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This paper discusses the drama Die Offerande ['The Sacrifice'] (1941) by Hester Cornelius, in which the Soviet aesthetic of socialist realism was grafted onto an Afrikaner cultural setting. To outline the context in which the play was created and performed, this contribution elaborates on the representation of Soviet socialism in the South African trade union periodical Klerewerker/Garment Worker, where the play was published. It aims to demonstrate that this propaganda play renders the socialist realist principle of narodnost (i. e. inclusion of a national folk element) by incorporating motifs characteristic of the Afrikaans farm novel, references to the historical events on which the Afrikanerdom founding myth is based, and characters representing 'typical' Afrikaners. Moreover, this article argues that the play's plot is reminiscent of the socialist realist novel master plot which illustrates the protagonist's transition from political immaturity to political awareness and his becoming the New Man. The important modification which Cornelius introduced was that she cast women in the main roles, so her play propagates the working-class New Woman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the extent to which the title characters in three Adam Small plays represent dramatic and theatrical expressions of revolt. The title characters are Kanna (in Kanna hy kô hystoe), Joanie (in Joanie Galant-hulle) and Map (in Krismis van Map Jacobs). The discussion concludes that two forms of revolt dominate in these plays, namely expressions of overt and covert revolt. In his first play, Kanna acts the part of the reluctant intellectual, while politically inspired events compel Joanie Galant to face a personal and material void, without success. In the third play, Map Jacobs succeeds in resisting the legacy of his criminal past and his stay in prison by reclaiming his identity as a member of society. Apart from the title characters, the playwright also emerges as an invisible character in each play. He voices his revolt against political and social injustices by his representations in the written text, and in the fashion he determines how revolt should be portrayed on-stage. Among others, he uses procedures recognised as vehicles of revolt, such as elements from Brechtian theatre, satire, the silent character, laughter, culturally marked language that dismantles the authority of standard language, and body markings.

Medea speaks Afrikaans Euripides’ “Medea” is one of the Greek dramas that have been and still are being translated, performed and adapted in many different languages and countries. Although no Afrikaans translation of this tragedy has been published, several Afrikaans translations and adaptations of it have been staged. This paper explores these plays and the circumstances of their production and focuses especially on Tom Lanoye’s “Mamma Medea” which has been translated into Afrikaans by Antjie Krog.

This article investigates the extent to which the title characters in three Adam Small plays represent dramatic and theatrical expressions of revolt. The title characters are Kanna (in Kanna hy kô hystoe), Joanie (in Joanie Galant-hulle) and Map (in Krismis van Map Jacobs). The discussion concludes that two forms of revolt dominate in these plays, namely expressions of overt and covert revolt. In his first play, Kanna acts the part of the reluctant intellectual, while politically inspired events compel Joanie Galant to face a personal and material void, without success. In the third play, Map Jacobs succeeds in resisting the legacy of his criminal past and his stay in prison by reclaiming his identity as a member of society. Apart from the title characters, the playwright also emerges as an invisible character in each play. He voices his revolt against political and social injustices by his representations in the written text, and in the fashion he determines how revolt should be portrayed on-stage. Among others, he uses procedures recognised as vehicles of revolt, such as elements from Brechtian theatre, satire, the silent character, laughter, culturally marked language that dismantles the authority of standard language, and body markings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drama Chronicle 2008-9 This article investigates the question whether formally published plays, i.e. plays published in paper format, present a reliable picture of the state of Afrikaans drama and theatre in 2008 and 2009. Continuing a trend from previous years, the article shows that the number of unpublished plays contributed considerably to the expansion of Afrikaans drama and theatre in 2008 and 2009. The discussion departs from the idea that published plays may include plays that are not presented in paper format. As applied in the article, the notion of published plays, therefore, include plays published in paper format, as well as performances at arts festivals, radio broadcasts, the publication of plays on internet, and plays submitted to drama competitions. Despite an expansion in the number of published Afrikaans plays similar to previous years, the article concludes that one can discern a number of threats to Afrikaans drama. Examples include discouraging attendances of stage performances of plays at arts festivals in general, the financial consequences of the down-turn in the global and South African economy that adversely influence patrons' ability to attend festivals, and publishers favouring play scripts that could potentially be prescribed for the school market. Despite these threats, and similar to the situation during the decade following the conference titled Afrikaanse drama: hoeksteen of grafsteen (Afrikaans drama: cornerstone or tombstone) in 1989, plays such as Kaburu (2008) by Deon Opperman, Blou uur (2009) by Reza de Wet, and Prinsloo versus (2009) by Adriaan Meyer, continue to be published. These plays reflect continuances and ruptures in Afrikaner society and culture at the time of their publication. Kaburu (2008), for instance, reflects the continuing focus the playwright has on topicalities that broadly relate to his representation of Afrikaner identity, in this case his portrayal of identity framed by the theme of an Afrikaner diaspora. Blou uur (2009), on the other hand, reflects de Wet's exploration of representations of nostalgia and magical realism associated with some of her previous plays, such as Op dees aarde (1991). Similar to some plays in her trilogies, Trits and Vrystaat-trilogie, Blou uur additionally focuses on the relationships between female and (absent) male characters. Meyer's play, Prinsloo versus, which the playwright based on the life and writing of controversial Afrikaans novelist Koos Prinsloo, represents both continuances and ruptures. Thematically, Prinsloo versus relates to Afrikaans plays reflecting metatheoretical issues. Employing devices labelled by Sierz (2001) as In-Yer-Face Theatre, along with its use of gay codes, strong language and blasphemy, clearly indicate a rupture from plays produced in the period covered by this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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