Erik de Waal

Erik de Waal (19**-2023) was a South African puppeteer, storyteller and performer.

Biography

Born in ***

Since 1999 he has lived in the Western Cape, but spends half the year performing for audiences of all ages in theatres, at festivals and schools around the world.

Training

Completed high school at ***. He started performing in amateur plays while at high school.

After beginning a course in Economics and finance, he switched to drama at the University of Stellenbosch, completing a B.Dram/B.A. (?*) in acting (with specializations in puppetry and cabaret) and an Honours Degree in Educational Theatre from the same university.

Career

Based in Cape Town, he spends much of the year performing his kind of educational theatre for audiences of all ages in theatres, at festivals and schools around the world.

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

As a student he acted in Die Balkon (1990),

He has written, directed and performed in more than 50 professional productions in the last fifteen years and has been performing in Canada since 1999. Touring with two shows, namely his educational children's show, African Folktales with Erik de Waal (for kids aged four to 10,) and Erik de Waal's Tales from the Twilight, he travels from Montreal and Ottawa in the East to Vancouver Island in the west and Dawson City and Whitehorse in the North. The shows are in the form of storytelling theatre, and use masks, puppets and marionettes. He has also performed in South Africa, England, Ireland and Turkey over this same period.