Brian Brooke - Revision history

Darryl: /* As actor, director and producer */

2026-06-09T16:25:51Z

As actor, director and producer

Darryl: /* Sources */

2026-06-09T16:24:19Z

Sources

Darryl: /* Awards, etc. */

2026-06-09T16:24:01Z

Awards, etc.

Darryl: /* Legacy */

2026-06-09T16:23:35Z

Legacy

Darryl: /* Legacy */

2026-06-09T16:22:54Z

Legacy

Darryl at 16:22, 9 June 2026

2026-06-09T16:22:39Z

Darryl: /* Sources */

2026-06-09T16:19:34Z

Sources

Darryl at 10:38, 29 May 2025

2025-05-29T10:38:15Z

Miriamt at 09:15, 27 April 2018

2018-04-27T09:15:48Z

Fogterop at 09:03, 15 September 2017

2017-09-15T09:03:02Z

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 He also started bringing out British guest artists to appear with his company in 1952, starting with Cecil Parker for ''[[The White Sheep of the Family]]'' (1952) and Emlyn Williams for Charles Dickens (1954)  and Dylan Thomas: ''[[A Boy Growing Up]]'' (1956).
-In 1955 he moved to Johannesburg where he designed and built the [[Brooke Theatre]] (demolished 1981). They opened with ''[[The Deep Blue Sea]]'' and followed this with over 300 plays in South Africa, touring many of them. He tended to concentrate on light farce and drawing room comedy, both acting and directing. Among them were ''[[The Reluctant Debutante]]'' (1956),  ''[[Separate Tables]]'' (1957), ''[[Janus]]'' (1958), ''[[Grab Me a Gondola]]'' (1958), ''[[Charley's Aunt]]'' (1960), ''[[The Sound of Music]]'' (1963), ''[[How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying]]'' (1965), ''[[Tevye and His Daughters]]'' (1966), ''[[Listen to the Wind]]'' [?*] (1966), ''[[The Minstrel Show]]'' (1966) and  ''[[The Odd Couple]]'' (with Anthony James, 1966), ''[[Harvey]]'' (1969), ''[[You Can't Take it With You]]'' (1972), ''[[Any Wednesday]]'' (1973), ''[[Home at Seven]]'' (1977).
+In 1955 he moved to Johannesburg where he designed and built the [[Brooke Theatre]] (demolished 1981). They opened with ''[[The Deep Blue Sea]]'' and followed this with over 300 plays in South Africa, touring many of them. He tended to concentrate on light farce and drawing room comedy, both acting and directing. Among them were ''[[The Reluctant Debutante]]'' (1956),  ''[[Separate Tables]]'' (1957), ''[[Janus]]'' (1958), ''[[Grab Me a Gondola]]'' (1958), ''[[Charley's Aunt]]'' (1960), ''[[The Sound of Music]]'' (1963), ''[[How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying]]'' (1965), ''[[Tevye and His Daughters]]'' (1966), ''[[Listen to the Wind]]'' [?*] (1966), ''[[The Minstrel Show]]'' (1966) and  ''[[The Odd Couple]]'' (with Anthony James, 1966), ''[[Harvey]]'' (1969), ''[[You Can't Take it With You]]'' (1972), ''[[Any Wednesday]]'' (1973), ''[[Home at Seven]]'' (1977). He produced and directed (with [[Shelagh Miller]]) ''[[Three Cheers for President Charlie]]'' (1972).
 Research material on Brian Brooke: photocopies from an unidentified scrap book relating to productions by Brian Brooke, mostly undated, including See how they run [Sept. 1950]; ''[[Thark]]'' [Nov. 1950]; ''[[Charley's Aunt]]'' [Dec. 1950]; ''[[The Case of the Frightened Lady]]'' [Nov 1950]; ''[[Blithe Spirit]]'' [Jan. 1951]; ''[[A Worm's Eye View]]'' [April 1951]; ''[[Spring in Marino]]'' [April-June 1951]; ''[[Blue Bird]]'' [Oct. 1951];''[[The White Sheep of the Family]]'' [April - May 1952]; ''[[The Holly and the Ivy]]'' [June 1952]; ''[[Waters of the Moon]]'' [June to Oct. 1952?]; ''[[Black Coffee]]'' [Nov. 1952]; ''[[French Without Tears]]''; ''[[The Relapse]]''; ''[[Will Any Gentleman?]]''; ''[[Murder Mistaken]]'' and ''[[It Won't be a Stylish Marriage]]'' [July 1953] (Source: [[NELM]] [Collection: ASCH, Valda]: 2005. 65. 7.)
 ==As playwight==

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:24, 9 June 2026
Line 40:		Line 40:

	[[Walter Greyvenstein\|Greyvenstein, Walter]] 1988. ''The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa''. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.		[[Walter Greyvenstein\|Greyvenstein, Walter]] 1988. ''The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa''. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.
		+
		+	''[[Teater SA]]'', 1(3), 1969

	Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]		Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 == Awards, etc. ==
 At a banquet to mark the 25th anniversary of the [[SAATM]] in November 1982, [[Taubie Kushlick]], Brian Brooke and [[Jim Stodel]] were honoured for their contributions to theatre over the years. ([[NELM]]: [Collection: LINDBERG, Des and Dawn]: 2005. 56. 9. 1).
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 ==Legacy==
-His autobiography, entitled ''My Own Personal Star'', was published by his son [[Michael Brooke|Michael]]'s The Limelight Press in 1978. In 1989 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of literature by the International University Foundation.
+His autobiography, entitled ''My Own Personal Star'', was published by his son [[Michael Brooke|Michael]]'s The Limelight Press in 1978.
 == Awards, etc. ==

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 His autobiography, entitled ''My Own Personal Star'', was published by his son [[Michael Brooke|Michael]]'s The Limelight Press in 1978. In 1989 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of literature by the International University Foundation.
 Three Leaf Arts Special Award for Accomplishmennt, 1968. (Source: ''[[Teater SA]]'', 1(3), 1969).
 == Awards, etc. ==

@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 [[Brian Brooke]] ''My own Personal Star: An Autobiography''. Johannesburg : The [[Limelight Press]], 1978.
-Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography]]
+[[Walter Greyvenstein|Greyvenstein, Walter]] 1988. ''The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa''. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.
 == Return to ==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Brian Brooke]] (b. 27/09/1911 - d. Randburg, 26/04/1997) was an actor, director, producer, playwright and impressario.
-Born in South Africa, but sought a theatrical career in England before the Second World War. Served with the British armed forces in World War II. After demobilisation and further repertory experience in England, he and his new wife [[Petrina Fry]], returned to South Africa in 1946 to start a professional repertory company, the Brian Brooke Theatre Company,  in Cape Town, utilizing the [[Hofmeyr Theatre]] as their base, but also touring to the Transvaal under the auspices of [[African Consolidated Theatres]]. Brooke tended to concentrate on light farce and drawing room comedy, both acting and directing.
+Born in South Africa, but sought a theatrical career in England before the Second World War. Served with the British armed forces in World War II. After demobilisation and further repertory experience in England, he and his new wife [[Petrina Fry]], returned to South Africa in 1946 to start a professional repertory company, the [[Brian Brooke Theatre Company]],  in Cape Town, utilizing the [[Hofmeyr Theatre]] as their base, but also touring to the Transvaal under the auspices of [[African Consolidated Theatres]]. Brooke tended to concentrate on light farce and drawing room comedy, both acting and directing.
 Some of his numerous acting and directing include Coward’s ''[[Present Laughter]]'' (1948/9),  ''[[No Room at the Inn]]'' (1949), ''[[The Heiress]]'' (1949), ''[[Edward My Son|Edward, My Son]]'' (1950 – it closed after five days), ''[[Traveller's Joy]]'' (1950),  ''[[See How They Run]]'' (1950),  R.F. Delderfield’s ''[[A Worm’s Eye View]]'' (1951).

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:15, 27 April 2018
Line 16:		Line 16:

	Research material on Brian Brooke: photocopies from an unidentified scrap book relating to productions by Brian Brooke, mostly undated, including See how they run [Sept. 1950]; ''[[Thark]]'' [Nov. 1950]; ''[[Charley's Aunt]]'' [Dec. 1950]; ''[[The Case of the Frightened Lady]]'' [Nov 1950]; ''[[Blithe Spirit]]'' [Jan. 1951]; ''[[A Worm's Eye View]]'' [April 1951]; ''[[Spring in Marino]]'' [April-June 1951]; ''[[Blue Bird]]'' [Oct. 1951];''[[The White Sheep of the Family]]'' [April - May 1952]; ''[[The Holly and the Ivy]]'' [June 1952]; ''[[Waters of the Moon]]'' [June to Oct. 1952?]; ''[[Black Coffee]]'' [Nov. 1952]; ''[[French Without Tears]]''; ''[[The Relapse]]''; ''[[Will Any Gentleman?]]''; ''[[Murder Mistaken]]'' and ''[[It Won't be a Stylish Marriage]]'' [July 1953] (Source: [[NELM]] [Collection: ASCH, Valda]: 2005. 65. 7.)		Research material on Brian Brooke: photocopies from an unidentified scrap book relating to productions by Brian Brooke, mostly undated, including See how they run [Sept. 1950]; ''[[Thark]]'' [Nov. 1950]; ''[[Charley's Aunt]]'' [Dec. 1950]; ''[[The Case of the Frightened Lady]]'' [Nov 1950]; ''[[Blithe Spirit]]'' [Jan. 1951]; ''[[A Worm's Eye View]]'' [April 1951]; ''[[Spring in Marino]]'' [April-June 1951]; ''[[Blue Bird]]'' [Oct. 1951];''[[The White Sheep of the Family]]'' [April - May 1952]; ''[[The Holly and the Ivy]]'' [June 1952]; ''[[Waters of the Moon]]'' [June to Oct. 1952?]; ''[[Black Coffee]]'' [Nov. 1952]; ''[[French Without Tears]]''; ''[[The Relapse]]''; ''[[Will Any Gentleman?]]''; ''[[Murder Mistaken]]'' and ''[[It Won't be a Stylish Marriage]]'' [July 1953] (Source: [[NELM]] [Collection: ASCH, Valda]: 2005. 65. 7.)
		+
		+	== Awards, etc. ==
		+	At a banquet to mark the 25th anniversary of the [[SAATM]] in November 1982, [[Taubie Kushlick]], Brian Brooke and [[Jim Stodel]] were honoured for their contributions to theatre over the years. ([[NELM]]: [Collection: LINDBERG, Des and Dawn]: 2005. 56. 9. 1).

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:03, 15 September 2017
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	[[Brian Brooke]] (1911-26/04/1997) was an actor, director, producer, playwright and impressario.	+	[[Brian Brooke]] (b. 27/09/1911 - d. Randburg, 26/04/1997) was an actor, director, producer, playwright and impressario.

	Born in South Africa, but sought a theatrical career in England before the Second World War. Served with the British armed forces in World War II. After demobilisation and further repertory experience in England, he and his new wife [[Petrina Fry]], returned to South Africa in 1946 to start a professional repertory company, the Brian Brooke Theatre Company, in Cape Town, utilizing the [[Hofmeyr Theatre]] as their base, but also touring to the Transvaal under the auspices of [[African Consolidated Theatres]]. Brooke tended to concentrate on light farce and drawing room comedy, both acting and directing.		Born in South Africa, but sought a theatrical career in England before the Second World War. Served with the British armed forces in World War II. After demobilisation and further repertory experience in England, he and his new wife [[Petrina Fry]], returned to South Africa in 1946 to start a professional repertory company, the Brian Brooke Theatre Company, in Cape Town, utilizing the [[Hofmeyr Theatre]] as their base, but also touring to the Transvaal under the auspices of [[African Consolidated Theatres]]. Brooke tended to concentrate on light farce and drawing room comedy, both acting and directing.