Paul Jacobs

Paul Jacobs (19**-). Actor, director and theatre administrator.

Biography

Paul grew up in Eersterust in the Pretoria area. He was funded by the British Council to study acting and directing at the British Theatre Association in London for three months. On his return he became the resident director of EPAC.

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

Founder of a theatre group in Eerstrus outside Pretoria in 19**. Under the guidance of drama lecturer Hannes Horne they put on a number of striking plays about "coloured" life in South Africa, many of them highly political. They included Kanna, hy kô Hystoe (Adam Small, 1965), Bacchus in die Boland (Bartho Smit, 1974), Kinkels innie Kabel (André P. Brink, 1971).

As an actor he normally played the lead in the productions. In 19* they renamed themselves the Eersterus Performing Arts Council, with Jacobs still the chairman, and did dramatised literary works for schools under the auspices of the Department of Education and Culture.

Gradually Jacobs obtained professional roles and he went on to become a full-time professional performer.

Paul was involved in the 1979 production of A Lesson from Aloes (Market Theatre) and he had a role in Comrades (PACT 1986).

Awards, etc

Sources

Photographs taken during the production of "A lesson from aloes" : Identified on the photographs are : Marius Weyers, Paul Jacobs, Bill Curry, Shelagh Holliday, [Collection: MARKET THEATRE]: 2004. 30. 5. 52.

PACT theatre programme, 1986.

Scenaria interviews Paul Jacobs. 1988.

Go to ESAT Bibliography