A Springbok Radio classic, The Diary of Anne Frank, is to be rebroadcast on Saturday after being unearthed in the South African Broadcasting Corporation archives, publicist Peter Feldman said on Wednesday.
The vintage programme, originally part of Lux Radio Theatre productions, will be broadcast by Radio Today on medium wave 1485 and on DStv audio channel 70.
It was first broadcast in October 1973.
Radio presenter Frans Erasmus, who archives and collects Springbok Radio programmes, said Henry Diffenthal in Durban contacted him with the idea for a new radio drama for Vintage Radio.
”It was then that I mentioned to him about my long search for that production of Anne Frank,” Erasmus said.
”Henry told me that he had done the original production in 1973 and that he might still have the script. A few days later, he did find the script.”
Erasmus said the writer, Bernie Janion, has since passed away, but ”Frans managed to get permission from his next of kin to recreate the production”.
Diffenthal has once again produced the play for Vintage Radio, which was recorded with many of the original actors that appeared in the 1973 production, Feldman said.
The new production features Frank Graham as Mr Frank, Caroline Smart as Mrs Frank and Margaret Milner-Smyth as Margot Frank.
The other key players are Merle Wayne as Miep, Vera Clare as Mrs van Daan, Peter Gardner as Mr van Daan, Brian Roodt as Peter, Roger Service as Mr Dussel and the young actress Janna-Ramos Violante as Anne Frank.
”This play will be made available internationally, with interest already flowing in from the United States, Canada and OneWordRadio in the United Kingdom,” Feldman said. — Sapa