Difference between revisions of "Dödsdansen"

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''[[Dödsdansen]]'' ("Dance of death") is a Swedish play by August Strindberg (1849-1912)[]  
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''[[Dödsdansen]]'' ("Dance of death") refers to two  related Swedish plays by August Strindberg (1849-1912)[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Strindberg]
  
 
== The original text ==
 
== The original text ==
  
Written in 1901. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dance_of_Death_%28Strindberg%29]
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Two plays about a dead marriage and the bitterness that binds the characters.
 +
 
 +
The first text (Dance of Death Part 1) was written in September 1900, and then, after receiving a response to the play, part two was written in November. The two plays have much in common, and are sometimes performed in tandem, though each is a full length theatrical work.
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 +
Performances include one at the Intima Teatern, Stockholm,  in 1909, directed by August Falck
  
 
== Translations and adaptations ==
 
== Translations and adaptations ==
 +
The two plays are usually (and almost inevitably) performed in some adapted form. 
 +
Among those known in South Africa have been:
 +
 +
===''[[The Dance of Death]]'' in English===
  
Translated into English as or ''[[The Dance of Death]]'' (sometimes referred to imply as ''[[Dance of Death]]'')  
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Adapted and usually translated into English as or '''''[[The Dance of Death]]''''' (sometimes referred to imply as ''[[Dance of Death]]'')
  
[[Friedrich Dürrenmatt]] wrote ''[[Play Strindberg]]'' in 1968 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_Strindberg]. Based on the characters and central situation of ''Dance of Death'', it is an independent and quite different play. Also known by its alternative working title ''[[Strindberg Without Tears]]'' [http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/41152984?sid=21105584575971&uid=70&uid=2&uid=3739368&uid=2129&uid=4].. '''See''' ''[[Play Strindberg]]''.
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===''[[Dodedans]]'': [[Afrikaans]] translations===
  
 
An [[Afrikaans]] translation entitled ''[[Dodedans]]'' is listed in the ''[[Geleende Vere]]'' theatre programme of  [[André Huguenet]]'s [[Teatergroep]] in 1944. The translator is not named, but it is clearly an earlier translation than the one subsequently done by [[Bartho Smit]].
 
An [[Afrikaans]] translation entitled ''[[Dodedans]]'' is listed in the ''[[Geleende Vere]]'' theatre programme of  [[André Huguenet]]'s [[Teatergroep]] in 1944. The translator is not named, but it is clearly an earlier translation than the one subsequently done by [[Bartho Smit]].
  
An [[Afrikaans]] translation by [[Bartho Smit]], also entitled ''[[Dodedans]]'' was published in ''[[Bartho Smit – Vertalings 3]]'' by [[HAUM]] Literêr, 1984.
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An [[Afrikaans]] translation by [[Bartho Smit]], also entitled ''[[Dodedans]]'' and performed in 1967, was published in ''[[Bartho Smit – Vertalings 3]]'' by [[HAUM]] Literêr, 1984.
 +
 
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===''[[Play Strindberg]]'' an adaptation by Friedrich Durrenmatt===
 +
 
 +
This is a free adaptation of [[August Strindberg]]'s ''[[Dödsdansen]]''. Though it is in many ways an independent and quite different play, it makes use of the characters and central situation of ''[[The Dance of Death]]''. The author's alternative working title for the play was '''''[[Strindberg Without Tears]]''''', possibly the better known title in South Africa.
 +
 
 +
It is a free adaptation of August Strindberg's using Strindberg's characters. The author's alternative working title for the play was '''''[[Strindberg Without Tears]]''''', possibly the better known title in South Africa.
 +
 
 +
Written in 1968, it was first performed in German under the title ''[[Play Strindberg. Totentanz nach August Strindberg]]'' on 8 February in theBasler Komödie, directed by Durrenmatt himself and Erich Holliger. The text was published in German in 1969 and in English as ''[[Play Strindberg: The dance of death, choreographed by Friedrich Durrenmatt]]'' translated from the German by James Kirkup.    London : Jonathan Cape, 1972.
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 +
===Film versions===
 +
 
 +
The plays were adapted and filmed a number of times (e.g. ''The Dance of Death'' (France, 1948, with Erich von Stroheim);
 +
''The Dance of Death'' (West Germany, 1967, with Lilli Palmer); and ''Dance of Death'' (UK, 1969, with Laurence Olivier) and ''[[Dödsdansen]]'' (a made for TV film, directed in Swedish by Torbjörn Ehrnvall, 1996)
  
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
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1967: The [[Afrikaans]] version (''Dodedans'' as translated by Smit) was directed by [[Fred Engelen]] for [[PACT]] shortly before his death in 1967 starring [[Louis van Niekerk]] as Kurt, [[Patrick Mynhardt]] as Edgar and [[Kita Redelinghuys]] as his wife. The play was presented in a triple bill with ''[[Die Spel van Liefde en Toeval]]'' by Pierre Chamblain de Marivaux and ''[[Die Burgemeester]]''.
 
1967: The [[Afrikaans]] version (''Dodedans'' as translated by Smit) was directed by [[Fred Engelen]] for [[PACT]] shortly before his death in 1967 starring [[Louis van Niekerk]] as Kurt, [[Patrick Mynhardt]] as Edgar and [[Kita Redelinghuys]] as his wife. The play was presented in a triple bill with ''[[Die Spel van Liefde en Toeval]]'' by Pierre Chamblain de Marivaux and ''[[Die Burgemeester]]''.
 +
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1971: Durrenmatt's version (''[[Strindberg Without Tears]]'') was performed by [[CAPAB]] Drama's [[Theatre Laboratory]] at the [[Hofmeyr Theatre]]. Directed by [[Nicholas Wright]] with [[Michael Atkinson]], [[Marika Mann]] and [[John Whiteley]]. Designed by [[Raimond Schoop]], assisted by [[Penny Simpson]]. Musical arrangements by [[Michael Tuffin]], dance supervised by [[Jennifer Craig]].
  
 
1998: Staged as ''[[The Dance of Death]]'' in the [[Market Theatre]] in April 1998, directed by Swedish director [[Carl Kjellgren]], with [[John Kani]], [[Jana Cilliers]], [[Arthur Molepo]] and [[Bayo Jwayi]]. This was a co-production between the [[Market Theatre]] and the [[Stockholm Stadsteater]] as part of an exchange programme that started in 1995.
 
1998: Staged as ''[[The Dance of Death]]'' in the [[Market Theatre]] in April 1998, directed by Swedish director [[Carl Kjellgren]], with [[John Kani]], [[Jana Cilliers]], [[Arthur Molepo]] and [[Bayo Jwayi]]. This was a co-production between the [[Market Theatre]] and the [[Stockholm Stadsteater]] as part of an exchange programme that started in 1995.
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''[[Strindberg Without Tears]]'' theatre programme, 1971.
 
''[[Strindberg Without Tears]]'' theatre programme, 1971.
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 +
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_Strindberg
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 +
Enoch Brater. 1982. "Play Strindberg" and the Theater of Adaptation", in ''Comparative Drama'' (Vol. 16, No. 1 - Spring 1982), pp. 12-25[http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/41152984?sid=21105584575971&uid=70&uid=2&uid=3739368&uid=2129&uid=4]
  
 
''[[Siener in die Suburbs]]'' theatre programme containing list of actors and their roles for [[TRUK]] 1965-1971.
 
''[[Siener in die Suburbs]]'' theatre programme containing list of actors and their roles for [[TRUK]] 1965-1971.

Revision as of 09:35, 25 May 2019

Dödsdansen ("Dance of death") refers to two related Swedish plays by August Strindberg (1849-1912)[1]

The original text

Two plays about a dead marriage and the bitterness that binds the characters.

The first text (Dance of Death Part 1) was written in September 1900, and then, after receiving a response to the play, part two was written in November. The two plays have much in common, and are sometimes performed in tandem, though each is a full length theatrical work.

Performances include one at the Intima Teatern, Stockholm, in 1909, directed by August Falck

Translations and adaptations

The two plays are usually (and almost inevitably) performed in some adapted form. Among those known in South Africa have been:

The Dance of Death in English

Adapted and usually translated into English as or The Dance of Death (sometimes referred to imply as Dance of Death)

Dodedans: Afrikaans translations

An Afrikaans translation entitled Dodedans is listed in the Geleende Vere theatre programme of André Huguenet's Teatergroep in 1944. The translator is not named, but it is clearly an earlier translation than the one subsequently done by Bartho Smit.

An Afrikaans translation by Bartho Smit, also entitled Dodedans and performed in 1967, was published in Bartho Smit – Vertalings 3 by HAUM Literêr, 1984.

Play Strindberg an adaptation by Friedrich Durrenmatt

This is a free adaptation of August Strindberg's Dödsdansen. Though it is in many ways an independent and quite different play, it makes use of the characters and central situation of The Dance of Death. The author's alternative working title for the play was Strindberg Without Tears, possibly the better known title in South Africa.

It is a free adaptation of August Strindberg's using Strindberg's characters. The author's alternative working title for the play was Strindberg Without Tears, possibly the better known title in South Africa.

Written in 1968, it was first performed in German under the title Play Strindberg. Totentanz nach August Strindberg on 8 February in theBasler Komödie, directed by Durrenmatt himself and Erich Holliger. The text was published in German in 1969 and in English as Play Strindberg: The dance of death, choreographed by Friedrich Durrenmatt translated from the German by James Kirkup. London : Jonathan Cape, 1972.

Film versions

The plays were adapted and filmed a number of times (e.g. The Dance of Death (France, 1948, with Erich von Stroheim); The Dance of Death (West Germany, 1967, with Lilli Palmer); and Dance of Death (UK, 1969, with Laurence Olivier) and Dödsdansen (a made for TV film, directed in Swedish by Torbjörn Ehrnvall, 1996)

Performance history in South Africa

1944: A production by the André Huguenet and his Teatergroep entitled Dodedans is listed in the Geleende Vere theatre programme in 1944. The translator is not named, but it is clearly an earlier translation than the one done by Bartho Smit.

1967: The Afrikaans version (Dodedans as translated by Smit) was directed by Fred Engelen for PACT shortly before his death in 1967 starring Louis van Niekerk as Kurt, Patrick Mynhardt as Edgar and Kita Redelinghuys as his wife. The play was presented in a triple bill with Die Spel van Liefde en Toeval by Pierre Chamblain de Marivaux and Die Burgemeester.

1971: Durrenmatt's version (Strindberg Without Tears) was performed by CAPAB Drama's Theatre Laboratory at the Hofmeyr Theatre. Directed by Nicholas Wright with Michael Atkinson, Marika Mann and John Whiteley. Designed by Raimond Schoop, assisted by Penny Simpson. Musical arrangements by Michael Tuffin, dance supervised by Jennifer Craig.

1998: Staged as The Dance of Death in the Market Theatre in April 1998, directed by Swedish director Carl Kjellgren, with John Kani, Jana Cilliers, Arthur Molepo and Bayo Jwayi. This was a co-production between the Market Theatre and the Stockholm Stadsteater as part of an exchange programme that started in 1995.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dance_of_Death_%28Strindberg%29

Geleende Vere theatre programme in 1944.

Tydskrif vir Letterkunde, New Series 6(1), 1968.

Strindberg Without Tears theatre programme, 1971.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_Strindberg

Enoch Brater. 1982. "Play Strindberg" and the Theater of Adaptation", in Comparative Drama (Vol. 16, No. 1 - Spring 1982), pp. 12-25[2]

Siener in die Suburbs theatre programme containing list of actors and their roles for TRUK 1965-1971.

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