Submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (D.Phil) in the Department of Communication Science at the University of Zululand, 2001. / This study investigates Industrial Theatre as an effective form of corporate communication against the backdrop of South Africa's unique situation that distinguishes it from other countries in the world. As the post-apartheid South African society is concerned with development and transformation of its workforce, particularly among those who have previously been disadvantaged, communication in organisations has become vitally important in achieving these goals as well as in increasing productivity. This study identifies four specific problems that relate to the effectiveness of communication within an organisation, namely the historical problem, the literacy problem, the credibility problem and the problem concerning the traditional adversarial relationship. Problems concerning the corporate media and the definition of the term "Industrial Theatre" are also treated. In this study, Industrial Theatre is equated with a form of corporate communication and thus has a public relations function within an organisation. It therefore needs to ground itself firmly within public relations theory and practice. It must be a deliberate, planned and sustained effort that establishes and maintains mutual understanding between the organisation and its internal and external stakeholders. The uniqueness of the South African environment necessitates a communication model that creates an enabling environment for effective corporate communication. The Mersham graphic communication model for development as used in this study achieves this by contextualising both the communicators and the recipients firmly within their own sociocultural and autobiographical circumstances. The Mersham model is ideally suited to the Industrial Theatre context, as it also advocates that communicators and recipients should exchange roles, thereby enabling effective communication on a continuous basis. The current trends in corporate communication encourage transparency and "ownership". All the stakeholders of an organisation are encouraged to interact and to participate in the management of their organisation, hence achieving a sense of "ownership". The key to this entire process is negotiation. As this study contends that any theatrical process used as a communication tool should have negotiation as its main constituent, it was necessary to create a dramaturgy that incorporates negotiation into all its facets in order to serve the purposes of the thesis. The Negotiated Dramaturgy thus created has three distinct parts. The first consists of the pre-production forums in which the stakeholders discuss issues that create objectives for the dramaturgy to achieve. The second section contains the dramaturgy that enacts the objectives through story lines created by the stakeholders and analyses the results through the in-role forums. The third section evaluates the effectiveness of the process. This approach to Industrial Theatre ensures that all stakeholders are involved in the entire process from beginning to end. They, therefore, have total "ownership" of the process, which is characterised by transparency.

Thesis (MDram)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The musical is one of the many forms of musical theatre and consists of certain qualities that define the genre. This form developed out of various genres en there are many approaches and definitions for the musical.This study investigates the nature and changing nature of the musical in South Africa, and it also studies the various factors that contributed and still contributes to the development of the concept musical.The economic-, socio-economic, historical- en cultural background of South Africa is used throughout the study to understand and interpret the nature and context of this theatrical art form. The study is divided into periods; pre – colonial South Africa, Colonial South Africa, Apartheid South Africa and Post-Apartheid South Africa. The above periods are furthermore organized into the following categories; historical background, available theatre spaces, the involvement of theatre makers, forms of musicals found and examples of musicals present during the specific periods.Various forms of the musical are researched; the indigenous community musical, the urban black musical, the anti-apartheid musical, the township musical, independent musicals, international phenomena, contemporary trends as well as the appearance and relevance of the musical at festivals in South Africa.The conclusion of the study is that the nature of musicals in South Africa is bound to various factors that influence this theatrical form, and the form is thus adaptable due to elements such as social-, cultural-, economic- en socio-economic factors. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die musiekblyspel is ‘n onderafdeling van musiekteater en bevat spesifieke eienskappe wat dié genre definieer. Die vorm het ontwikkel vanuit verskeie genres en daar bestaan verskillende benaderings tot en definisies vir die musiekblyspel. Hierdie studie ondersoek die wese en aard en verandering van dié genre in Suid-Afrika, en ook die verskeie faktore wat bygedra het en steeds bydra tot die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van die konsep musiekblyspel. Die ekonomiese-, sosio-ekonomiese-, historiese- en kulturele agtergrond van Suid-Afrika dien as deurlyn, om sodoende ook die aard van die teatervorm in konteks te verstaan en te interpreteer. Die studie is voorts ook verdeel in Pre – koloniale Afrika, gevolg deur Koloniale Suid-Afrika, die Apartheid-era en laastens die Post-Apartheidsera. Die onderskeie tydperke is verder in die volgende onderadelings verdeel; historiese agtergrond, beskikbare teaterruimtes, betrokkenheid van teatermakers, vorme van musiekblyspele aanwesig en voorbeelde van musiekblyspele gedurende bogenoemde tydperke. Verskeie vorme van die musiekblyspel word bestudeer, onder andere die inheemse gemeenskapsmusiekblyspel, die inheemse swart musiekblyspel, die anti-apartheid musiekblyspel, die township-musiekblyspel, onafhanklike, nie staatsgesubsideerde musiekblyspele, internasionale verskynsels, hedendaagse tendense, asook die voorkoms en relevansie van musiekblyspele by kunstefeeste. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie is dat die aard van musiekblyspele in Suid-Afrika gebonde is aan verskeie faktore wat die teatervorm beïnvloed en sodoende is die vorm aanpasbaar weens elemente soos sosiale-, kulturele-, ekonomiese en sosio-ekonomiese faktore.

This study attempts to critically examine the form of theatre practice which in South Africa has become known as workshop theatre focussing on the period of the 1980s. It examines the history of the form; the process by which it is made; and the kinds of plays it produces. The examination is centered around three philosophical concepts: discourse and power as understood within poststructuralist critical theory; orality and the oral tradition; and the carnivalesque as it is conceived of in the writing of Mikhail Bakhtin. Chapter One is a general introduction to the dissertation. In Part I of the study, it is argued that workshop theatre forms part of a power struggle within the field of theatre practice in South Africa because it is essentially an oral form. Chapter Two describes the rise of authorship within the European theatre practice in the seventeenth century resulting in the marginalisation of the improvisatory 'carnival' tradition, and suggests that it was this literary tradition of theatre practice that was imported to South Africa as part of the British colonial project. Chapter Three examines the indigenous oral performance forms that pre-existed the arrival of the literary theatre in southern Africa with particular reference to the Nguni oral narrative. Similarities are indicated between these oral forms of performance and the carnivalesque forms of the European tradition. Chapter Four traces the gradual involvement of members of the non-hegemonic group in theatre practice in South Africa from a predominantly literary practice limited to a select few participants to oppositional practice involving larger numbers across a wide range of social contexts. It is argued that workshop theatre facilitated this movement because it is an essentially oral form and incorporates popular carnival elements first introduced in the theatre of Gibson Kente. Part II of the study it is argued that workshop theatre is itself a site of numerous power struggles. Chapter Five examines the workshop process with specific reference to the role of improvisation. It is argued that improvisation potentially frees the performer to participate in the meaning-making process but that the extent of this participation is limited by struggles for power within the workshop group. Chapter Six examines the product of the workshop. It is argued that there is a dominant form of workshop play produced in the 1980s and that this form displays many oral and carnivalesque elements. It is further argued that there are movements away from this dominant form towards more literary forms and styles as a result of changes in the make-up of the workshop group and its relationships of power. In Chapter Seven the conclusion is drawn that workshop theatre reflects the current struggles within the South African social and political body, and that it continues to be a relevant form of theatre practice in South Africa because it diffuses strong centres of authorial power and presents possibilities for radical participatory democracy.

Thesis (MDram)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to reconstruct the history of the Capetonian theatrical venue of the second half of the 19th century. It explores the many different venues used for theatrical activities. Venues discussed include amateur theatres such as the Hope Street Theatre, Roeland Street Theatre, Haupt's Theatre and the Drury Lane Theatre. Due to the extensive research already done on the African Theatre on Riebeeck Square and the Garrison Theatre they are only briefly mentioned as part of the background to the social dynamics of Victorian Cape Town. Quite often venues such as banqueting halls, drawing-rooms and wine stores doubled as theatrical venues. Halls discussed include the Oddfellows Hall, the Mutual Hall and the Drill Hall. Although the main objective of the study was the theatrical venue, it is impossible not to mention the different drama companies that occupied these venues. Therefore, the activities of the drama companies were also discussed to a certain extent, because of the strong interrelationship between company and theatre house. These include, among others, the companies of Sefton Parry and Disney Roebuck. For the purpose of this study the theatrical venue has been defined as an indoors space, which is divided into two clearly demarcated areas, namely the stage and the auditorium. Because of this definition the early African theatrical activities are not included in this study and it deals rather with the Western theatre tradition, namely that of the early Dutch and English artists. The study deals primarily with the dominant English theatre post-1850 and the shift from amateur to professional theatricals. Professional theatres include the Theatre Royals of Harrington Street and Burg Street, the Exhibition Theatre and the Good Hope Theatre. At the end of the thesis parallels are drawn between the 19th and 20th century theatre houses such as the Opera House and the Tivoli Theatre. Another issue addressed by the study is the quest for a permanent theatrical venue or building in the early Cape theatre tradition. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie poog om die geskiedenis van die Kaapse teaters te herstruktureer. Dit ondersoek die verskillende plekke en geboue wat vir teater aktiwiteite gebruik is gedurende die tweede helfte van die 19de eeu. Amateur teaters wat bespreek word is onder andere, die Hoopstraat Teater, die Roelandstraat Teater, Haupt se Teater en die Drury Lane Teater. Die Afrika Teater op Riebeeck Plein en die Garnisoen Teater vorm nie deel van hierdie studie nie, aangesien daar alreeds heelwat oor hierdie twee teaters geskryf is. Daar word slegs kortliks in die Inleiding na hulle verwys in die agtergrond tot Kaapstad gedurende die Victoriaanse tydperk. Dramas is nie net in formele teaters aangebied nie, maar ook in verskeie informele plekke soos banketsale en dies meer. Sale wat gebruik is vir sulke doeleindes was onder meer die Oddfellows Saal en die Mutual Saal. Alhoewel die hoof oogmerk van die studie die vermaaklikheidsplek (theatrical venue) is, sou dit onvoldoende wees om nie die verskillende drama geselskappe te noem wat in hierdie plekke opgetree het nie. Daarom is die aktiwiteite van die geselskappe ook bespreek na gelang van hul betrokkenheid by spesifieke teaters, onder andere die van Sefton Parry, James Lycett en Disney Roebuck. Die vermaaklikheidsplek word vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie gedefinieer as 'n binnehuise spasie wat verdeel word in twee duidelik afgebakende areas, naamlik die speelarea en die ouditorium. Die definisie hou egter sekere beperkinge in: Dit sluit die vroee inheemse Afrika teater aktiwiteite uit. Gevolglik word die vroee Westerse teater tradisie van die Hollanders en die Engelse bespreek. Die studie fokus hoofsaaklik op die meer dominante Engelse teater gedurende die tweede helfte van die 19de eeu, en die oorskakeling van amateur na professionele drama. Professionele teaters wat bespreek word is die Theatre Royals (Harrington Straat en Burg Straat), die Exhibition Teater en die Goeie Hoop Teater. Aan die einde van die tesis word daar 'n vergelyking getref tussen die 19de en 20ste eeuse teaters, soos byvoorbeeld die Operahuis (1893) en die Tivoli Teater (1903). Nog 'n aspek wat aangespreek word is die soeke na 'n permanente teatergebou binne die vroee Kaapse teater tradisie.

This is a qualitative study exploring the use of workshop theatre in post-apartheid South Africa, with the objective of making a contribution to the knowledge-base regarding its use in current times. Workshop theatre is changing in response to a new socio-political reality and emerging trends in theatre practice. The case study, of developing a play on Oystercatchers with a Grahamstown group of artists, revealed the difficulties and challenges of using workshop theatre in this dynamic context. Data collection included a focus group, observation, reflective discussion and in-depth interviews that were analysed in relation to available literature on workshop theatre in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. It is proposed that workshop theatre has continued relevance in post -apartheid South Africa. The process of creating workshop theatre with diverse artists has great potential to transform relationships, address issues of personal identity and to provide an underlying purpose to a workshop theatre -making context.

Thesis (MDram)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis the author investigates aspects of the use of improvisation and improvisational methods, techniques and exercises by modem practitioners. The study commences with a look at the beginnings of modem improvisation in the nineteenth century, when improvisation was used only tentatively by performers as a preproduction aid to the exploration of character and personal response. In more recent times the process has become one of collaboration and research; as a means of selfdiscovery, as a means of text creation and as a vehicle for finding a 'voice' for the silent majority within a particular community or society. This study also traces the use of improvisation in South Africa where the improvisational process has been incorporated into democratic and collaborative forms like workshop theatre and workers' theatre, and serves as a useful method of political investigation and conscientisation. The study will also briefly touch what on is now termed 'theatre-fordevelopment', since its practitioners make extensive use of improvisational techniques, and its techniques are allied to those of workers' and workshop theatre. The final chapter provides an application of the theories discussed in the bulk of the study in a brief discussion of the author's own attempts at utilising improvisation as a directing and scriptwriting tool in a student production. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis ondersoek die outeur die gebruik van improvisasie en die verskillende metodes, tegnieke en praktiese toepassings daarvan deur moderne praktisyns. Die tesis begin deur te kyk na die oorsprong van moderne improvisasie in die 1ge eeu toe imporvisasie slegs tentatief deur akteurs gebruik is om vóór die produksiefase as 'n hulpmiddel te dien om 'n karakter en persoonlike reaksies te ondersoek. Die proses het onlangs tot een van samewerking en navorsing verander; as 'n methode tot selfontdekking, 'n hulpmiddel by teks-skepping en as 'n medium om 'n "stem te vind" vir die 'stille meerderheid' binne 'n gegewe gemeenskap of samelewing. Hierdie studie ondersoek ook die gebruik van improvisasie in Suid Afrika waar die improvisasieproses in demokratiese en spanwerk vorme soos bv. werkswinkelteater en werkersteater geïnkorporeer is, waar hulle as uiters nuttige vorme van politieke ondersoek en -bewusmaking dien. Die studie raak ook vlugtig aan 'teater-virontwikkeling', aangesien die praktisyns daarvan grootliks gebruik maak van improvisasie-tegnieke en die tegnieke wat hulle gebruik redelike ooreenstem met dié van werkswinkelteater en werkersteater. Die finale hoofstuk verskaf 'n toepassing van die verskeie teorieë wat in die hoofgedeelte van die tesis bespreek word, in 'n kort bespreking van die outeur se eie pogings om improvisasie as 'n regie- en teksskeppingsinstrument in 'n studenteproduksie, te gebruik.

Thesis (MDram (Drama))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Production houses, theatres and arts festivals are closely involved in the development of the Afrikaans theatre industry. Other than the first two entities, arts festivals, with their special focus on Afrikaans theatre, are a recent development of the shifting situation in post-1994 South Africa, when political changes led to a new climate surrounding the arts in general and drama in particular, creating a free-market situation with a number of specific challenges. A historical overview of the three entities is provided before an investigation is undertaken to establish the extent to which the arts industry is managed according to business principles. The focus falls on drama groups, theatres and Media24 sponsored arts festivals in particular, as observed within the broader context of the English theatre industry, from which a lot can be learnt. The hypothesis of this study is that some of the problems which the Afrikaans drama industry faces, can be ascribed to the fact that the management of the industry is creativity-orientated rather than business-orientated. From examples of stage productions, as well as a variety of data obtained from both written and oral sources – due to a shortage of research in this field – analyses were undertaken of the Afrikaans drama industry’s performance in order to establish in how far business principles are applied, the lack of skills experienced and how marketing can be improved. This study finds that it is difficult to come to obvious conclusions due to the number of variables. Broad guidelines could be established, however, linked to aspects such as market research on the segmentation of target groups, the choice of themes and players, demand and affordability. The key to efficient marketing lies in a thorough knowledge of the field, combined with the strategic management of demand and supply. A proper balance between business principles and creativity is of cardinal importance in order to allow Afrikaans theatre to grow to its full potential. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Produksie-geselskappe, teaters en kunstefeeste is baie nou gemoeid met die ontwikkeling van die Afrikaanse teater-industrie. Anders as die eerste twee entiteite is kunstefeeste wat besondere aandag aan die Afrikaanse teater bestee, egter ’n onlangse uitvloeisel van die veranderde situasie in Suid-Afrika na 1994, toe politieke veranderinge die klimaat rondom die kunste in die algemeen en toneel in die besonder ingrypend verander het en ’n vryemark-situasie geskep is wat heelwat uitdagings stel. Die geskiedenis van die drie entiteite word aanvanklik oorsigtelik nagegaan, voordat ondersoek word in watter mate die kunste-industrie bedryf word op grond van sakebeginsels. Die fokus val op Afrikaanse toneelgeselskappe, teaters en veral op die Media24-kunstefeeste, maar soos gesien binne die ruimer konteks van die Engelse teaterbedryf waaruit heelwat geleer kan word. Die hipotese van die ondersoek is dat sommige probleme in die Afrikaanse toneelbedryf daaraan toegeskryf kan word dat die teaterkuns kreatief eerder as besigheidsgeoriënteerd bestuur word. Uit voorbeelde van toneelproduksies, asook op grond van ’n verskeidenheid data wat weens die tekort aan bestaande navorsing beide mondeling én skriftelik verkry is, word ontleed hoe die Afrikaanse toneelbedryf vaar rakende sakebeginsels, watter leemtes bestaan en hoe suksesvolle bemarking kan plaasvind. Daar word bevind dat dit weens al die veranderlikes moeilik is om afleidings te maak, maar breë tendense kan tog vasgestel word, gekoppel aan aspekte soos marknavorsing rondom die segmentering van teikengroepe, die keuse van temas en spelers, behoeftes en bekostigbaarheid. Die sleutel tot effektiewe bemarking lê in grondige kennis van die terrein, gekombineer met die strategiese hantering van vraag en aanbod. ’n Gesonde balans tussen sakebeginsels en kreatiwiteit is ten slotte kardinaal, ten einde die Afrikaanse toneel ten volle tot sy reg te laat kom.

M. Tech. Drama / Obscenity in the realm of theatre is certainly not new. More recently, an explosion of provocative plays by young British writers, confront the taboo of obscenity, eminently reflected in Sarah Kane's Phaedra's Love. These plays have been aptly dubbed "In Your Face theatre". Grootboom's productions share similarities with these global trends as they are reflexive of this definition in portraying this type of theatre. With the rich history of obscenity in theatre, it should come as no surprise that in reflecting more open current trends, obscenity is perceived as increasingly more tolerable in South African theatre. Grootboom's plays have managed to edge closer to controversy visible in the local furore. The reactions to Grootboom's productions have to do with the fact that full frontal nudity is unacceptable in African culture (except of course during traditional ceremonies and protests). This study seeks to discover why Grootboom's obscene theatre is so popular amongst black South Africans though at odds with their cultural perceptions of respect, relationship boundaries, communal address and personal demeanour rather than exhibitionism. It also seeks to contribute to a clearer understanding of what theatrical content current South African audience prefers.

This thesis is a reflection on both the conceptual frameworks and the personal narratives that have shaped the development of the Spirals Programme. The Programme is a participatory drama and creative arts based initiative established in 2000 in Grahamstown, South Africa, to explore issues of identity in the emerging democratic context of South African society - and support both personal and contextual processes of transformation. Working within a poststructuralist and social constructionist paradigm, Spirals works with groups and communities to facilitate and enable experiential links between the drama based and performative nature of identity construction - and the possibilities for transformation and healing provided by participative drama methodologies. The structure of the thesis follows the principles of the Freirian based Action Learning praxis within which Spirals works. It begins with an account of the contextual dynamics and events that gave rise to the development of the Programme, followed by a reflection on the conceptual frameworks regarding both identity construction and participative drama methodologies that informed Spirals' development. These paradigms are then analysed in relation to the articulated experiences of three workshop participants using critical discourse analysis. The thesis concludes with an assessment of the issues emerging from this analysis - the aspects of the Programme that need to be strengthened and sustained, those that need to be changed and possible new strategies that could be developed. / Also known as: Edlmann, Theresa

A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (in Music Research). Johannesburg, March 2016 / The thesis entitled Wherefore Musician? is a critical engagement with the experiences of musicians who were involved in dramatic theatre productions at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg between 2010 and 2014. The study is a narrative inquiry, which uncovers the lived experiences of musicians from their narration of select collaborative encounters. The narratives speak to integrated cross-disciplinary models of theatre making, where various signifiers and performance texts contribute towards a cohesive production. / MT2017