Peter Shaffer

Peter Shaffer(1926-2016)[1] is a British playwright and director.

For biographical details, see Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Shaffer.

His South African connection

All his works, have been performed in South Africa, and he has also visited the country on occasion.

As director

In 1964 he directed a revival of Blithe Spirit for Taubie Kushlick at the Intimate Theatre in Johannesburg.

His plays performed in South Africa

He wrote Five Finger Exercise which was staged at the Brooke Theatre in 1959, guest-starring Emlyn Williams’ son, Brook. He directed Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit, and The Private Ear and The Public Eye, for Taubie Kushlick at the Intimate Theatre in 1964. John Hussey directed his double bill Black Comedy and The White Liars with Ruth Oppenheim and Eckard Rabe for PACT at the Alexander Theatre in 1972. Pieter Toerien staged his Equus which was directed by Leonard Schach starring British actors John Fraser and Dai Bradley together with Anne Courtneidge, Kim Braden, Fiona Fraser and Michael Howard at the Civic Theatre in 1975. His The Royal Hunt of the Sun, directed by Leonard Schach and starring Keith Grenville, Marius Weyers, Michael McCabe, David Horner, Patrick Mynhardt and Bill Flynn was staged during the opening season of the Pretoria State Theatre in 1981. Pieter Toerien staged his Amadeus starring Richard Haines and Ralph Lawson and directed by Nikolas Simmonds at the Alhambra Theatre in 1981. Michael Atkinson replaced Richard Haines in a subsequent extended season. Roy Sargeant directed his Shrivings with Joe Stewardson and John Hussey for PACT in 1982. Pieter Toerien presented his Lettice and Lovage in 1988.

As a director, he came to South Africa in 1964 to direct a revival of Blithe Spirit for Taubie Kushlick at the Intimate Theatre in Johannesburg.

Sources

Tucker, 1997

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