Difference between revisions of "The Unexpected Guest"

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''[[The Unexpected Guest]]'' is a two-act crime drama by Agatha Christie (1890-1976) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie].
  
''The Unexpected Guest'' (1958) is a two-act play by Agatha Christie (1890-1976). In South Africa it was directed by [[Charles Hickman]] for [[Pieter Toerien]] Productions and staged at the [[Baxter Theatre]] in Cape Town in December 1981. The cast consisted of [[Bert Wyllie]] (Richard Warwick), [[Yvonne Banning]] (Laura Warwick), [[Eckard Rabe]] (Michael Starkwedder) , [[Bess Finney]] (Miss Bennett), [[Gavin van den Berg]] (Jan Warwick), [[Joyce Bradley]] (Mrs. Warwick), [[Dennis Folbigge]] (Henry Angell), [[Jonathan Rands]] (Sergeant Cadwallader), Norman Coombes (Inspector Thomas) and [[Tim Plewman]] (Julian Farrar).  The set was designed and lit by [[Jannie Swanepoel]] and the costumes were by [[Noreen Sterling]].  
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==The original text==
 +
 
 +
The first production opened in the Duchess Theatre in London in 1958, and the text was first published in 1958 by [[Samuel French]] Ltd.
 +
 
 +
==Translations and adaptations==
 +
 
 +
The play was adapted a number of times, e.g. into an 1980 Italian television movie, ''[[L'ospite inatteso]]'' and several Indian film versions were made of the same story, beginning with ''[[Dhund]]'' (1973, produced and directed by B. R. Chopra in Hindi) and a radio dramatisation by Gordon House, broadcast by the BBC on 30 May 1981.
 +
 
 +
The script of the play was turned into a novel by Charles Osborne and published in the UK by HarperCollins in 1999.
 +
 
 +
Translated into [[Afrikaans]] under the title ''[[Die Onverwagte Besoeker]]'' by [[Louis van Niekerk]].
 +
 
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'''For more on the various adaptations, see the [[Wikipedia]] entry on ''[[The Unexpected Guest]]''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unexpected_Guest_%28play%29]'''
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== Performance history in South Africa ==
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 +
1961: Presented by The Leonard Schach [[Cockpit Players]], opening 9 March.
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1980: The [[Afrikaans]] translation ''Die Onverwagte Besoeker'' was staged by [[PACT]], directed by [[Bobby Heaney]], with [[Ben de Koen]] (Richard Weyers), [[Rika Sennett]] (Laura Weyers), [[Pierre van Pletzen]] (Michael Strauss), [[Riana Wilkens]] (Swanie), [[Gerben Kamper]] (Jan Weyers), [[Tilana Hanekom]] (Mev Weyers), [[Andre Jacobs]] (Herman Acker), [[Eric Nobbs]] (Konst Calitz), [[Klaas de Boer]] (Speurder Du Toit) and [[Chris du Toit]] (Julian Fourie). Decor by [[Johan Badenhorst]] and costumes by [[Jennifer Andrew]]. During April and May 1980 this production toured the Transvaal and Natal - it was [[Bobby Heaney|Heaney]]'s first production with [[PACT]]'s [[Afrikaans]] company.
 +
 
 +
1981: Directed by [[Charles Hickman]] for [[Pieter Toerien]] Productions and staged at the [[Baxter Theatre]] in Cape Town in December. The cast consisted of [[Bert Wyllie]] (Richard Warwick), [[Yvonne Banning]] (Laura Warwick), [[Eckard Rabe]] (Michael Starkwedder) , [[Bess Finney]] (Miss Bennett), [[Gavin van den Berg]] (Jan Warwick), [[Joyce Bradley]] (Mrs. Warwick), [[Dennis Folbigge]] (Henry Angell), [[Jonathan Rands]] (Sergeant Cadwallader), [[Norman Coombes]] (Inspector Thomas) and [[Tim Plewman]] (Julian Farrar).  The set was designed and lit by [[Jannie Swanepoel]] and the costumes were by [[Noreen Sterling]]. This production opened at the [[Alhambra Theatre]], Johannesburg, in January 1982.
 +
 
 +
2007: Directed by [[Malcolm Terrey]] at the [[Montecasino Theatre]] starring himself, [[James Alexander]], [[Christine le Brocq]], [[Tessa Jubber]], [[Paddy Canavan]], [[Jan Ellis]], [[Darryl Evans]] and others. This production was seen in Cape Town in late 2006.
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
  
Programme notes
+
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unexpected_Guest_%28play%29
  
Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne (eds.). 1988. ''Theatre Alive! The Baxter Story 1977-1987'').
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie
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 +
Theatre programme (Cockpit Players) held by [[NELM]]: [Collection: ASCH, Valda]: 2005. 65. 1. 10.
 +
 
 +
Theatre programme ([[Pieter Toerien]] production) held by [[Amazwi]]: CAMPBELL Location: [Collection: MARKET THEATRE]: 2014. 7. 223.
 +
 
 +
[[PACT]] theatre programme, 1980.
 +
 
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[[ESAT Bibliography Bar-Bas|Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne]] 1988.
 +
 
 +
Theatre programme (2006) held by [[Amazwi]]: CAMPBELL Location: [Collection: KORT, Maurice]: 2012. 379. 37. 5.
 +
 
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''[[Beeld]]'' 23 January 2007.
  
 
== Return to ==
 
== Return to ==
  
 +
Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]]
 +
 +
Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
 +
 +
Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]]
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 1 U|U]] in Plays 1 Original SA Plays
+
Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]]
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 2 U|U]] in Plays 2 Foreign Plays
+
Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]]
  
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Plays]]
+
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 06:21, 12 December 2020

The Unexpected Guest is a two-act crime drama by Agatha Christie (1890-1976) [1].

The original text

The first production opened in the Duchess Theatre in London in 1958, and the text was first published in 1958 by Samuel French Ltd.

Translations and adaptations

The play was adapted a number of times, e.g. into an 1980 Italian television movie, L'ospite inatteso and several Indian film versions were made of the same story, beginning with Dhund (1973, produced and directed by B. R. Chopra in Hindi) and a radio dramatisation by Gordon House, broadcast by the BBC on 30 May 1981.

The script of the play was turned into a novel by Charles Osborne and published in the UK by HarperCollins in 1999.

Translated into Afrikaans under the title Die Onverwagte Besoeker by Louis van Niekerk.

For more on the various adaptations, see the Wikipedia entry on The Unexpected Guest[2]

Performance history in South Africa

1961: Presented by The Leonard Schach Cockpit Players, opening 9 March.

1980: The Afrikaans translation Die Onverwagte Besoeker was staged by PACT, directed by Bobby Heaney, with Ben de Koen (Richard Weyers), Rika Sennett (Laura Weyers), Pierre van Pletzen (Michael Strauss), Riana Wilkens (Swanie), Gerben Kamper (Jan Weyers), Tilana Hanekom (Mev Weyers), Andre Jacobs (Herman Acker), Eric Nobbs (Konst Calitz), Klaas de Boer (Speurder Du Toit) and Chris du Toit (Julian Fourie). Decor by Johan Badenhorst and costumes by Jennifer Andrew. During April and May 1980 this production toured the Transvaal and Natal - it was Heaney's first production with PACT's Afrikaans company.

1981: Directed by Charles Hickman for Pieter Toerien Productions and staged at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town in December. The cast consisted of Bert Wyllie (Richard Warwick), Yvonne Banning (Laura Warwick), Eckard Rabe (Michael Starkwedder) , Bess Finney (Miss Bennett), Gavin van den Berg (Jan Warwick), Joyce Bradley (Mrs. Warwick), Dennis Folbigge (Henry Angell), Jonathan Rands (Sergeant Cadwallader), Norman Coombes (Inspector Thomas) and Tim Plewman (Julian Farrar). The set was designed and lit by Jannie Swanepoel and the costumes were by Noreen Sterling. This production opened at the Alhambra Theatre, Johannesburg, in January 1982.

2007: Directed by Malcolm Terrey at the Montecasino Theatre starring himself, James Alexander, Christine le Brocq, Tessa Jubber, Paddy Canavan, Jan Ellis, Darryl Evans and others. This production was seen in Cape Town in late 2006.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unexpected_Guest_%28play%29

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

Theatre programme (Cockpit Players) held by NELM: [Collection: ASCH, Valda]: 2005. 65. 1. 10.

Theatre programme (Pieter Toerien production) held by Amazwi: CAMPBELL Location: [Collection: MARKET THEATRE]: 2014. 7. 223.

PACT theatre programme, 1980.

Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne 1988.

Theatre programme (2006) held by Amazwi: CAMPBELL Location: [Collection: KORT, Maurice]: 2012. 379. 37. 5.

Beeld 23 January 2007.

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