Difference between revisions of "Waiting for Godot"
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''Waiting for Godot'' by [[Samuel Beckett]] (1953). One of the most influential plays of the twentieth century, Beckett’s Absurdist masterpiece of two clowns waiting for the “coming” of the enigmatic “Godot” has been performed in numerous guises across the world by professionals, amateurs and students. Full-length play. Cast: men. | ''Waiting for Godot'' by [[Samuel Beckett]] (1953). One of the most influential plays of the twentieth century, Beckett’s Absurdist masterpiece of two clowns waiting for the “coming” of the enigmatic “Godot” has been performed in numerous guises across the world by professionals, amateurs and students. Full-length play. Cast: men. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Published by Faber and Faber, 1956. | ||
== Performance history in South Africa == | == Performance history in South Africa == | ||
| − | First produced professionally in South Africa by [[Leonard Schach]] on his return from an overseas excursion in 1955. It opened at the [[Little Theatre]] in Cape Town with [[Gavin Haughton]] as Vladimir and [[Alec Bell]] as Estragon, also starring [[Donald Inskip]] and [[Gordon Roberts]], decor by [[Cecil Pym]]. The play was also presented at the [[Hofmeyr Theatre]] and then taken on a tour of several country towns in South Africa under [[Brian Brooke]]’s management. Schach claims that Cape Town audiences saw it before any other English language audiences, outside of London (Schach, 1996). Schach then collaborated with [[Leon Gluckman]] and [[Taubie Kushlick]] as co-producers to stage it once again, this time at the [[Technical College Hall]] in 1956, starring [[Alec Bell]], [[Gerrit Wessels]] and [[Gavin Haughton]]. [[NTO]] did it in 1959, directed by [[Tone Brulin]] with Brulin, [[David Herbert]], [[Gabriel Bayman]] and [[Gerrit Wessels]] [??*] Other famous local productions were a mulitracial one at [[The Space]] in Cape Town in 197*, featuring [[John Kani]] and [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]]; a Baxter Theatre Production directed by [[Donald Howarth]] in 1980 with [[John Kani]], [[Winston Ntshona]], [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]], [[Peter Piccolo]] and [[Silamour Philander]]. | + | 1955-6: First produced professionally in South Africa by [[Leonard Schach]] on his return from an overseas excursion in 1955. It opened at the [[Little Theatre]] in Cape Town with [[Gavin Haughton]] as Vladimir and [[Alec Bell]] as Estragon, also starring [[Donald Inskip]] and [[Gordon Roberts]], decor by [[Cecil Pym]]. The play was also presented at the [[Hofmeyr Theatre]] and then taken on a tour of several country towns in South Africa under [[Brian Brooke]]’s management. Schach claims that Cape Town audiences saw it before any other English language audiences, outside of London (Schach, 1996). |
| + | |||
| + | 1959: Schach then collaborated with [[Leon Gluckman]] and [[Taubie Kushlick]] as co-producers to stage it once again, this time at the [[Technical College Hall]] in 1956, starring [[Alec Bell]], [[Gerrit Wessels]] and [[Gavin Haughton]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1959: [[NTO]] did it in 1959, directed by [[Tone Brulin]] with Brulin, [[David Herbert]], [[Gabriel Bayman]] and [[Gerrit Wessels]] [??*] | ||
| + | |||
| + | 197* Other famous local productions were a mulitracial one at [[The Space]] in Cape Town in 197*, featuring [[John Kani]] and [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]]; | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1980: a Baxter Theatre Production directed by [[Donald Howarth]] in 1980 with [[John Kani]], [[Winston Ntshona]], [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]], [[Peter Piccolo]] and [[Silamour Philander]]. | ||
| − | A [[PACOFS]] production was directed by [[Bill Smuts]] for [[PACT]], 1970. Three black and white photographs of [[Neels Coetzee]], [[William Egan]], [[George Barnes]] and [[Leon Cloete]] in scenes from the [[PACOFS]] production of ''Waiting for Godot''. Directed by Bill Smuts, 1970 ([NELM] [Collection: Performing Arts Council Orange Free State (PACOFS)]: 2009. 67. 1. 2. 49). | + | 1970: A [[PACOFS]] production was directed by [[Bill Smuts]] for [[PACT]], 1970. Three black and white photographs of [[Neels Coetzee]], [[William Egan]], [[George Barnes]] and [[Leon Cloete]] in scenes from the [[PACOFS]] production of ''Waiting for Godot''. Directed by Bill Smuts, 1970 ([NELM] [Collection: Performing Arts Council Orange Free State (PACOFS)]: 2009. 67. 1. 2. 49). |
| − | Performed by the Wits [[University Players]] on Tuesday 6 July 1971 starring [[John Coulton]], [[John Jackson]], [[Malcolm Rosenfeld]], [[Bill Stevens]], [[Johnny Levin]]. Directed by [[Frank Morton]]. ([[TECON]]). | + | 1971: Performed by the Wits [[University Players]] on Tuesday 6 July 1971 starring [[John Coulton]], [[John Jackson]], [[Malcolm Rosenfeld]], [[Bill Stevens]], [[Johnny Levin]]. Directed by [[Frank Morton]]. ([[TECON]]). |
| − | [[Rhodes University Drama Department]] directed by [[Graham Brown]] and [[Richard McKenzie]] in September 1976 starring, among others, [[Dennis Gazard]] and [[John Maytham]]. | + | 1976: [[Rhodes University Drama Department]] directed by [[Graham Brown]] and [[Richard McKenzie]] in September 1976 starring, among others, [[Dennis Gazard]] and [[John Maytham]]. |
| − | [[PACT]] Drama, November 1991, directed by [[Dieter Reible]], the cast consisted of [[Michael McCabe]] as Estragon, [[Dale Cutts]] as Vladimir, [[Louis van Niekerk]] as Pozzo and [[James Borthwick]] portrayed Lucky. | + | 1991: [[PACT]] Drama, November 1991, directed by [[Dieter Reible]], the cast consisted of [[Michael McCabe]] as Estragon, [[Dale Cutts]] as Vladimir, [[Louis van Niekerk]] as Pozzo and [[James Borthwick]] portrayed Lucky. |
| − | Staged in the [[Thabong Theatre]] at [[The Civic]] in Johannesburg in June 1998, directed by [[Maralin Vanrenen]], with [[James Ngcobo]], [[Russel Savadier]], [[André-Jacques van der Merwe]] and [[Christopher Kindo]]. | + | 1998: Staged in the [[Thabong Theatre]] at [[The Civic]] in Johannesburg in June 1998, directed by [[Maralin Vanrenen]], with [[James Ngcobo]], [[Russel Savadier]], [[André-Jacques van der Merwe]] and [[Christopher Kindo]]. |
==Translations and adaptations== | ==Translations and adaptations== | ||
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| − | + | A workshopped version with the all-black cast of [[James Mthoba]] and [[Sam Williams]], directed by [[Benjy Francis]] (Durban, Soweto and in the [[Upstairs Theatre]] at the [[Market Theatre]], 1976) and [[Lara Foot-Newton]]’s production for the 2001 Grahamstown Festival (with [[Seputla Sebogodi]], [[Lionel Newton]], [[Robert Whitehead]] and [[Bheki Vilakazi]]). | |
''[[Duckrabbit]]'' ([[Lara Foot-Newton]] & [[Gerhard Marx]]) staged a Karoo version of ''[[Waiting for Godot]]''. | ''[[Duckrabbit]]'' ([[Lara Foot-Newton]] & [[Gerhard Marx]]) staged a Karoo version of ''[[Waiting for Godot]]''. | ||
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== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
[[ESAT Bibliography I|Inskip]], 1977. p 119. | [[ESAT Bibliography I|Inskip]], 1977. p 119. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Theatre programme (Baxter) 1980. | ||
''PACT Info'' (1), 1991-1992. | ''PACT Info'' (1), 1991-1992. | ||
| − | + | == Return to == | |
| − | + | Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]] | |
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]] | ||
| − | Return to [[ | + | Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]] |
| − | Return to [[ | + | Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]] |
| − | Return to [[ | + | Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]] |
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]] | Return to [[The ESAT Entries]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[Main Page]] | ||
Revision as of 12:42, 28 November 2015
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett (1953). One of the most influential plays of the twentieth century, Beckett’s Absurdist masterpiece of two clowns waiting for the “coming” of the enigmatic “Godot” has been performed in numerous guises across the world by professionals, amateurs and students. Full-length play. Cast: men.
Published by Faber and Faber, 1956.
Performance history in South Africa
1955-6: First produced professionally in South Africa by Leonard Schach on his return from an overseas excursion in 1955. It opened at the Little Theatre in Cape Town with Gavin Haughton as Vladimir and Alec Bell as Estragon, also starring Donald Inskip and Gordon Roberts, decor by Cecil Pym. The play was also presented at the Hofmeyr Theatre and then taken on a tour of several country towns in South Africa under Brian Brooke’s management. Schach claims that Cape Town audiences saw it before any other English language audiences, outside of London (Schach, 1996).
1959: Schach then collaborated with Leon Gluckman and Taubie Kushlick as co-producers to stage it once again, this time at the Technical College Hall in 1956, starring Alec Bell, Gerrit Wessels and Gavin Haughton.
1959: NTO did it in 1959, directed by Tone Brulin with Brulin, David Herbert, Gabriel Bayman and Gerrit Wessels [??*]
197* Other famous local productions were a mulitracial one at The Space in Cape Town in 197*, featuring John Kani and Pieter-Dirk Uys;
1980: a Baxter Theatre Production directed by Donald Howarth in 1980 with John Kani, Winston Ntshona, Pieter-Dirk Uys, Peter Piccolo and Silamour Philander.
1970: A PACOFS production was directed by Bill Smuts for PACT, 1970. Three black and white photographs of Neels Coetzee, William Egan, George Barnes and Leon Cloete in scenes from the PACOFS production of Waiting for Godot. Directed by Bill Smuts, 1970 ([NELM] [Collection: Performing Arts Council Orange Free State (PACOFS)]: 2009. 67. 1. 2. 49).
1971: Performed by the Wits University Players on Tuesday 6 July 1971 starring John Coulton, John Jackson, Malcolm Rosenfeld, Bill Stevens, Johnny Levin. Directed by Frank Morton. (TECON).
1976: Rhodes University Drama Department directed by Graham Brown and Richard McKenzie in September 1976 starring, among others, Dennis Gazard and John Maytham.
1991: PACT Drama, November 1991, directed by Dieter Reible, the cast consisted of Michael McCabe as Estragon, Dale Cutts as Vladimir, Louis van Niekerk as Pozzo and James Borthwick portrayed Lucky.
1998: Staged in the Thabong Theatre at The Civic in Johannesburg in June 1998, directed by Maralin Vanrenen, with James Ngcobo, Russel Savadier, André-Jacques van der Merwe and Christopher Kindo.
Translations and adaptations
Locally it has also had an enormous influence on the nature of South African theatre, inter alia on the work of Athol Fugard (see Boesman and Lena for example), Bartho Smit, André P. Brink and Charles J. Fourie. (See Absurdist Theatre in Part 3 Section 1: Terminology*?)
A workshopped version with the all-black cast of James Mthoba and Sam Williams, directed by Benjy Francis (Durban, Soweto and in the Upstairs Theatre at the Market Theatre, 1976) and Lara Foot-Newton’s production for the 2001 Grahamstown Festival (with Seputla Sebogodi, Lionel Newton, Robert Whitehead and Bheki Vilakazi).
Duckrabbit (Lara Foot-Newton & Gerhard Marx) staged a Karoo version of Waiting for Godot.
Adapted and translated into Afrikaans by Suseth Brits (Suseth Wilcocks): Afspraak met Godot.
Sources
Inskip, 1977. p 119.
Theatre programme (Baxter) 1980.
PACT Info (1), 1991-1992.
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
