René Ahrenson
René Ahrenson (1905-1990) was an actress, director and theatre entrepreneur.
Born and raised in Cape Town (??). In collaboration with her friend Cecilia Sonnenberg, she created the Spotlight Theatre during the second world war and they held numerous play readings in the Electricity House Theatre in Strand Street. *
September 6 - 11, 1943: Directed Arsenic and Old Lace which was produced by the SAWAS of Command 14 Entertainment Unit (Benoni) at the Standard Theatre, Johannesburg. Starred Captain George Bollaire of the SAAF. He came to South Africa from England where he starred in Squadron X. Other cast members included Taubie Kushlick, Reginald Rawlings, Cecilia Sonnenberg, Fred Loehnen and Joel Herold. Proceeds from the concert went to the SAWAS Red Cross Prisoners of War Fund and Command 14 Entertainment Welfare Work.
In 1948 she directed the Irish play Happy as Larry for the UCT Dramatic Society with a cast of students. * In 1956 she and Sonnenberg initiated and went on to manage the Shaespeare productions at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre in Wynberg, Cape Town. There she appeared in and directed numerous productions, including ****.
Also a founder member of The Company of Four with Leonard Schach, Donald Inskip and Cecilia Sonnenberg.
[TH, FdV]
Sources
The Women's Auxiliary, September 1943, pg 39.
See: De Beer, 1995; Tucker, 1997; Inskip, 197*
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