The stage production Doep is nie dood nie contains a formidable collection of songs and texts by the late Koos du Plessis. Koos Doep, as he became popularly known, is widely regarded as the Bob Dylan or perhaps the Leonard Cohen of Afrikaans music. Koos died tragically in 1984 at a relatively young age, but left a wealth of wisdom and beauty in his oeuvre of songs and writings.
Jannie du Toit’s stage production proves the aliveness and relevance of Koos’ creative legacy four decades after his death. In Doep is nie dood nie, Jannie continues his self-imposed task and passion of perpetuating the art of his late friend by introducing it to new generations. The program is also a re-evaluation of his artistic work in the context of Afrikaans light music.
Jannie compiled the program with the help of Carl Theunissen, former journalist, friend and colleague of Koos du Plessis. Clinton Zerf did the majority of the arrangements – masterfully performed by Susan Mouton, principal cellist of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra and pianist Chanie Jonker. Jannie on guitar forms part of the polished instrumental ensemble.
After an opening season at the Oudtshoorn Arts Festival in March 2014, followed by other arts festivals, the production received a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the Grahamstown Festival in 2015. The further travels of Doep is nie dood nie include performances on nationwide and international tours – including a visit to Belgium and the Netherlands. The general reaction of the media and public remains that of total amazement at the scope and quality of Koos du Plessis’s creative work, which is unparalleled in Afrikaans.
For the fortieth anniversary of Koos Doep’s death, Doep is nie dood nie will be presented on the exact date, 15 January 2024, at the Atterbury Theatre in Pretoria. On this evening, a second part is added to the program in which Koos’ daughter Karla and other artists talk about Koos and his work – also recite and sing some of it. This is a one-off presentation in which Andries (Roof) Bezuidenhout will guide the conversation. Andries, a stage performer in his own right, is married to Koos’ eldest daughter, Irma. Furthermore, there is Mathys Roets, Wynand Strydom, Jacques Botes and Andy Lubbe: each of them having walked a special path with Koos and/or his music.
ERFDEEL AVAILABLE AGAIN IN PRINT – Further lustre is given to this event by the fact that the reprint of Erfdeel – the extensive biography about Koos Doep – will be introduced to the public on this evening. It was published by his family in 2004 and was out of print for quite a number of years.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JannieduToitBlad
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoMAu3dxQnKK-CYJhDR7iFg
Website: www.janniedutoit.com
