Leslie French - Revision history

Darryl: /* Biography and career */

2025-08-04T08:54:15Z

Biography and career

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Biography and career

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Sources

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Biography and career

Darryl: /* Contributions to South African theatre */

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Contributions to South African theatre

Darryl: /* As actor */

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As actor

Darryl: /* As director */

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As director

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As director

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As director

Darryl: /* As actor */

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As actor

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:54, 4 August 2025
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	His film work includes roles in ''The Scapegoat'' (1959), ''The Singer Not the Song'' (1961), ''Death in Venice'' (1971) , etc, and many TV dramas and series. TV appearances in the UK included Silence in ''[[Henry IV, Part II]]'', The Judge in ''[[Crown Court]]'' and Noddy in ''[[The Singing Detective]]''.		His film work includes roles in ''The Scapegoat'' (1959), ''The Singer Not the Song'' (1961), ''Death in Venice'' (1971) , etc, and many TV dramas and series. TV appearances in the UK included Silence in ''[[Henry IV, Part II]]'', The Judge in ''[[Crown Court]]'' and Noddy in ''[[The Singing Detective]]''.
		+
		+	He died in Ewell, Surrey, on the 21" January 1999. He was ninety-four.

	== Contributions to South African theatre ==		== Contributions to South African theatre ==

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 ==Biography and career==
-Born Leslie Richard French on 23 April 1904 in Bromley, Kent and was educated at the London School of Choristers. Started in theatre on December 14, 1914, as a boy chorister at the London College of Choristers. In 1918, he joined Ben Greet's Shakespeare Company and for the next five years toured England in many classical pieces, the company returning annually to play a season in London.  He went on to star in Lillian Bayliss' Old Vic productions and also celebrated for his work with the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park from 1952 onwards. Famous in England for is portrayals of Shakespearean characters such as "Puck" and "Ariel" (he was the nude model for the statue of Ariel on the facade of the BBC's Broadcasting House in London)  and his film work  - roles in ''The Scapegoat'' (1959), ''The Singer Not the Song'' (1961), ''Death in Venice'' (1971) , etc, and many TV dramas and series. TV appearances in the UK included Silence in ''[[Henry IV, Part II]]'', The Judge in ''[[Crown Court]]'' and Noddy in ''[[The Singing Detective]]''.
+Born Leslie Richard French on 23 April 1904 in Bromley, Kent and was educated at the London School of Choristers. Started in theatre on December 14, 1914, as a boy chorister at the London College of Choristers. In 1918, he joined Ben Greet's Shakespeare Company and for the next five years toured England in many classical pieces, the company returning annually to play a season in London.  He went on to star in Lillian Bayliss' Old Vic productions and also celebrated for his work with the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park from 1952 onwards. Famous in England for is portrayals of Shakespearean characters such as "Puck" and "Ariel" (he was the nude model for the statue of Ariel on the facade of the BBC's Broadcasting House in London).
 == Contributions to South African theatre ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:49, 4 August 2025
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	http://www.maynardville.co.za		http://www.maynardville.co.za
		+
		+	https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA1011582X_168

	Theatre programme from the 1993 production of ''[[An Evening with Leslie French]]''.		Theatre programme from the 1993 production of ''[[An Evening with Leslie French]]''.

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 ==Biography and career==
-Born Leslie Richard French on 23 April 1904 in Bromley, Kent and was educated at the London School of Choristers. Started in theatre on December 14, 1914, as a boy in the '''Ben Greet Players''' and went on to star in Lillian Bayliss' Old Vic productions and also celebrated for his work with the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park from 1952 onwards. Famous in England for is portrayals of Shakespearean characters such as "Puck" and "Ariel" (he was the nude model for the statue of Ariel on the facade of the BBC's Broadcasting House in London)  and his film work  - roles in ''The Scapegoat'' (1959) , ''The Singer Not the Song'' (1961), ''Death in Venice'' (1971) , etc, and many TV dramas and series. TV appearances in the UK included Silence in ''[[Henry IV, Part II]]'', The Judge in ''[[Crown Court]]'' and Noddy in ''[[The Singing Detective]]''.
+Born Leslie Richard French on 23 April 1904 in Bromley, Kent and was educated at the London School of Choristers. Started in theatre on December 14, 1914, as a boy chorister at the London College of Choristers. In 1918, he joined Ben Greet's Shakespeare Company and for the next five years toured England in many classical pieces, the company returning annually to play a season in London.  He went on to star in Lillian Bayliss' Old Vic productions and also celebrated for his work with the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park from 1952 onwards. Famous in England for is portrayals of Shakespearean characters such as "Puck" and "Ariel" (he was the nude model for the statue of Ariel on the facade of the BBC's Broadcasting House in London)  and his film work  - roles in ''The Scapegoat'' (1959), ''The Singer Not the Song'' (1961), ''Death in Venice'' (1971) , etc, and many TV dramas and series. TV appearances in the UK included Silence in ''[[Henry IV, Part II]]'', The Judge in ''[[Crown Court]]'' and Noddy in ''[[The Singing Detective]]''.
 == Contributions to South African theatre ==

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 French’s chief connection with South African theatre came through his close relationship with [[Cecilia Sonnenberg]] and [[René Ahrenson]]’s [[Maynardville Open-air Theatre]], a venue he helped found and develop, also directing the first production there. He was later also instrumental in the establishment of the [[Mannville Open-air Theatre]]  in Port Elizabeth in association with [[Helen Mann]].
-He went on to visit South Africa regularly between 1956 and 1971, to work for various companies, beginning with ''[[The Tempest]]'' for the [[Johannesburg Repertory Society|Johannesburg Reps]] in 1956, starring [[David Crichton]], and going on to act in and especially direct many other memorable Shakespeare productions for companies and venues such as  [[Maynardville]], [[Mannville]], The [[Johannesburg Repertory Society|Johannesburg Reps]], and [[PACOFS]] (in conjunction with the [[Bloemfontein Shakespeare Circle]]).
+He went on to visit South Africa regularly between 1956 and 1975, to work for various companies, beginning with ''[[The Tempest]]'' for the [[Johannesburg Repertory Society|Johannesburg Reps]] in 1956, starring [[David Crichton]], and going on to act in and especially direct many other memorable Shakespeare productions for companies and venues such as  [[Maynardville]], [[Mannville]], The [[Johannesburg Repertory Society|Johannesburg Reps]], and [[PACOFS]] (in conjunction with the [[Bloemfontein Shakespeare Circle]]).
 ===As actor===

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:30, 14 July 2025
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	His one-man show, ''[[An Evening with Leslie French]]'', was a great success in England, America and South Africa and was last performed at [[the Nico]] on February 28, 1993.		His one-man show, ''[[An Evening with Leslie French]]'', was a great success in England, America and South Africa and was last performed at [[the Nico]] on February 28, 1993.
		+
		+	He played Feste in ''[[Twelfth Night]]'' (1970, [[Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild]] and the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society]]).

	He played Shylock in ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' (1971, [[ Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild]] and the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society]])		He played Shylock in ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' (1971, [[ Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild]] and the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society]])

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:25, 14 July 2025
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	1970: ''[[Twelfth Night]]'' ([[ Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild]] and the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society]])		1970: ''[[Twelfth Night]]'' ([[ Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild]] and the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society]])
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		+	1970: ''[[The Way of the World]]'' ([[CAPAB]])

	1971: ''[[The Winter's Tale]]'' ([[Maynardville]])		1971: ''[[The Winter's Tale]]'' ([[Maynardville]])

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 The plays he directed include:
 : ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]'' ([[Spotlight Theatre]], [[Maynardville]])
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 : ''[[Macbeth]]'' ([[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]])
-: Romeo and Juliet (with [[Roy Sargeant]], [[Maynardville]])
+: ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' (with [[Roy Sargeant]], [[Maynardville]])
 : ''[[Love's Labour's Lost]]'' ([[Maynardville]])

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 : ''[[The Tempest]]'' ([[Johannesburg Repertory Society|Johannesburg Reps]])
 : ''[[As You Like It]]'' ([[Maynardville]])
 : ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' ([[Maynardville]])
 : ''[[The Tempest]]'' ([[PACOFS]]/the [[Bloemfontein Shakespeare Circle]])
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 : ''[[The Tempest]]'' ([[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]])
 : ''[[Macbeth]]'' ([[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]])
-: ''[[Love's Labour's Lost]]'' ([[Maynardville]])
+: Romeo and Juliet (with [[Roy Sargeant]], [[Maynardville]])
 ==Awards==

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 His one-man show, ''[[An Evening with Leslie French]]'', was a great success in England, America and South Africa and was last performed at [[the Nico]] on February 28, 1993.
-He played Shylock in ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' (1971)
+He played Shylock in ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' (1971, [[ Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild]] and the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society]])
 ===As director===