Brian Darnley

Brian Darnley (1949-). British actor and director.

Biography

Brian trained as teacher of Educational Drama in Newcastle upon Tyne. After college he joined the acting company of Brian Way’s Theatre Centre, London - touring to schools throughout the UK. He later established Theatre Roundabout – a Theatre in Education Company in Durban, South Africa - performing to audiences of all races during apartheid. It was here that he started writing – to provide original material for the theatre company.

He married actress Lynette Brown. The Darnleys left South Africa in 1980.

He has worked in television, radio and theatre as an actor, presenter, director, writer and teacher. Highlights include coaching at E15 Acting School, playing the lead role in the 35th year of The Mousetrap and appearing in Dr Who (1983).

He is a Fellow of Trinity College, London and has an MBA from the University of Reading.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

With his wife, Lyn, they worked extensively in theatre for NAPAC, acted in radio plays and serials at the SABC and independent production houses, and taught at the Catherine King school of Speech and Drama.

As actor, Brian performed in The Moon is Blue, The Deep Blue Sea, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and in The Unvarnished Truth.

Founded and directed for Theatre Roundabout and also for PACT Playwork.

He also wrote plays for children, including The Great Wopperloop (1973) and Zoomerang (1975).

Sources

SACD 1974; 1978/79; 1979/80.

Greyvenstein, Walter 1988. The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.

https://www.silverbirchingtonplays.com/ourauthors

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1556358/

https://news.artsmart.co.za/2020/09/tribute-to-former-south-african-actress.html

Go to ESAT Bibliography