Man to Man

by German playwright Manfred Karge. Originally German title Jacke Wie Hose.

The original play

A one-woman show about a woman Ella Gericke, who takes over her deceased husband's identity during the economic disaster of the Weimar period in Germany. She takes over his identity to make a living as Max Gericke, a crane-operator at the factory.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into English as Man to Man by Anthony Vivis.

Translated into Afrikaans by Willem Anker as As die Broek Pas ("If the trousers fit", a play on the idiom "As die skoen pas" , i.e. "if the shoe fits").

South African productions

1989: Directed at the Market Theatre by Maralin Vanrenen. Cast : Elsabie Zietsman.

Karge's play was produced in South Africa by TEATERteater in 2010. Done in both Afrikaans and English versions, directed by Marthinus Basson with Antoinette Kellermann as Ella and Max Gericke.

The Afrikaans production (As die Broek Pas) opened at the 2010 Woordfees in Stellenbosch and went on to run at the KKNK 2010.

The English version (Man to Man), opened at The National Arts Festival in July 2010.

Both the Afrikaans and English productions then ran in tandem at The Fugard Theatre in Cape Town during august and September of 2010.

The play and performance won numerous awards in that year.

Sources

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

http://www.teaterteater.com/portfolio.html

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