Difference between revisions of "Helena's Hope, Ltd"
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
== Performance history in South Africa == | == Performance history in South Africa == | ||
| − | 1910: First performed by the [[De Jong-Black Company]] in the [[Opera House]], Cape Town, on 1 March, 1910, running for 22 nights. [[Stephen Black]] directed and made his first appearance as an actor for the company, taking the role of "Jeremiah Luke M'bene" (under the ''nom de theatre'' [[Edward Radlowe]]) while [[Constance Young]] appeared as "Kato van Knapp". The rest of the cast consisted of [[Charles Leonard]] (as Goldstein), [[W.F. White]] (as Jacob von Knaap), [[Louis du Cane]] (as Shearer), [[Herbert Ford]] (as Philip), [[Augustus Wheatman]], [[Maud Townsend]] (as Helena), [[Kate Walbran]] (as Mrs Goldstein) and [[Mabel Morton]] (as Grietje). It thereafter went on a successful national tour, returning to Cape Town for another run in October. | + | 1910: First performed by the [[De Jong-Black Company]] in the [[Opera House]], Cape Town, on 1 March, 1910, running for 22 nights. [[Stephen Black]] directed and made his first appearance as an actor for the company, taking the role of "Jeremiah Luke M'bene" (under the ''nom de theatre'' [[Edward Radlowe]]) while [[Constance Young]] appeared as "Kato van Knapp". The rest of the cast consisted of [[Charles Leonard]] (as Goldstein), [[W.F. White]] (as Jacob von Knaap), [[Louis du Cane]] (as Shearer), [[Herbert Ford]] (as Philip), [[Augustus Wheatman]] (as Hamish McGlugg), [[Maud Townsend]] (as Helena), [[Kate Walbran]] (as Mrs Goldstein) and [[Mabel Morton]] (as Grietje and later Helena). It thereafter went on a successful national tour, returning to Cape Town for another run in October. Other performers on tour over the years included [[Frikkie Page]] (as Hendrik), [[Dolly Sinclair]] (as Karoo), [[Nelisone Court]] and [[Cobie Punt]]. |
1911: Performed in Johannesburg (at [[His Majesty's Theatre]]) and Cape Town. | 1911: Performed in Johannesburg (at [[His Majesty's Theatre]]) and Cape Town. | ||
Revision as of 18:39, 23 January 2024
Helena's Hope, Ltd is a 1910 play by Stephen Black (1880-1931) [1].
Also found as Helena's Hope
Contents
The original text
A hugely popular farce about the goldfields, which satirizes the individual capitalists, while employing a classical melodramatic plot. Set in 1908-1910, it was first performed in 1910 and was often repeated till the 1930s.
Published in a collection Stephen Black: Three Plays, edited by Stephen Gray (Ad Donker Publishers, 1984).
Adaptations and translations
Performance history in South Africa
1910: First performed by the De Jong-Black Company in the Opera House, Cape Town, on 1 March, 1910, running for 22 nights. Stephen Black directed and made his first appearance as an actor for the company, taking the role of "Jeremiah Luke M'bene" (under the nom de theatre Edward Radlowe) while Constance Young appeared as "Kato van Knapp". The rest of the cast consisted of Charles Leonard (as Goldstein), W.F. White (as Jacob von Knaap), Louis du Cane (as Shearer), Herbert Ford (as Philip), Augustus Wheatman (as Hamish McGlugg), Maud Townsend (as Helena), Kate Walbran (as Mrs Goldstein) and Mabel Morton (as Grietje and later Helena). It thereafter went on a successful national tour, returning to Cape Town for another run in October. Other performers on tour over the years included Frikkie Page (as Hendrik), Dolly Sinclair (as Karoo), Nelisone Court and Cobie Punt.
1911: Performed in Johannesburg (at His Majesty's Theatre) and Cape Town.
1912: Performed in Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
1917: Performed in the Standard Theatre, Johannesburg, in February, (by the Leonard Rayne Company??), featuring Martha van Hulsteyn.
1928: Performed in Salisbury (now Harare), Pretoria, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein.
1929: Performed in Johannesburg.
1981: An adaptation by Stephen Gray was staged by the University of the Witwatersrand School of Dramatic Art at Theatre in Focus hosted by the University of Natal in Durban. The production opened on 29 June in the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in Durban, directed by Fred Hagemann (credited as Frederic Hagemann) with a cast of students from the University of the Witwatersrand School of Dramatic Art, including Marius de Vos (Hendrik), Kate Edwards (Katoo), Kathy Seddon (Helena), Barry French (Philip), Andrew Worsdale (Hamish), Matthew Krouse (Patricia), Stafford Camay (Grietje), Paul Abrams (Abraham Goldstein).
Sources
D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)
F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.432-434
University of Natal Theatre in Focus programme, 1981
Petru & Carel Trichardt theatre programme collection.
Stephen Gray (ed.) 1984. Stephen Black Three Plays. A.D. Donker.
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
