The Nico Malan Theatre Center was opened on 19 May 1971 and is located on reclaimed land in the Foreshore area of Cape Town South Africa , this theatre was constructed at the time for a massive 12million Rand.
Nico Malan theatre complex, was named after the former National Party administrator of the Cape Province, Dr Johannes Nicholas Malan, who initiated the project.
Nico Malan, was an attorney, politician and Administrator of the Province of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), 1960-1970. He was born on 8 August 1903 at Fort Beaufort, South Africa, and died there in 1981. In 1968 Dr J. N. Malan received the Freedom of the City of Kimberley.
Historically the Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB) was instituted in the early sixties of the twentieth century and CAPAB was tasked with managing the Nico Malan Theatre Centre as a production house with four arts companies – orchestra, opera, ballet, and drama. These companies had full-time artists, technical and administrative staff.
The aim was to promote the performing arts. The arts councils received sufficient government subsidies to fund various art forms as well as the operational requirements of the theatre facilities.
The inaugural performance was scheduled to be Verdi's Aida but illness struck the title-role singer Emma Renzi and the production was replaced by CAPAB Ballet's Sylvia.
Other productions in the opening season were Mozart's Die Zauberflöte in Afrikaans and Puccini's Madam Butterfly.
The theatre was one of the first theatres in the Southern Hemisphere with an electro-mechanical facilities for transporting décor. The theatre was also geared with a computerised lighting system.
After enormous pressure was brought to bear it finally became the first South African theatre to allowed all races onto its premises in 1975.
Since 1994 government policy changed dramatically. All performing arts boards were transformed to playhouses and the various arts companies had to become independent.
The center was privatized and renamed in March 2001, when the Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB) was dissolved.
Artscape was launched on 27 March 1999 to replace CAPAB.
Today it manages the theatre venues and provides essential technical and specialised services on a semi-commercial basis. The emphasis is on sustainable theatre practice, education and development.
Covering an area of some 14 000 square meters, the Nico Malan Theatre (Now Artscape) complex consists of a fully equipped Opera House, seating 1 487, a theatre seating 540, a smaller theatre seating 140, a piazza, gardens, rehearsal rooms and ample parking.
About the Tokens :
FEDICS These tokens was used in the seventies by the then catering department, Cape Hotels later known as for the patrons of the arts at the Nico Malan theatre and also at the Baxter theatre to purchase refreshments . (read below on bad experience with FEDICS)
These where typically Coffee (black) , Fruit Juice ( light/pale green), Whisky (yellow), Wine/Champ(blue) , Minerals/Cooldrink (white), Beer (red) and Champange (dark blue).
They where made of hard plastic with their size being 38.3mm . Different size of thickness was made , 1.6 mm and the thicker 3mm.
Many of these where Bilingual using Afrikaans and English (Ex Coffee/Koffie)
There where 3 Types made ...
(1) Obverses and Reverse are similar with the different colours naming the drink
and each having either a 1 or a 2 at 12 o’clock
(2) Obverse have the “CH” logo with smaller 1’s and 2’s either above or on left or right. Reverse with the 1’s or 2’s at 12 o’clock and the name of the drink below
(3) Similarly marked with 1’s and 2’s but the drink named on one side in English and the other in Afrikaans also on much thicker flans.
Price Structure:
White tokens 1 mineral 10c
2 minerals 20c
Black Token 1 coffee 20c
2 coffees 40c
Yellow Token 1 Whiskey 35c
2 Whiskeys 70c
Light Blue Token 1 spirit 25c
2 Spirits 50c
Pale Green Token 1 Fruit Juice 20c
2 Fruit Juices 40c
Red Token 1 Beer 25c
2 Beers 50c
Dark Blue Token 1 Champagne R1.15 2 Champange ? - Anyone confirm , was this made ? Info supplied by: Allyn Jacobs.
I own an "2 Spirits Type 3" which is uncatalogued, basically meaning it's a bit more rare than the others tokens and would require a small premium above the others if I ever decide to sell these ...
Cape Town's Nico theatre to be renamed
POLITICS / 20 MAY 2000, 1:23PM /
Cape Town's renowned Nico Malan theatre complex, named after a former administrator of the Cape Province, will soon sport a new non-partisan name.
The Western Cape provincial cabinet has called for proposals to be made in writing by June 9.
The cabinet has issued a set of guidelines for the new name, including that it should not be named after or refer to any person, it should be easily recognisable, encompassing the province's three official languages, and should be marketable to all people in the Western Cape.
According to an advertisement in local newspapers, the name should also "be marketable nationally and internationally" and "be non-partisan, by not favouring or alluding to any political party or cause".
The theatre complex, built during the height of apartheid, was once mired in controversy because of its racist admission policies.
A nursing college on the Cape Flats and a mountain pass in the Katberg are also named after Malan. - Sapa
FEDICS
I tried to approach this company for information on their history. Any direct approach to head office was met with incompetent employees that has a hard time understanding English and had no idea where to transfer me to. FEDICS also do not publish any contact e-mail address that one can use.
After 3 transfer with no outcome I approach Fedics Durban via telephone call where a very friendly lady promise to assist.
After various emails below mails was send ...
Yasmine Abdul <YAbdul@fedics.co.za>
09:56 (1 hour ago) to me
Good Morning
I trust that you are well.
Unfortunately, I have no feedback for you regarding your query. This was quiet some time back and staff have no idea of what this is.
Thank you and I apologise for not being able to be of assistance to you. Have a blessed day,
to Yasmine
Hi Yasmine
Just to be clear before I use your response , Your company cant help me with you own history ?
Thanks
Well ... I got a phone call from quite a agitated lady (so not so friendly after all) say I should not threaten them (she pretty much called me being angry'ish already) ...to be clear I asked them for their history and if they know anything about these tokens that they used ...
So to sum up my dealings with FEDICS , a Company to stay clear from ...
Sources:
Wikipedia
Allyn Jacobs
FEDICS - NONE
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