Difference between revisions of "Gangsters"

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by [[Maishe Maponya]]. A play about a tortured poet “Rashechaba” (= “father of the nation”) in a South African prison. Apparently inspired by [[Samuel Beckett|Beckett]]’s ''[[Catasprophe]]'', which Maponya had directed in 1984. First performed in [[The Laager]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1984, First published in [[D. Ndlovu]] (ed) ''[[Woza Afrika! An Anthology of South African Plays]]'' by [[George Braziller]], New York, in 1986. Later also in ''[[Doing Plays for Change: Five Plays]]'' (Ed. [[Ian Steadman]]), by [[Witwatersrand University Press]], 1995. Performance of the play was originally limited to “experimental” (i.e. “approved”) venues, and forbidden elsewhere by the [[Publications Control Board]]. (See Censorship, Section 7) In an American production at the [[Lincoln Centre]], New York in 1985, the clothed male figure (“Rasechaba”) was replaced by a naked female (“Masechaba” = “mother of the nation”). 
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''[[Gangsters]]'' is a play by [[Maishe Maponya]].  
  
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''Not to be confused with '''[[Die Gangsters]]''' ("The gangsters") by [[Ben Dehaeck]] (1983)''.
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 1 G|G]]
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==The original text==
  
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Plays]]
+
A play about a tortured poet “Rashechaba” (= “father of the nation”) in a South African prison. Apparently inspired by [[Samuel Beckett|Beckett]]’s ''[[Catastrophe]]'', which Maponya had directed in 1984. The play was developed by the auuther and cast in workshop and was first performed in [[The Laager]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1984. The text was first published in [[D. Ndlovu]] (ed) ''[[Woza Afrika! An Anthology of South African Plays]]'' by [[George Braziller]], New York, in 1986. Later also in ''[[Doing Plays for a Change]]'' (Ed. [[Ian Steadman]]), by [[Witwatersrand University Press]], 1995.
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Performance of the play was originally limited to “experimental” (i.e. “approved”) venues, and forbidden elsewhere by the [[Publications Control Board]]. (See Section 7 of the entry on [[Censorship]].)
 +
 
 +
==Translations and adaptations==
 +
 
 +
In an American production at the [[Lincoln Centre]], New York in 1985, the clothed male figure (“Rasechaba”) was replaced by a naked female (“Masechaba” = “mother of the nation”).
 +
 
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== Performance history in South Africa ==
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1984: First performed by the [[Bahumutsi Theatre Group]] in [[The Laager]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in July, in a double-bill - ''[[Dirty Work/Gangsters]]'' - with another Maponya play, ''[[Dirty Work]]''.  Directed by Maponya with [[Charles Comyn]], [[George Lamola]] and [[Simon Mosikili]]. Lighting design by [[Andy Mazibela]].
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1985: The ''[[Dirty Work/Gangsters]]'' double-bill performed once more by the [[Bahumutsi Theatre Group]] in [[The Laager]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in February. Again directed by Maponya, but with a new cat consisting of with [[Jon Maytham]], [[Sol Rachilo]] and [[Maishe Maponya]].
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== Sources ==
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[[Ruphin Coudyzer]]. 2023. Annotated list of his photographs of [[Market Theatre]] productions. (Provided by Coudyzer)
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[[Pat Schwartz|Schwartz, Pat]] 1988. ''The Best of Company: The Story of Johannesburg's [[Market Theatre]]''. Johannesburg: [[Ad Donker]].
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[[Duma Ndlovu]] (ed) 1986. ''[[Woza Afrika! An Anthology of South African Plays]]'' ([[George Braziller]], New York).
 +
 
 +
[[Ian Steadman]] (Ed.) 1995. ''[[Doing Plays for a Change]]'' (Johannesburg: [[Witwatersrand University Press]]).
 +
 
 +
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 +
 
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== Return to ==
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Return to [[South_African_Films]]
 +
 
 +
Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]]
 +
 
 +
Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
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 +
Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]]
 +
 
 +
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_Radio/Plays|South African Radio Plays and Serials]]
 +
 
 +
Return to [[South_African_Television/Plays|South African Television Plays and Series]]
 +
 
 +
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 +

Latest revision as of 05:45, 24 April 2024

Gangsters is a play by Maishe Maponya.

Not to be confused with Die Gangsters ("The gangsters") by Ben Dehaeck (1983).

The original text

A play about a tortured poet “Rashechaba” (= “father of the nation”) in a South African prison. Apparently inspired by Beckett’s Catastrophe, which Maponya had directed in 1984. The play was developed by the auuther and cast in workshop and was first performed in The Laager at the Market Theatre in 1984. The text was first published in D. Ndlovu (ed) Woza Afrika! An Anthology of South African Plays by George Braziller, New York, in 1986. Later also in Doing Plays for a Change (Ed. Ian Steadman), by Witwatersrand University Press, 1995.

Performance of the play was originally limited to “experimental” (i.e. “approved”) venues, and forbidden elsewhere by the Publications Control Board. (See Section 7 of the entry on Censorship.)

Translations and adaptations

In an American production at the Lincoln Centre, New York in 1985, the clothed male figure (“Rasechaba”) was replaced by a naked female (“Masechaba” = “mother of the nation”).

Performance history in South Africa

1984: First performed by the Bahumutsi Theatre Group in The Laager at the Market Theatre in July, in a double-bill - Dirty Work/Gangsters - with another Maponya play, Dirty Work. Directed by Maponya with Charles Comyn, George Lamola and Simon Mosikili. Lighting design by Andy Mazibela.

1985: The Dirty Work/Gangsters double-bill performed once more by the Bahumutsi Theatre Group in The Laager at the Market Theatre in February. Again directed by Maponya, but with a new cat consisting of with Jon Maytham, Sol Rachilo and Maishe Maponya.

Sources

Ruphin Coudyzer. 2023. Annotated list of his photographs of Market Theatre productions. (Provided by Coudyzer)

Schwartz, Pat 1988. The Best of Company: The Story of Johannesburg's Market Theatre. Johannesburg: Ad Donker.

Duma Ndlovu (ed) 1986. Woza Afrika! An Anthology of South African Plays (George Braziller, New York).

Ian Steadman (Ed.) 1995. Doing Plays for a Change (Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press).

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to South_African_Films

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 Radio Plays and Serials

Return to South African Television Plays and Series

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page