Die fokus in hierdie teaterhistoriese bespreking is op die gebruik en voorkoms van black- en brownface op die Afrikaanse verhoog. Twee tydperke word bespreek, naamlik (1) die vroeë Afrikaanse toneel (laat-19de eeu tot vroeë-20ste eeu), asook (2) die 1960's tot laat-1970's. Die vroeë Afrikaanse toneel sluit tot 'n mate aan by die vroeë Engelse toneel in Suid-Afrika wat ook 'n bepaalde rasideologie weerspieël het deur middel van die algemene gebruik van black- en brownface op die Suid-Afrikaanse verhoog van die 19de eeu. Hierdie gebruik het sy oorsprong in die minstreel-tradisie wat via Amerika na Engeland en uiteindelik ook na Suid-Afrika gebring is. Die gebruik word gesien as tekenend van 'n bepaalde rasideologie wat die breër koloniale toneel van die 19de eeu (Amerika, Engeland, Kanada, Australië, Indonesië, en ander lande) onderlê het, naamlik een wat 'n hiërargiese onderskeid tussen die onderskeie rasse gepropageer het waarin swart (en bruin mense) as ondergeskik tot blankes beskou is. Terwyl die gebruik van black- en brownface meestal verdwyn het van die Engelse Suid-Afrikaanse verhoë teen die laat 1940's, vind ons in die 1960's tot laat-1970's die ironiese situasie by die staatsgesteunde streeksrade (veral TRUK, SUKOVS en KRUIK) dat 'n verskeidenheid van rassewette veroorsaak dat blanke akteurs steeds swart/bruin karakters uitbeeld in black- en brownface. Eers met die skrapping van hierdie wette kon swart en bruin akteurs hierdie rolle vertolk en verdwyn die gebruik van black- en brownface ook op Afrikaanse verhoë.
In this discussion the focus is on the use and practice of black- and brownface on the Afrikaans stage. Although there are a few studies available on the use of blackface on the South African English stage, little research has been done on this topic with reference to Afrikaans theatre. Although one can discern a number of similarities between the use of this practice within both early Afrikaans and English theatre in South Africa (19th century), this can be attributed to the fact that all colonial theatre of the period (as noticed by Stephen Gray) was highly racialised. Two periods can be distinguished within the development and establishment of Afrikaans theatre where the practice of black- and brownface is found, namely (1) in early Afrikaans theatre (late 19th and early 20th centuries), and (2) in the period of the 1960s to the late 1970s. In the first period (the establishment of Afrikaans theatre) only white actors were used to portray both white and black/coloured characters on stage and thus made use of burnt cork/ polish/make-up to portray these black/coloured characters. It is, however, clear when one consults both the standard theatre histories (FCL Bosman, LWB Binge, Jill Fletcher), as well as study the early Afrikaans plays themselves (inter alia, Melt Brink, CL Langenhoven, and most Afrikaans plays in the 1940's and 1950's), that such portrayals were linked to a particular racist ideology. The practice of blackface originated in America with the appearance of blackface minstrelsy and was exported via travelling minstrel groups to England, South Africa, and other colonies where it was for a period extremely popular. Although Afrikaans theatre did not produce any minstrel shows as can be found in early English South African entertainment acts, the portrayal of black and brown characters does show a few similarities with blackface minstrelsy characters. These characters are also caricatured (through their names, physical appearance, actions, and utterances), while a clear racial hierarchy is presented in these plays (they are slaves, maids, servants to the white masters and madams). While this type of black- and brownface portrayals disappeared after the 1950's and the portrayal of these characters became more sympathetic from the 1960's with a new generation of Afrikaans playwrights (André P Brink, Bartho Smit, and others) critical of the Nationalist Party's race-based ideology, we find the ironic situation that these portrayals on stage again made use of black- and brownface make-up since various laws prohibited the mixing of races on stage or even within the auditorium. The state-funded Arts Councils (inter alia PACT, PACOFS) had to comply with these laws, although all of them (for example Pieter Fourie at CAPAB) actively agitated against this situation. While many English theatre practitioners simply cut their ties with the Performing Arts Councils and established theatres like The Market Theatre (Johannesburg) and The Space Theatre (Cape Town) which were non-racial, the state-funded theatres continued with these portrayals during the 1970's till the race-based laws were retracted and theatres were open to all races.
