Difference between revisions of "Donkerland"

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[“Dark Land”] by [[Deon Opperman]]. An epic play (almost five hours long) which revisits the history of Afrikanerdom [“Afrikanerhood”] in a series of historical episodes between 1838 and 1994. Commissioned for the [[Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees]] at Oudtshoorn, produced there in 1996 by [[PACT]] under the direction of the author (later the year played at the [[National Arts Festival|Grahamstown Festival]] as well) Published by [[Tafelberg]] in 1996.  
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''[[Donkerland]]'' (“Dark Land”) can refer to an [[Afrikaans]] play by [[Deon Opperman]] (1962-) and/or the TV mini-series[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniseries] based on the play.  
  
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=''[[Donkerland]]'': The play=
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 1 D|D]]
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==The original text==
  
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Plays]]
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Commissioned for the [[KKNK]] and first produced there by [[PACT]], this is an epic drama of five hours duration, Written in two parts, and consisting of 10 short plays of 20-45 minutes each, with 11 actors playing 68 characters and telling the story of seven generations of an Afrikaner family living on the farm Donkerland in Natal, a saga spanning a century and a half from 1838 to 1996.
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It tells the story of the Afrikaner from the Great Trek to the New South Africa (post 1994), as it was intertwined with the stories of the other cultures and peoples inhabiting the land. Opperman presented the saga as if holding up a mirror for the Afrikaners to see what brought them to this current reality, to question their place in it and their future. Ultimately Opperman’s mirror reflected the socio-political pessimism experienced by many Afrikaners immediately after the 1994 elections; all that will remain of the Afrikaner in this dark country, the play suggests, will be as fleeting as a snail’s trail across a rock on the farm Donkerland, a mere footnote in the annals of history. “This is my attempt at singing the song of a nation. A nation which is a mixture of nobility and monstrosity, which slaughtered, but also was slaughtered” (Deon Opperman, 1995, translated from Afrikaans). [Van Heerden (2008)][http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.sun.ac.za%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10019.1%2F1443%2Fvanheerden_theatre_2008.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1&ei=_egBU77CNYWJhQeE5oCADQ&usg=AFQjCNEWnD1BzeLnFmOV2tvyGLoMyNeT6Q&bvm=bv.61535280,d.Yms]. p. 132
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The text was published by [[Tafelberg Uitgewers]] (1996).
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==Translations and adaptations==
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== Performance history in South Africa ==
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1996: Produced by [[PACT]] at the [[KKNK]] festival in April, directed by the author with a cast that included [[André Odendaal]], [[Eric Nobbs]], [[Seipati Montsho]], [[Nomhle Nkonyeni]], [[Shadrack Keorapetse]], [[Petro-Nelise Trichardt]], [[Samson Khumalo]], [[David Clatworthy]] and others.
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1996: Performed at the [[National Arts Festival|Grahamstown Festival]] and in mainstream theatres in various cities.
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=''[[Donkerland]]'': The mini-series=
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Based on the 1996 play by [[Deon Opperman]], this 13 episode mini-series was produced for the pay-TV channel [[kykNet]] by [[Bottom Line Entertainment]] with  [[Soné Combrinck]], [[Lucia Meyer-Marais]] and [[Deon Opperman]] as producers, and aired in 2013-2014.
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[[Saartjie Botha]] and [[Deon Opperman]] are credited as writers of the series, and the first 6 episodes were directed by [[Jozua Malherbe]], with assistant directors [[Quentin Krog]], [[Christiaan Tredoux]] and [[Scharl van der Merwe]] (trainee). The crew also included [[Janine Neethling]] (music), [[Adam Joshua Bentel]] (series cinematography), [[Johan Oelsen]] (series film editing), [[Flo Ballack]] (art direction) and [[Sune Jansen]]
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The cast included [[Gustav Gerdener]] (as "Pieter de Witt"), [[Lelia Etsebeth]] (as "Magriet de Witt") and [[Palesa Nhlengethwa]] (as "Eerste") as the linking lead characters, with vast range of supporting characters over the 13 episodes.
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'''For more on the TYV series, see https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2908240/companycredits?ref_=ttfc_sa_3'''
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= Sources =
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[[KKNK]] theatre programme, 1996.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniseries
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https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2908240/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
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Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
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= Return to =
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Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]]
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Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
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Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]]
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Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]]
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Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]]
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Return to [[South_African_Television/Plays|South African Television Plays and Series]]
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Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
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Latest revision as of 05:47, 28 April 2021

Donkerland (“Dark Land”) can refer to an Afrikaans play by Deon Opperman (1962-) and/or the TV mini-series[1] based on the play.

Donkerland: The play

The original text

Commissioned for the KKNK and first produced there by PACT, this is an epic drama of five hours duration, Written in two parts, and consisting of 10 short plays of 20-45 minutes each, with 11 actors playing 68 characters and telling the story of seven generations of an Afrikaner family living on the farm Donkerland in Natal, a saga spanning a century and a half from 1838 to 1996.

It tells the story of the Afrikaner from the Great Trek to the New South Africa (post 1994), as it was intertwined with the stories of the other cultures and peoples inhabiting the land. Opperman presented the saga as if holding up a mirror for the Afrikaners to see what brought them to this current reality, to question their place in it and their future. Ultimately Opperman’s mirror reflected the socio-political pessimism experienced by many Afrikaners immediately after the 1994 elections; all that will remain of the Afrikaner in this dark country, the play suggests, will be as fleeting as a snail’s trail across a rock on the farm Donkerland, a mere footnote in the annals of history. “This is my attempt at singing the song of a nation. A nation which is a mixture of nobility and monstrosity, which slaughtered, but also was slaughtered” (Deon Opperman, 1995, translated from Afrikaans). [Van Heerden (2008)][2]. p. 132

The text was published by Tafelberg Uitgewers (1996).

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1996: Produced by PACT at the KKNK festival in April, directed by the author with a cast that included André Odendaal, Eric Nobbs, Seipati Montsho, Nomhle Nkonyeni, Shadrack Keorapetse, Petro-Nelise Trichardt, Samson Khumalo, David Clatworthy and others.

1996: Performed at the Grahamstown Festival and in mainstream theatres in various cities.


Donkerland: The mini-series

Based on the 1996 play by Deon Opperman, this 13 episode mini-series was produced for the pay-TV channel kykNet by Bottom Line Entertainment with Soné Combrinck, Lucia Meyer-Marais and Deon Opperman as producers, and aired in 2013-2014.

Saartjie Botha and Deon Opperman are credited as writers of the series, and the first 6 episodes were directed by Jozua Malherbe, with assistant directors Quentin Krog, Christiaan Tredoux and Scharl van der Merwe (trainee). The crew also included Janine Neethling (music), Adam Joshua Bentel (series cinematography), Johan Oelsen (series film editing), Flo Ballack (art direction) and Sune Jansen

The cast included Gustav Gerdener (as "Pieter de Witt"), Lelia Etsebeth (as "Magriet de Witt") and Palesa Nhlengethwa (as "Eerste") as the linking lead characters, with vast range of supporting characters over the 13 episodes.

For more on the TYV series, see https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2908240/companycredits?ref_=ttfc_sa_3

Sources

KKNK theatre programme, 1996.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniseries

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2908240/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm

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 South African Television Plays and Series

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page