Francois Swart
Francois Swart (1938-1994) was a highly regarded actor and director.
His first name sometimes written in the French style as François Swart.
Contents
Biography
Possessed of a superbly resonant voice, he trained under Elizabeth Sneddon at the Department of Speech and Drama at the University of Natal
He died of cancer at the age of fifty-six in January 1994.
Career
Swart started out as an actor, but gradually turned to directing and developed into one of the finest directors the country has ever seen. Probably his period of most impact was his stint as Artistic Director at PACT between 1972 and 1978, when he not only put on marvellous productions of local and international plays, but specifically guided an inspired PACT Afrikaans company and the budding new playwrights of the time (e.g. Bartho Smit, André P. Brink, Chris Barnard, P.G. du Plessis) to what is still considered by many to be the first golden age of Afrikaans theatre.
He ended his career with a short stint as Professor of Drama at Rhodes University (198*-198*), a time during which he trained and mentored a number of leading performers and authors, notably playwrights Reza de Wet and Deon Opperman.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
As actor
Roles include: "Germanicus" in Germanicus (NTO, 1958), Something New (1961), Lady Barker's Last Appearance (Cockpit Players, 1961), Die Skuld van Oedipus (PACT, 1963), Die Renosters (PACT, 1963), Lokval Vir 'n Man Alleen (PACT, 1963), Montserrat (PACT, 1963), Die Gebreekte Kruik (PACT, 1963), "Hamlet" in Hamlet (PACT, 1964), Twaalfde Nag (PACT, 1964), "Don Giorgio" in Die Lewe wat ek jou Gegee het (PACT, 1964), "Dr Prosema" in Die Onwillige Weduwee (PACT, 1965), "Orestes" in Electra (PACT, 1965), Die Trommel (PACT, 1965), "Monsieur Robert' in Dokter teen Wil en Dank (PACT, 1966), "Urbain Grandier" in The Devils (PACT, 1966), "Mr Purgon" in The Hypochondriac (PACT, 1967), "Luciano Spina" in The Mask and the Face (PACT, 1967), "Orin" in Mourning Becomes Electra (PACT, 1967), Heartbreak House (PACT, 1967), Drie Susters (PACT, 1970), "the Cardinal" in Die Hamer van die Hekse (PACT, 1975).
As director
Stage director
1965: Die Koffer (PACT)
1965: Soldate Vryers (PACT)
1966: Die Italiaanse Strooihoed (PACT)
1966: The Beaux Stratagem (PACT)
1966: Dokter teen Wil en Dank (PACT)
1966: As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is (PACT)
1968: Die Dans van die Reier (PACT)
1968: Kringloop van die Liefde (PACT)
1969: Die Drie Van Der Walts (PACT)
1969: Die Terroriste (PACT)
1969: Die Koopman van Venesië (PACT)
1970: Die Nag van Legio (PACT)
1970: A Winter Vacation (PACT)
1971: Siener in die Suburbs (PACT)
1971: Die Hand Vol Vere (PACT)
1971: People are Living There (PACT)
1971: Much Ado About Nothing (PACT)
1972: Ampie Oppie Diekens (PACT)
1972: Marching Song (PACT)
1973: Die Verhoor (PACT)
1973: Iemand Om Voor Nag Te Sê (PACT)
1974: Plaston: DNS-Kind (PACT)
1974: Hedda Gabler in Afrikaans (PACT)
1975: 'n Seder val in Waterkloof (PACT)
1975: Othello in Afrikaans (PACT)
1976: 'n Seder val in Waterkloof (PACT)
1976: Intimate Relations (PACT)
1976: Misdaad op Bokeiland (PACT)
1976: 'n Man met Vakansie (PACT)
1976: The Rape of the Belt (PACT)
1977: Taraboemdery (PACT)
1977: My Fair Lady (PACT)
1978: Die Keiser (PACT)
1978: A Tribute to Lili Lamont (PACT)
1979: Windmills of the Mind (PACT)
1979: Die Drie Van Der Walts (PACT)
1979: Becket of die Eer van God (PACT)
198?: Die Vasvat van 'n Feeks
1980: Die Drie Van Der Walts (PACT)
1980: Al Om Die Ander...? (PACT)
1980: Die Verhoor (PACT)
1980: Kom terug, Klein Sheba (PACT)
1981: Germanicus (PACT)
1981: Twaalfde Nag (PACT)
1982: Die Leeu in die Winter (PACT)
1982: Monday After the Miracle (PACT)
1983: Electra (Rhodes University Drama Department)
1984: Virtue in Danger (Rhodes University Drama Department)
1985: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Rhodes University Drama Department)
1985: Don Juan onder die Boere (PACOFS)
1985: Bloedbruilof (PACOFS)
1986: Die Ketter (PACT)
1986: Die Huigelaar (PACT)
1986: Don Juan onder die Boere (PACT)
1986: Die Laaste Sondag (PACT)
1986/1987: Look Back in Anger (PACT)
1987: Hamlet in Afrikaans (PACT)
1987: Mary Stuart (PACT)
1987: Measure for Measure (CAPAB)
1987: Soldate Vryers (SWAPAC)
1988: Everything in the Garden (CAPAB)
1989: As You Like It (PACT)
1989: Camelot (PACT with PACOFS and NAPAC)
1989: My Father's House (PACT)
1990: Koning Lear (PACT)
1990: My Fair Lady (PACT with PACOFS and NAPAC)
1991: Brigadoon (Pretoria State Theatre)
1991: Raai Wie Kom vir Ete? (PACT)
1991: Jan en die Boontjierank (PACT)
1992: Death and the King’s Horseman (PACT)
1992: Die Aand van die Fynproewer (PACT)
1993: A Delicate Balance (PACT)
Film director
Primarily a stage director, Swart made only two essays into film directing, starting out with a filmed version of his iconic production of Siener in die Suburbs in 1973 and followed by Skadu's van Gister (1974).
As translator
He translated Hotel Paradiso into Afrikaans.
With Tjaart Potgieter, he translated Le Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur into Afrikaans, titled Die Huigelaar.
He translated The Lion in Winter into Afrikaans as Die Leeu in die Winter.
He translated Huis Clos into Afrikaans as In Kamera.
Awards
He won best director for his direction of P.G. du Plessis’s Siener in die Suburbs starring Marius Weyers and Sandra Prinsloo which was staged by PACT in 1971
In 1971, he was the first recipient of the Breytenbach Epathlon, a trophy for the best South African director on the Pretoria and Johannesburg stages.
Sources
Tucker, 1997.
Various entries in the NELM catalogue.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4820504/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2141933/?ref_=nm_knf_t_1
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