This one-man play … a love story … a war story … a slice of life just after the Boer War, is written and acted by Groenewald with the direction of Clive Rodel. The original music is by the composer DuPreez Strauss.

Daar was ‘n Tyd is a multimedia theatre piece that makes use of live action, filmed sequences and original music by Strauss to tell the story of the 85-year-old Josef Hofmeyer, an old man with an ever-burning unrequited love. It is narrated by the playwright actor Groenewald and delivered with an unabashed patriotism and a profound love of the Afrikaans language.

Daar was 'n Tyd explores the lives and loves and the destinies of the people of Dalsburg, a small platteland town and farming district. Passion and tragedy run through the story through decades of lives ruined through deceit and ignorance and healed again with love. It is set against the background of farm life at the end of the nineteenth century. The story unfolds between the years 1903 to1970; from the end of the Anglo-Boer War to the moon landing in 1969.

The play celebrated its first year on stage at the Foxwood Theatre in 2010 but it actually began years ago in 1985. A true story emerged from the Free State and was presented as a radio play for the Afrikaans Service of Radio South Africa. It enjoyed great success. Some years later it underwent a metamorphosis - Joan Plowright, the well-known British actress, became involved and together with her daughter and the author Groenewald with his partner Pieter de Vos, the story was re-written as a feature film and after six re-writes all four were satisfied with the results. However the British producer Clive Parsons decided not to use Plowright's daughter in the title role and she and her daughter then withdrew from the project, as did De Vos. A few years later, after the death of Parsons in 2009, Groenewald decided to go ahead on his own and convert the play to a stage play.

The growth and change that took place during 2010 developed Daar was ‘n Tyd to a level where it can be regarded as a full-fledged drama in a genre all of its own.

Daar was ‘n Tyd will be on at Foxwood Theatre, 13, 5th Street (not avenue), Houghton Estate, Johannesburg on Wednesday,, 26 February and Wednesday 5 March. There will be further shows on Friday, 28 and Saturday, 29 March at 20:00 and on Sunday, 30 March at Noon. The running time is 75 minutes and there is no interval. Tickets cost R100 with pensioners only having to pay R50. To book, phone 011 486 0935 or email [email protected].

For more information, visit www.foxwood.co.za.

Groenewald’s play can also be seen at the Stellenbosch Woordfees 2014 festival on Tuesday, 11 March at 11:00 and Wednesday, 12 March at 20:30 at the Klein Libertas Theatre.