Hi Heather, Thank you so much for all this information. Very interesting reading! Kind regards, Elva > From: "Heather MacAlister" <heather@ancestors.co.za> > Date: 22 May 2005 9:28:38 PM > To: SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Theatrical History of SA > > > Hi Elva and Karen again > > I found this in amongst my goodies: > > > THEATRICAL HISTORY. The lot of the first soldiers and workmen at the > Cape > was extremely hard and they had neither time nor inclination for any > but > immediately available relaxation. Later, when a settlement grew round > the > Fort and menial work could be done by imported labourers, the > garrisoning > troops had more opportunity for organised leisure. > In the 18th century these troops were mostly mercenaries - especially > German - and Cape Town having established itself as a port of call for > the > ships of many nations by the middle of the 18th century, cultural life > in > the town was stimulated by the contact. The Dutch colonists and > officials > did not incline toward frivolous entertainment, but officers of the > garrisoning regiments readily took part in dramatic performances. > > In 1795 the British came, stayed a few years and returned in 1806 for > more > than a century of sovereign administration. They had a profound > influence on > the evolution of the theatre in general and of drama particularly. > During > the first occupation the British troops felt the lack of distraction > among a > community that spoke mostly Dutch and was covertly antagonistic. There > were > by then a few sports such as hunting, racing and assaults-at-arms, but > little else, and they had to organise their own leisure. Some of the > more > enterprising officers began to stage amateur theatricals in what came > to be > known as the Garrison Theatre in Cape Town. A few of these men had > considerable talent, both as playwrights and as players, and before > long > they had so stimulated a nostalgic public demand for the drama that the > Governor, Sir George Yonge, was successfully petitioned to sanction the > licensing of a theatre. This 'African Theatre' remained open from 1802 > until > 1839 and subsequently became, and still remains a church (see St. > Stephen's > Church). >