afrikaans made famous by [[Adam Small|Small]]'s poetry. In the Apartheid days they did some 18 productions, performing in a variety of venues, from the [[Baxter Theatre]] and the [[Grahamstown Festival]] to the streets and found spaces in the townships. In the state of emergency in 1985-1987 they had to confront strong governmental opposition (including the banning of the text of ''[[Sensinina]]'' in 1985, confiscation of posters for a 1986 [[Grahamstown Festival|Grahamstown]] production and riots at the [[KKNK|Oudtshoorn]] production). In 1987 they performed Small’s ''[[What about de lô?]]'' in Parliament, at the invitation of the National Party Youth Movement. After a period of dormancy, they became active again after 1990. Besides Small's work their other productions include the hugely successful ''[[Dit sal die blêrrie dag wies]]'' ([[Melvin Whitebooi]], 1984),  ''[[Senzenina – What Have We Done?]]'' ([[Peter Braaf|Braaf]] and cast, 1986), ''[[Asseblief Miesies]]'' ([[Peter Braaf|Braaf]], 1982/4), ''[[Dié Kant, Daai Kant]]'' ([[Melvin Whitebooi|Whitebooi]], 1984) and ''[[Koffie en Kondensmelk]]'' ([[Melvin Whitebooi|Whitebooi]], 1986). Plays such as ''[[Aikôna]]'' (198*), ''[[Aluta Continua]]'' (1985), ''[[Mix Masala]]'' (1986), ''[[Love, Lust or Guilt]]'' (1989) and ''[[Die Goodbye People]]'' (1993) were workshopped by the group. ''[[Kanna, hy kô Hystoe]]'' (Cape Flats-Spelers, [[Aardklop]],  1999), The group also does educational work and trains actors. In 199* the SABC broadcast a TV documentary on the group and its activities, produced by [[Anthony Wilson|Anthony “Speedo” Wilson]] for Channel 3. (See: Smith, 1990; R. Cohen; January 1997.)  
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CAPE FLATS PLAYERS, The Cape Town (1973- [Kruger 1999, p199, has 1971*?] ) A famous and influential community theatre group founded by poet, playwright and academic Professor [[Adam Small]] at the University of the Western Cape. Arose From a student group Small had founded, called [[DRAMSOC]], it gradually became less and less university based as people from the community began to get involved. Individuals such as [[Peter Braaf]], [[Ivan Sylvester]] and [[Bertram Adams]] became central to the company and it moved away from the University to headquarters in Bellville and later Kraaifontein. The company consisted of amateurs who all had full-time jobs, though individual members gradually obtained professional acting jobs on stage, film and TV as well. These included Phlancia Buys, Grace Botha, Sandra Braaf, Brenda Sylvester, Vivian Braaf, Jacques Klein en Bertram Adams, Basil Appollis and Ivan Sylvester.
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They began with the work of [[Adam Small|Small]] – which has remained stock work for them. First there was ''[[What about de lô]]'' (a programme of Small's poetry, 1973-85, and again later), then  ''[[Kanna, hy kô Hystoe]]'' (1973-1975), ''[[Die Krismis van Map Jacobs]]'' (late 1970s/early 1980s),  ''[[The Orange Earth]]'' (***?) and  ''[[Joanie Galant-hulle]]'' (1975-6). Gradually they began doing original work by other playwrights from the flats, such as [[Peter Braaf]] and [[Melvin Whitebooi]], as well as workshopped plays focussed on life in the community, written in Afrikaans, English and "Kaaps", the regional version of Afrikaans made famous by [[Adam Small|Small]]'s poetry. In the Apartheid days they did some 18 productions, performing in a variety of venues, from the [[Baxter Theatre]] and the [[Grahamstown Festival]] to the streets and found spaces in the townships. In the state of emergency in 1985-1987 they had to confront strong governmental opposition (including the banning of the text of ''[[Sensinina]]'' in 1985, confiscation of posters for a 1986 [[Grahamstown Festival|Grahamstown]] production and riots at the [[KKNK|Oudtshoorn]] production). In 1987 they performed Small’s ''[[What about de lô?]]'' in Parliament, at the invitation of the National Party Youth Movement. After a period of dormancy, they became active again after 1990.  
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Besides Small's work their other productions include the hugely successful ''[[Dit sal die blêrrie dag wies]]'' ([[Melvin Whitebooi]], 1984),  ''[[Senzenina – What Have We Done?]]'' ([[Peter Braaf|Braaf]] and cast, 1986), ''[[Asseblief Miesies]]'' ([[Peter Braaf|Braaf]], 1982/4), ''[[What about de Lô]]'',  ''[[Dié Kant, Daai Kant]]'' ([[Melvin Whitebooi|Whitebooi]], 1984) and ''[[Koffie en Kondensmelk]]'' ([[Melvin Whitebooi|Whitebooi]], 1986). Plays such as ''[[Aikôna]]'' (198*), ''[[Aluta Continua]]'' (1985), ''[[Mix Masala]]'' (1986), ''[[Freedom Now! (Inkululeko Ngoku)]]'' ([[Baxter Theatre]] and [[Grahamstown Festival]], 1989), ''[[Love, Lust or Guilt]]'' (1989) and ''[[Die Goodbye People]]'' (1993) were workshopped by the group. ''[[Kanna, hy kô Hystoe]]'' (Cape Flats-Spelers, [[Aardklop]],  1999), The group also does educational work and trains actors. In 199* the SABC broadcast a TV documentary on the group and its activities, produced by [[Anthony Wilson|Anthony “Speedo” Wilson]] for Channel 3. (See: Smith, 1990; R. Cohen; January 1997.)  
  
  

Revision as of 16:53, 21 August 2014

CAPE FLATS PLAYERS, The Cape Town (1973- [Kruger 1999, p199, has 1971*?] ) A famous and influential community theatre group founded by poet, playwright and academic Professor Adam Small at the University of the Western Cape. Arose From a student group Small had founded, called DRAMSOC, it gradually became less and less university based as people from the community began to get involved. Individuals such as Peter Braaf, Ivan Sylvester and Bertram Adams became central to the company and it moved away from the University to headquarters in Bellville and later Kraaifontein. The company consisted of amateurs who all had full-time jobs, though individual members gradually obtained professional acting jobs on stage, film and TV as well. These included Phlancia Buys, Grace Botha, Sandra Braaf, Brenda Sylvester, Vivian Braaf, Jacques Klein en Bertram Adams, Basil Appollis and Ivan Sylvester.

They began with the work of Small – which has remained stock work for them. First there was What about de lô (a programme of Small's poetry, 1973-85, and again later), then Kanna, hy kô Hystoe (1973-1975), Die Krismis van Map Jacobs (late 1970s/early 1980s), The Orange Earth (***?) and Joanie Galant-hulle (1975-6). Gradually they began doing original work by other playwrights from the flats, such as Peter Braaf and Melvin Whitebooi, as well as workshopped plays focussed on life in the community, written in Afrikaans, English and "Kaaps", the regional version of Afrikaans made famous by Small's poetry. In the Apartheid days they did some 18 productions, performing in a variety of venues, from the Baxter Theatre and the Grahamstown Festival to the streets and found spaces in the townships. In the state of emergency in 1985-1987 they had to confront strong governmental opposition (including the banning of the text of Sensinina in 1985, confiscation of posters for a 1986 Grahamstown production and riots at the Oudtshoorn production). In 1987 they performed Small’s What about de lô? in Parliament, at the invitation of the National Party Youth Movement. After a period of dormancy, they became active again after 1990.

Besides Small's work their other productions include the hugely successful Dit sal die blêrrie dag wies (Melvin Whitebooi, 1984), Senzenina – What Have We Done? (Braaf and cast, 1986), Asseblief Miesies (Braaf, 1982/4), What about de Lô, Dié Kant, Daai Kant (Whitebooi, 1984) and Koffie en Kondensmelk (Whitebooi, 1986). Plays such as Aikôna (198*), Aluta Continua (1985), Mix Masala (1986), Freedom Now! (Inkululeko Ngoku) (Baxter Theatre and Grahamstown Festival, 1989), Love, Lust or Guilt (1989) and Die Goodbye People (1993) were workshopped by the group. Kanna, hy kô Hystoe (Cape Flats-Spelers, Aardklop, 1999), The group also does educational work and trains actors. In 199* the SABC broadcast a TV documentary on the group and its activities, produced by Anthony “Speedo” Wilson for Channel 3. (See: Smith, 1990; R. Cohen; January 1997.)


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