“My plaas se naam is Vergenoeg”, written by George Weideman was the winner of the Sanlam Theatre price for best script for Afrikaans theatre. This play is more than a classic farm story. The multi- layered, storie is situated in Namakwaland, during the time of commission sittings. Grace Boois wants to bury her son on the farm Vergenoeg, but who own the farm? Were the Bushmans there first or the animals? The Bushmans used rocks to indicate that the land belongs to them, and the farmer bought the land.
A Greek chorus or in this case the animals comment about the happenings on and off the stage. Tsoei-Goab’s son/daughter, together with the all-knowing narrators, the jesters and morphing characters join the animals to create magical realism on stage.
Comments by the actors on the play suggest that it is different, epic and extraordinary, but still relevant to issues that must be addressed today. The play hint towards Pieter Fourie’s “Die Koggelaars”.
The production, which promise to be an epic visual experience, will play at the Wynand Mouton Theatre from 14 – 17 May at 19:30. Pieter Venter is the director and the players are third year students from the department of Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of the Free State.