Stephanie Fauré

Stephanie Fauré (b. 09/09/1894 - d. 25/12/1961) was an elocutionist, actress and director of early Afrikaans theatre.

Also found as Stephanie Faure

Biography

Having trained in Antwerp, Belgium, with Prof E. De Lauwerijs, she returned to South Africa in 1924, to work with amateurs in Pretoria and Johannesburg, and later became a member of the management of the Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniging en Toneelskool, established by Danie Smal. In 1925 she met Paul de Groot, with whom she then did a number of speech recitals in Pretoria and Johannesburg, and performed in Die Heks (1925), Huis Toe (1925), Oorskotjie (1925), and other plays. The pivotal production of Huis Toe in July really launched professional theatre in Afrikaans. She initally served as De Groot’s speech coach in Afrikaans and his directing colleague, but by the end of 1925 she had left the company to work on her own, touring through the country with her speech recitals.

Her contribution to South African theatre

As elocutionist

Shortly after her return to the country she met Paul de Groot in 1925 and did a number of speech recitals in Pretoria and Johannesburg with him. She also served as De Groot’s speech coach in Afrikaans and his directing colleague, but by the end of 1925 she had left the company to work on her own, touring through the country with her own speech recitals.

Subsequently appointed as lecturer in Afrikaans and English elocution at the Transvaalse Universiteitskollege (TUK) (i.e. Transvaal University College, later to become the University of Pretoria) she became immensely influential. Among her students were to feature such later luminaries as Wena Naudé and Hélèna Botha. Utilizing her students as performers she helped to launch a number of new works by Afrikaans authors, including H.A. Fagan, C. Louis Leipoldt and J.F.W. Grosskopf.

As actress

For Paul de Groot, she performed , among others, in Die Heks (1925), Huis Toe (1925) and Oorskotjie (1925). These productions, particularly that of Huis Toe, were pivotal events in the history South African theatre, effectively launching professional theatre in Afrikaans in the country.

As director

For a while during 1925 she acted as assistant director to Paul de Groot, as well as doing her own productions, working with both amateurs and professionals. Her productions include the first (amateur) production of H.A. Fagan’s Lenie (for the TUK Toneelvereniging), C. Louis Leipoldt’s Die Heks (1925), Jochem van Bruggen’s dramatized novel Ampie (which helped to adapt, 1930), C. Louis Leipoldt’s Die Laaste Aand (1931).

Her work in film included her role as the co-director (with Joseph Albrecht) and star of the first Afrikaans sound film, Moedertjie (1931).

Sources

Ludwig Wilhelm Berthold Binge. 1969. Ontwikkeling van die Afrikaanse toneel (1832-1950). Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik.

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