David Horner
David Horner (1934-1985). Actor (stage and radio), director, lecturer.
Contents
Biography
Youth
Training
Studied at the University of Natal’s Department of Drama in Durban.
Career
Became lecturer in Department of Drama in Durban, then the founding head of the Drama Department at the University of Durban-Westville. From here he was appointed as first head of the School of Speech and Drama, University of the Witwatersrand in 1975.
A consummate performer, he performed for NTO and PACT, amongst other companies.
He was also the Durban representative for SAFTU.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
As actor
The Children's Theatre presented an evening of readings by Horner in 1958.
He appeared in The Sound of Music (1964), Ghosts (NAPAC, 1968), In the Bag (Candlelight Theatre, 1968), Late Harvest (Candlelight Theatre, 1968), The Hollow Crown (University of the Witwatersrand School of Dramatic Art, 1980), Satin and Tweed (Theatre International, 1965), Royal Hunt of the Sun (as “de Soto” with PACT, 1981).
Other roles (dates unknown) include The King and I (as “The King”), Pygmalion (as “Higgins”), King Lear (as “Gloucester”), Twelfth Night (as “Aguecheek”), The Prisoner (as “Cardinal”).
He was also a renowned exponent of the one-man show, his repertoire including Paul Gallico's The Snow Goose, Churchill, Man of Destiny (1974), Frank O'Hagen's Satin and Tweed (1980).
For many years he played the role of Christ in the Durban Passion Play until the role was taken over by Jonathan Berwick in 1978.
As director
He directed a number of plays, including:
1971: The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See...
1982: Reynard the Fox
1984: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Awards, etc
Sources
SACD 1974; 1975/76; 1981/82.
The Natal Witness, 28 February 1978.
Tucker, 1997.
Material held by NELM re. Churchill: Man of Destiny: [Collection: TURNER, Sophie]: 2001. 30. 2. 15 and [Collection: KORT, Maurice]: 2012. 379. 9. 21.
Greyvenstein, Walter 1988. The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.
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