Thesis (MDram)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The appearance of actresses on stage during the seventeenth century gave rise to the discarding of
gender boundaries and the exploration of male characters. By investigating the cause and effect and
the critical value of actresses assuming breeches parts (“broekrolle”) within specific historical time
lines and theatrical traditions, and a comparative study of the creation and portrayal of breeches
parts within a South African context, I will endeavour to assess the success of the assumption of
male characters on the stage.
Actresses performing breeches parts were not necessarily in competition with their male
counterparts, but were often influenced by their socio-economic situations, as well as their natural
inclination to male identities.
The appearance or beauty of the female performer has almost always been a defining factor in the
casting of a part and it is therefore possible that some actresses chose to perform breeches parts
because their natural attributes might not have fallen within the general concept of beauty.
Although the assumption of male characters was often categorized as sensation seeking and selfglorification,
it was accepted during certain historical periods and the theatrical traditions of the
time. Breeches parts contributed towards the actress’s level of skills, and thus to their financial gain.
Within a South African context a comparative and personal perception will be investigated in
relation to the experiences of the above-mentioned actresses. Because of the hybrid quality of the
character of Ella/Max Gericke in As die Broek Pas (Man to Man), in other words, the duality of her
performed identity, the breeches part of Ella/Max differs from the traditional concept of breeches
performances.
This aspect contributes to the process of self-assessment through performance as research – situated
knowledge. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vroulike toneelspeler het reeds gedurende die laat sewentiende eeu oor geslagsgrense heen
manskarakters (broekrolle) begin vertolk. Deur ondersoek in te stel na die oorsake, gevolge en
kritiese waarde van aktrises se aanneming van broekrolle binne ’n spesifieke tydruimte en
teaterkonvensies en ’n vergelykende proses wat hierdie skepping en uitbeelding van ’n broekrol in
kontemporêre Suid-Afrika belig, kan gepoog word om te bepaal hoe suksesvol hierdie
geslagsaanneming op die dramatiese ruimte van die verhoog was en is.
Die emansipasie van die vrou en die ontbanning van vroulike toneelspelers het dit vir aktrises
moontlik gemaak om buite hulle tradisionele geslagsraamwerk die toneelkarakters van die man te
betree en te ontgin. Hierdie toetrede tot broekrolle (“breeches parts”) was nie noodwendig ’n poging
om met die man op sy gebied te wedywer nie, maar kan toegeskryf word aan sosio-ekonomiese
toestande, sowel as ’n natuurlike voorkeur vir ’n manlike identiteit. Die aktrise se voorkoms is en
was nog altyd ’n bepalende faktor ten opsigte van die rolle waarin sy beset word. Dit is dus
verstaanbaar dat sommige aktrises uit die aard van hulle ingesteldheid teenoor hul eie voorkoms die
keuse maak om manskarakters te vertolk.
Die gevolge van hierdie aanneming van manlike karakters is soms as sensasionele vertoon en
selfverheerliking beskou, maar is steeds aanvaar binne die teaterkonvensies van sekere tydperke.
Daarbenewens het dit die betrokke aktrises se aansien ten opsigte van hulle vaardighede op die
verhoog en hul ekonomiese status positief beïnvloed.
Die persoonlike gewaarwordinge wat ten opsigte van ’n vergelykende proses binne ’n Suid-
Afrikaanse konteks gevolg is, sluit aan by die navorsing oor genoemde broekrolvertolkers. Daar is
wel verskille, aangesien die geval van Ella/Max Gericke in As die Broek Pas, nie binne die
tradisionele opset van die broekrol val nie, as gevolg van die dualiteit wat in die broekrol
teenwoordig is, en dit as ’n hibriede karakter gesien kan word.
Hierdie aspek leen hom tot kritiese selfevaluasie binne die gebruik van “performance” as navorsing
– “situated knowledge”.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/71824 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Kellermann, Antoinette |
| Contributors | Du Preez, Petrus, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Drama. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 129 p. : col. ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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