Sandra Duncan

Sandra Duncan (19**-). Actress on stage and screen.

Biography

Born in Crosby, Merseyside, England, in 1947, she trained at RADA and on graduating worked extensively in repertory in England. In this time she also did some film and TV work, including appearances in Brian Rix Presents (1960), and Emmerdale Farm (1972).Then, in 1974, she came to South Africa to to star in Let Sleeping Wives Lie for the Toerien-Firth Company, remaining in the country for much of the time, for the next 20 years. She then returned to resettle in England in 1993.

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

Her other work for the Toerien-Firth Company included The Pay-Off, Otherwise Engaged, Getting Away With Murder, and appearances for Pieter Toerien in Vanities, The Anastasia File in 1986, Miscarriage of Murder, Stepping Out at the André Huguenet Theatre in 1986, The Anastasia File 1987, Deadly Embrace under Moira Lister’s direction at the Leonard Rayne Theatre in 1987,.

She also did numerous productions for other companies, among them:

Twelfth Night (withNAPAC, 1978), Dusa Stas Fish and Vi (at the Market Theatre), Sly Fox (at the Market Theatre) and The Norman Conquests (at the Baxter Theatre), Bodies (Market Theatre), A Midsummer Night's Dream (NAPAC), A.R. Gurney’s Children (with Erica Rogers and Kim Braden at the Intimate Theatre in 1974), Twelfth Night (NAPAC 1978), Rose 1980/1981, Macbeth (CAPAB 1981), Monday After the Miracle for PACT, 1982, The Lady's not for Burning PACT in 1982, Virginia at Upstairs at the Market in February 1983, The Night of the Iguana (PACT, 1983), she replaced Fiona Ramsay in Agnes of God, 1983, Virginia, 1984, The Merchant of Venice (PACOFS, 1985), played the title role in William Luce’s Lillian at Upstairs at the Market in 1988, she starred in Terrence Shank’s production of Persona at the Windybrow in May 1990, A Moon for the Misbegotten 1992, she played "Aunt Alicia" in Lerner and Loewe's Gigi at the Pretoria State Theatre in 1992, she starred in Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance in 1993.

She also did the occasional film and TV work in South Africa, e.g. appearing in the film Survivor (1987)

Awards, etc

"Sarah" in The Norman Conquests (Fleur du Cap Theatre Award, Best Supporting Actress, 1979),

"Virginia Woolf" in Virginia (Fleur du Cap Theatre Award, Best Actress, 1984),

"Mrs Manahn" in The Anastasia File (Fleur du Cap Theatre Award, Best Actress, 1987).

Vita National 1992 for her performance in Persona, and as Josie Hogan in A Moon for the Misbegotten [actress of the year];

Nominated DALRO 1993 A Delicate Balance (best actress on the English stage);

Sources

SACD 1977/78; 1979/80.

Rose programme notes, 1980.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Tucker, 1997.

Interview with Murray McGibbon 2011 [1].

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