Phoenix Players - Revision history

Darryl: /* History */

2025-12-31T13:48:36Z

History

Darryl: /* Sources */

2025-12-31T13:40:12Z

Sources

Darryl: /* Productions */

2025-12-31T13:39:49Z

Productions

Darryl: /* Productions */

2025-12-31T13:38:51Z

Productions

Darryl: /* Productions */

2025-12-31T13:37:59Z

Productions

Darryl: /* Productions */

2025-12-31T13:35:43Z

Productions

Darryl: /* Productions */

2025-12-31T13:05:07Z

Productions

Darryl: /* History */

2025-12-31T13:02:29Z

History

Darryl: /* History */

2025-12-31T13:02:19Z

History

Darryl at 13:01, 31 December 2025

2025-12-31T13:01:18Z

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==History==
 Founded in 1965 at [[Dorkay House]] as an offshoot of [[Union Artists]] by [[Ian Bernhardt]] of [[Union Artists]] and director [[Barney Simon]] to produce [[Athol Fugard]]’s ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]''.
 Despite the personal commitment of the white members of Phoenix Players to furthering the work of black performers, directors and producers and some excellent work produced, there was much criticism from [[BCM]] members because of the perceived preferment given to white members of the company.

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 == Sources ==
-PACT/CAPAB's, in association with Phoenix Players, productions of ''[[People are Living There]]'' and ''[[Boesman and Lena]]'' programme notes in 1969/70.
+[[PACT]]/[[CAPAB]]'s, in association with [[Phoenix Players]], productions of ''[[People are Living There]]'' and ''[[Boesman and Lena]]'' programme notes in 1969/70.
 == For more information ==

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 : [[Barney Simon]] directed [[Athol Fugard]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]]’s workshopped play, ''[[Sizwe Banzi is Dead]]'', starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by [[Ian Bernhardt]] for the Players and was staged at the Men’s Common Room at [[Wits University]] in November.
-In 197* they collaborated with [[Corney Mabaso]] to produce the variety show ''[[Isintu]]'', which went on to tour Japan (as ''[[Meropa]]'') and England (as ''[[KwaZulu]]'').  [[Brickhill-Burke]] reworked this play and reopened [[His Majesty's Theatre]] with it on the 3 December 1974. (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) [TH]
+In 197* they collaborated with [[Corney Mabaso]] to produce the variety show ''[[Isintu]]'', which went on to tour Japan (as ''[[Meropa]]'') and England (as ''[[KwaZulu]]'').  [[Brickhill-Burke]] reworked this play and reopened [[His Majesty's Theatre]] with it on the 3 December 1974.
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 : [[Barney Simon]] directed [[Athol Fugard]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]]’s workshopped play, ''[[Sizwe Banzi is Dead]]'', starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by [[Ian Bernhardt]] for the Players and was staged at the Men’s Common Room at [[Wits University]] in November.
-In 197* they collaborated with [[Corney Mabaso]] to produce the variety show ''[[Isintu]]'', which went on to tour Japan (as ''[[Meropa]]'') and England (as KwaZulu).
+In 197* they collaborated with [[Corney Mabaso]] to produce the variety show ''[[Isintu]]'', which went on to tour Japan (as ''[[Meropa]]'') and England (as ''[[KwaZulu]]'').  [[Brickhill-Burke]] reworked this play and reopened [[His Majesty's Theatre]] with it on the 3 December 1974. (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) [TH]
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 : [[Barney Simon]] directed [[Athol Fugard]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]]’s workshopped play, ''[[Sizwe Banzi is Dead]]'', starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by [[Ian Bernhardt]] for the Players and was staged at the Men’s Common Room at [[Wits University]] in November.
-In 197* they collaborated with Mabaso to produce the variety show ''[[Isintu]]'', which went on to tour Japan (as ''[[Meropa]]'') and England (as KwaZulu).
+In 197* they collaborated with [[Corney Mabaso]] to produce the variety show ''[[Isintu]]'', which went on to tour Japan (as ''[[Meropa]]'') and England (as KwaZulu).
 They performed in the black musical Meropa, previously called Isintu, which toured to Japan and the Far East.  Brickhill-Burke reworked this play and reopened [[His Majesty's Theatre]] with it on the 3 December 1974. **** (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) [TH]

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:05, 31 December 2025
Line 25:		Line 25:

	They performed in the black musical Meropa, previously called Isintu, which toured to Japan and the Far East. Brickhill-Burke reworked this play and reopened [[His Majesty's Theatre]] with it on the 3 December 1974. **** (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) [TH]		They performed in the black musical Meropa, previously called Isintu, which toured to Japan and the Far East. Brickhill-Burke reworked this play and reopened [[His Majesty's Theatre]] with it on the 3 December 1974. **** (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) [TH]
−
−
−	There were also performances of ''[[An Ideal Husband]]'', ''[[Cabaret]]'', ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'' and the two plays presented by the visiting Cambridge University's, Dryden Society [https://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/societies/directory/drydensoc/] (''[[All's Well That Ends Well]]'' and ''[[Marat/Sade]]''.

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 Despite the personal commitment of the white members of Phoenix Players to furthering the work of black performers, directors and producers and some excellent work produced, there was much criticism from [[BCM]] members because of the perceived preferment given to white members of the company.
-From 1967, [[Cornelius Mabaso|Corney Mabaso]] was artistic director. [[Percy Tucker]] a trustee of the Players circa 1974.
+From 1967, [[Cornelius Mabaso|Corney Mabaso]] was artistic director. [[Percy Tucker]] was a trustee of the Players circa 1974.
 ==Productions==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Phoenix Players. Founded in 1965 at [[Dorkay House]] as an offshoot of [[Union Artists]] by [[Ian Bernhardt]] of [[Union Artists]] and director [[Barney Simon]] to produce [[Athol Fugard]]’s ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]''.
+Phoenix Players.
 Despite the personal commitment of the white members of Phoenix Players to furthering the work of black performers, directors and producers and some excellent work produced, there was much criticism from [[BCM]] members because of the perceived preferment given to white members of the company.
 ==Productions==
@@ Line 8: / Line 13: @@
 : They went on to sponsor black cast shows such as [[Soweto Ensemble]]’s ''[[Shaka]]'' (directed by [[Cornelius Mabaso|Corney Mabaso]]).
 /1970: Together with [[CAPAB]] and [[PACT]], they staged [[Athol Fugard]]’s ''[[Boesman and Lena]]'' and ''[[People are Living There]]'', both directed by Fugard and starring [[Yvonne Bryceland]] and [[Glynn Day]].
@@ Line 15: / Line 22: @@
 : [[Barney Simon]] directed [[Athol Fugard]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]]’s workshopped play, ''[[Sizwe Banzi is Dead]]'', starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by [[Ian Bernhardt]] for the Players and was staged at the Men’s Common Room at [[Wits University]] in November.
-In 197* they collaborated with Mabaso to produce the variety show Isuntu, which went on to tour Japan (as Meropa) and England (as KwaZulu).  [[Cornelius Mabaso|Corney Mabaso]] was artistic director and Percy Tucker a trustee of the Players circa 1974. They performed in the black musical Meropa, previously called Isintu, which toured to Japan and the Far East.  Brickhill-Burke reworked this play and reopened [[His Majesty's Theatre]] with it on the 3 December 1974. **** (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) [TH]
+In 197* they collaborated with Mabaso to produce the variety show ''[[Isuntu]]'', which went on to tour Japan (as ''[[Meropa]]'') and England (as KwaZulu).
-In the PACT/CAPAB's, in association with Phoenix Players, productions of ''[[People are Living There]]'' and ''[[Boesman and Lena]]'' programme notes in 19**: 'Phoenix Players is the performing arts arm of Union Artists - the organisation that caters for the cultural interests of Non-Europeans in Transvaal. Both organisations are housed in Dorkay House, the ramshackle building at the bottom end of Eloff Street where you are likely to encounter a pop band in rehearsal as the superb Ionian Male Choir or a children's percussion band. Dorkay House activities range from classes in music and drama to film evenings and lectures. In 1969 Phoenix arranged performances for non-European audiences by Sarah Churchill, Gÿorgy Pauk and David Kossoff. There were also performances of ''[[An Ideal Husband]]'', ''[[Cabaret]]'', ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'' and the two plays presented by the visiting Cambridge University's, Dryden Society [https://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/societies/directory/drydensoc/] (''[[All's Well That Ends Well]]'' and ''[[Marat/Sade]]''. It was in the rehearsal room of Dorkay House that productions like ''[[King Kong]]'', ''[[The Emperor Jones]]'', ''[[King of the Dark Chamber]]'' and ''[[Sponono]]'' were rehearsed. Here also Athol Fugard found his feet as playwright and director. The name, ''[[Rehearsal Room]]'' was coined by Athol Fugard for the group of enthusiastic, talented African actors who worked with him at that time. The first Fugard play ''[[No-Good Friday]]'' was born in Dorkay House. This was followed by ''[[Nongogo]]'' and then the play which made his reputation as a playwright of international reputation - ''[[The Blood Knot]]''. During the period he was resident director in the Rehearsal Room the work of many modern playwrights, from Steinbeck to Pinter were included in the repertoire. A particularly memorable production of Beckett's ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'' won wide acclaim. One of the first Phoenix Players productions was the last Fugard play to be seen in Johannesburg, ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]''. During the present season Athol Fugard will again work in the Rehearsal Room. One of his projects will be a play to be toured to the schools in the non-European townships.'
+They performed in the black musical Meropa, previously called Isintu, which toured to Japan and the Far East.  Brickhill-Burke reworked this play and reopened [[His Majesty's Theatre]] with it on the 3 December 1974. **** (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) [TH]
 == Sources ==