University of Cape Town Drama Department

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The Drama Department of the University of Cape Town, often referred to as UCT Drama Department.

Incorporated into the Centre for Theatre, Dance & Performance Studies (CTDPS) in 2018.

History

Speech Training at the South African College of Music (1914-1948)

The beginnings of the Drama Department at the University of Cape Town are to be found in the South African College of Music (SACM) as early as 1909 with classes in elocution offered by Frank Holt. From 1914, Mina Freund taught elocution there.

When the SACM was amalgamated with the University of Cape Town in 1923 this work continued. From 1925-1930, the Speech Training course was offered in the Faculty of Education. In 1931 the course was once more offered by the SACM. By this time, Speech Training was headed up by Ruth Peffers.

In 1936, a three-year Diploma in Speech Training and Elocution was offered for the first time by the Music Faculty. From 1940 the Diploma course included Drama, and from 1942 a Teachers Diploma in Speech Training, which included Drama, was offered.

In 1942, Rosalie van der Gucht was offered and accepted a position as an assistant to Peffers. When Peffers retired in 1946, van der Gucht was promoted to head of Speech Training.

Some of the earliest productions during this period were produced by Prof William Henry Bell (the first principal of the SACM), including a production of Everyman.

Department of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, Faculty of Arts, University of Cape Town (1948-1980)

Van der Gucht was HoD till 1971, when she was succeeded by Robert Mohr.

Department of Drama (1980-2018)

In 1980 the name was changed to the Drama Department.

Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies (2018-)

In 2018 the Department of Drama and the School of Dance merged into one entity focusing on the study of performance in general, with specialisations in theatre and dance. The Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies offers a BA and a 3-year diploma in theatre and performance.

The University of Cape Town's Dramatic Society

For many years, there was a Dramatic Society operating at the university in which all students - not simply Drama students - were able to participate. One such member was Roy Sargeant, who went on to become a prolific theatre director and, as Head of English Drama at the SABC, TV producer.

For more information, see University of Cape Town's Dramatic Society.

Programmes

UCT Drama Residency

The UCT Drama Residency(Cape Town) provides an opportunity for highly skilled black theatre practitioners to provide role models for the student body; to influence the aesthetic of the work produced by the department and to bring a strong black African perspective to current debate and working methods. MOST SUCCESSFUL ACT-FUNDED PROJECT AWARD 2005

Venues

The Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies (formerly the University of Cape Town Drama Department) is housed in the University of Cape Town's Little Theatre Complex at the Hiddingh Campus in Orange Street. The Little Theatre provides theatre spaces and facilities for theatre research at UCT as well as production opportunities for theatre, film and television companies, and community groups. The theatre coordinates a programme of classical, contemporary and experimental student productions throughout the academic year. Facilities include a scenery workshop, a costume wardrobe, and furniture and properties stores.

The site consists of several performance and rehearsal spaces:

The venues showcase a tombola of delights, from cutting-edge plays by critically acclaimed playwrights to work by emerging performers and students. There's also a poster-plastered bar for pre-show socialising.

The Little Theatre

The Little Theatre is a fully-fledged theatre space with a proscenium arch, built-in seating, an existing lighting rig and sound system, a foyer with a cash bar, as well as dressing rooms. It seats 210 people when fully booked. The Little Theatre is supported by the Drama Department’s Workshop and Wardrobe.

For more information, see UCT Little Theatre.

The Intimate Theatre

Situated behind the Little Theatre on Orange Street, this space was originally built in the 1950's, after the Drama Department's studios had burnt down, and was to be used as a student working space and rehearsal studios.

In 2002, Christopher Weare and Patrick Curtis re-opened the space as a theatre venue, primarily for use by newly established professionals. They called it The Intimate Theatre, and intended it to be used as a venue in which to experiment and produce work without a crippling theatre rental. Among the groups to use it have been The Mechanicals.

The Bindery Lab

The Bindery Lab is a traditional black box with removable seating. The theatre has its own dressing room adjacent to the space. It has a sound system and can seat up to 82 people, depending on the seating arrangement.

The Arena Theatre

The Arena Theatre is an adaptable theatre space with removable seating. Performances can be done in a conventional seating array, side-seating, in-the-round or thrust-seating array. The theatre has a dressing room and balcony and a foyer with a bar. It has a well equipped sound system and can seat up to 70 people, depending on the seating arrangement.

The Rehearsal Studio

The Rehearsal Studio is ideal for large scale rehearsals, movement classes and/or installation pieces. It often contains temporary seating space for an audience and is situated in the old Commerce Building on campus.

Productions

Pre-1931: Everyman produced in English by professor William H. Bell with Minna Freund as his first production at the Stal Plein Hotel.

1931: Hippolytus, directed by Ruth Peffers.

1932: The Cradle Song, directed by Ruth Peffers; Marriage à la Mode, directed by Ruth Peffers.

1933: Zuster Beatrijs, directed by Ruth Peffers.

1937: Wild Decembers, directed by Rollo Gamble.

1938: The Old Maid (with the University of Cape Town Dramatic Society), directed by Leontine Sagan.

1942: The Tidings Brought to Mary, directed by Ruth Peffers.

1943: The Cradle Song, directed by Leontine Sagan.

1944: Family Portrait, directed by Ruth Peffers.

1945: The Pleasure Garden, directed by Ruth Peffers; The Boy With A Cart, directed by Rosalie van der Gucht.

1946: The Insect Play, directed by Nancy M. Body.

1947: Hippolytus, directed by Matine Harman.

1948: The Glass Slipper, directed by Matine Harman.

1949: The Fan, directed by Matine Harman; The Story of the Western Wing, directed by Matine Harman; Christmas in the Market Place, directed by Matine Harman.

1951: The Would-be Gentleman, directed by Matine Harman

1955: Die Koopman van Venesië (University of Cape Town's Speech and Drama Department with K.A.T. and B.A.T.), directed by Fred Engelen; The Chosen of God directed by Fred Engelen.

1959: Mary Stuart, directed by Gretel Mills.

1961: The Grass Harp, directed by Robert Mohr.

1962: Salad Days, directed by Robert Mohr; Straat Loop Dood directed by Robert Mohr.

1964: J.B., directed by Robert Mohr; Barnstable and The Maids, directed by Robert Mohr.

1965: Waiting for Godot, directed by Robert Mohr.

1967: Seppuku, directed by Robert Mohr; Little Malcolm and his Struggle against the Eunuchs, directed by Mavis Taylor; Cook's Tour Special, directed by Robert Mohr.

1968: The Fantasticks, directed by Robert Mohr; Peer Gynt, directed by Mavis Taylor.

1969: Cape Parade Adventure, directed by Janice Honeyman; Oh, What a Lovely War!, directed by Mavis Taylor; Hamlet, directed by Robert Mohr; Black Comedy and The Hole, directed by Robert Mohr.

1970: The Knack, directed by Mavis Taylor; A Flea in Her Ear, directed by Aubrey Berg; Spring Awakening, directed byTessa Marwick, Three Sisters, directed by Rosalie van der Gucht; The Crucible, directed by Rosalie van der Gucht; Brecht on Brecht, directed by Robert Mohr.

1971: Kinkels innie Kabel, directed by Robert Mohr; The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, directed by Gay Morris.

1972: Story Theatre, directed by Aubrey Berg; The Tale of the Red Dragon, directed by Aubrey Berg; You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, directed by Robert Mohr.

1973: A Tail and Other Tales from Beatrix Potter, directed by Sue Broer; The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See..., directed by Sue Broer.

1974: How We Held the Square, directed by Sue Broer.

1975: The Philanthropist, directed by Robert Mohr.

1976: The Magic Pouch/Zingu se Toorsak, directed by Esther van Ryswyk.

1977: WAM, directed by Susan Broer and Esther van Ryswyk.

1977: As You Like It, presented at the Baxter Theatre, directed by Robert Mohr.

1978: Elizabeth I, presented at the Baxter Concert Hall, directed by Robert Mohr

1979: Saint Joan of the Stockyards, presented at the Baxter Theatre, directed by Mavis Taylor.

1980: Marat/Sade, presented at the Baxter Concert Hall, directed by Mavis Taylor.

1980: The Jubba Jugga Junkyard Jollies!, directed by Annie Barnes.

1981: Tom Paine, presented at the Baxter Concert Hall, directed by Mavis Taylor.

1981: Hey! Hooray!, directed by Annie Barnes.

1981: Waddle Doddle Weeds, directed by Alfred Rietmann.

1981: The Plastic Place, directed by Alfred Rietmann.

1982: Holy Moses and All That Jazz, directed by Janice Honeyman.

1983: The Land of Green Ginger, directed by Robin Lake.

1983: The Beggar's Opera (with UCT Opera School).

1984: The Big Top Tussle, directed by Alfred Rietmann.

1984: You'll Never Guess!, directed by Zelia Quintal.

1984: Die Van Aardes van Grootoor, directed by James Blanckenberg.

1984: Names and Nicknames, directed by Peter Kruger.

1986: Thina Bantu, presented at the Baxter Studio, directed by Mavis Taylor.

1986: Battle for the Bandstand, directed by Lisa Jacobson.

1989: Habeas Corpus, directed by Geoffrey Hyland.

1990: Agamemnon, directed by Geoffrey Hyland.

2018: A Lie of the Mind, directed by Geoffrey Hyland; Yerma, directed by Geoffrey Hyland.

2020: Blood Wedding, directed by Geoffrey Hyland (cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions).

Sources

Donald Inskip, 1972.

Baxter Theatre Official Website, https://baxter.uct.ac.za/history-2

https://www.uct.ac.za/explore-uct/arts-and-culture

Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne (eds.). 1988. Theatre Alive! The Baxter Story 1977-1987).

Greyvenstein, Walter 1988. The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.

Dalrymple, Lynn 1987a. Explorations in drama, theatre and education :a critique of theatre studies in South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Durban: University of Natal.

Return to

Return to South African Theatre Venues, Companies, Societies, etc

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page

Retrieved from "https://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php?title=University_of_Cape_Town_Drama_Department&oldid=292086"