Difference between revisions of "Vanessa Cooke"

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 1: Line 1:
−
(****-****).  Actress, playwright and director.  
+
'''Vanessa Cooke''' (1948-****).  Actress, playwright and director.  
  
−
Daughter of [[Roy Cooke]], she began in theatre at the age of 4 when she performed on stage at [[His Majesty's Theatre]] in Johannesburg in ''[[Madame Butterfly]]'' by the [[Italian Opera Company]].  
+
== Biography ==
 +
Vanessa is the daughter of [[Roy Cooke]].
  
−
Worked at the [[Arena Theatre]] in ''[[Hey Listen]]'', ''[[Woyzeck]]'' and ''[[People]]''.  Worked with [[The Company]] in ''[[Mama is Terry Home for Good]]'', ''[[Cop Out]]'' and ''[[Twelfth Night]]''.  Also performed in ''[[People Too]]'', ''[[Madame de Sade]]'', ''[[The Seagull]]'', ''[[Marat/Sade]]'' and ''[[People are Living There]]''. (SACD 1974) (SACD 1975/76) (SACD 1977/78)
+
=== Youth ===
  
−
COOKE, Vanessa. (19**-) Actress, playwright and director.  Daughter of [[Roy Cooke]]. Actress for the [[Space Theatre]] in [[Athol Fugard|Fugard]]’s ''[[Dimetos]]''. One of the founding members of [[The Company]], she performed in the ''[[Marat/Sade]]'', which was the official opening of the [[Market Theatre]] in 1976, as well as ''[[The Seagull]]'' which opened the [[Upstairs at the Market|Upstairs Theatre]]. Became a founding member and member of the board*? of the [[Market Theatre]]. **** Co-author of ''[[Cincinatti]]'' (with [[Barney Simon]] and the rest of the cast – 1979), ''[[This is for Keeps]]'' (with [[Danny Keogh]] and [[Janice Honeyman]] -1983), ''[[The Native Who Caused All the Trouble]]'' (with [[Fink Haysom]] and [[Danny Keogh] -1983),  ''[[Born in the RSA]]'' (with [[Barney Simon]] and the rest of the cast – 1985),*** Besides performing in all the foregoing, major acting roles include multiple characters, including Sheherazade*?, in ''[[An Arabian Night]]'' (197*), ****, Alice in *****''[[Alice  B. Toklas]]'' (198*), **** , ***. One of the founders of the [[Market Theatre Company]]. She starred in [[Marcel Pagnol]]’s ''[[Fanny]]'', which was staged  by the [[Johannesburg Repertory Society|Reps]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1967. She formed part of [[Mannie Manim]] and [[Barney Simon]]’s [[The Company]] together with [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]], [[Leonie Hofmeyr]], [[David Eppel]], [[Judith Cornell]], [[Janice Honeyman]], [[Sue Kiel]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lindsay Reardon]] and [[John Oakley-Smith]] around 1974. She starred in [[Barney Simon]]’s production of Chekhov’s [[The Seagull]] at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in June 1976 with [[Erica Rogers]], [[Sandra Prinsloo]], [[Bill Brewer]], [[Marius Weyers]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lindsay Reardon]] and [[Bess Finney]]. She starred in [[The Company]]’s presentation of [[Barney Simon]]’s revival of ''[[People are Living There]]'' with [[Wilson Dunster]], [[Yvonne Bryceland]] and [[Danny Keogh]] at The [[Market Theatre]] in 1977. She starred in Tom Stoppard’s ''[[Travesties]]'', directed by [[Malcolm Purkey]], with [[Nicholas Ellenbogen]] and [[William Kentridge]] at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1978. She starred in [[Barney Simon]]’s production of ''[[Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life]]'' together with [[Marcel van Heerden]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lesley Nott]], [[Barrie Shah]], [[Thoko Ntshinga]], [[Bo Petersen]], [[Sam Williams]] and [[Robin Smith]] for [[The Company]] at The [[Market Theatre]], [[Upstairs at the Market]], the [[Baxter Theatre]] and the [[Brooke Theatre]] in 1979. Together with [[Robert Whitehead]] she starred in [[Janice Honeyman]]’s production of ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1982. Together with [[Danny Keogh]] she starred in and wrote ''[[This is for Keeps]]'' which [[Janice Honeyman]] directed at the [[Laager]] in May 1983 before playing at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in August. She starred in [[Janice Honeyman]]’s production, ''[[Forbidden Fruits]]'', together with [[Jeremy Crutchley]], [[Mike Huff]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Amanda Strydom]] and [[Annelisa Weiland]] at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1983/84. Together with the cast comprising [[Fiona Ramsay]], [[Timmy Kwebulana]], [[Gcina Mhlope]], [[Terry Norton]], [[Thoko Ntshinga]] and [[Neil McCarthy]], and in collaboration with its director [[Barney Simon]], she helped write ''[[Born in the RSA]]'' which opened at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in August 1985 before moving to the main theatre. She starred in Michael Frayn’s ''[[Benefactors]]'' which was directed by [[Rex Garner]] for [[Pieter Toerien]] in 1985.  Starred in [[Bobby Heaney]]’s productions of Saumuel Beckett’s ''[[Catastrophe]]'' at the [[Wits Theatre]] in 1985. She starred in William M. Hoffman’s ''[[As Is]]'' which was directed by [[Janice Honeyman]] in 1986. She starred in Jerome Kilty’s ''[[Dear Love]]'' at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1988. She starred in Christopher Durang’s ''[[Laughing Wild]]'' at the [[Market Theatre]] in October 1990. She directed Jean Genet’s ''[[The Maids]]'' in 1993. (See Astbury, 1979; Schwartz, 1988; Tucker, 1997**)     
+
=== Training ===
 +
She did a BA in English and History at Wits, no theatre training.
  
−
Directed ''[[Meze, Mira and Make-Up]]'' written by and starring [[Irene Stephanou]]. She also directed ''[[Telegrams From Hell]]'' and ''[[The Maids]]'' for the Volkswagen Music Active Project and ''[[Julius Caesar]]'' for the [[Market Theatre Laboratory]].
+
=== Career ===
 +
She formed part of [[Mannie Manim]] and [[Barney Simon]]’s [[The Company]] together with [[Aletta Bezuidenhout]], [[Leonie Hofmeyr]], [[David Eppel]], [[Judith Cornell]], [[Janice Honeyman]], [[Sue Kiel]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lindsay Reardon]] and [[John Oakley-Smith]] around 1974.
  
−
Nominee 1991 Cooke, Vanessa in `Laughing Wild' (Johannesburg Repetory Players Award for best actress in a leading role in English);
+
Vanessa was one of the founder members of the [[Market Theatre]] in 1976 and she became director of the Market Theatre Laboratory in 1996.
  
−
Won [[Vita Award]] best supporting actress (Gauteng region) for ''[[How I Learnt to Drive]]'', August 1999.
+
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
  
 +
She began in theatre at the age of 4 when she performed on stage at [[His Majesty's Theatre]] in Johannesburg in ''[[Madame Butterfly]]'' by the [[Italian Opera Company]].
 +
 +
She starred in [[Marcel Pagnol]]’s ''[[Fanny]]'', which was staged  by the [[Johannesburg Repertory Society|Reps]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1967.
 +
 +
She worked at the [[Arena Theatre]] in ''[[Hey Listen!]]'', ''[[Woyzeck]]'', with [[The Company]] in ''[[Mama is Terry Home for Good]]'', ''[[Cop-Out]]'' and ''[[Twelfth Night]]''.  She also performed in ''[[People Too]]'', ''[[Marat/Sade]]'' and ''[[People are Living There]]''.
 +
 +
Actress for the [[Space Theatre]] in [[Athol Fugard|Fugard]]’s ''[[Dimetos]]''.
 +
 +
One of the founding members of [[The Company]], she performed in the ''[[Marat/Sade]]'', which was the official opening of the [[Market Theatre]] in 1976, as well as ''[[The Seagull]]'' which opened the [[Upstairs at the Market|Upstairs Theatre]].
 +
 +
Co-author of ''[[Cincinatti]]'' (with [[Barney Simon]] and the rest of the cast – 1979), ''[[This is for Keeps]]'' (with [[Danny Keogh]] and [[Janice Honeyman]] -1983), ''[[The Native Who Caused All the Trouble]]'' (with [[Fink Haysom]] and [[Danny Keogh] -1983), ''[[And Green And Golden]]'' (1982-3),  ''[[Born in the RSA]]'' (with [[Barney Simon]] and the rest of the cast – 1985),***
 +
 +
Besides performing in all the foregoing, major acting roles include multiple characters, including Sheherazade*?, in ''[[An Arabian Night]]'' (197*), ****, Alice in *****''[[Alice  B. Toklas]]'' (198*), **** , ***.
 +
 +
She starred in [[The Company]]’s presentation of [[Barney Simon]]’s revival of ''[[People are Living There]]'' with [[Wilson Dunster]], [[Yvonne Bryceland]] and [[Danny Keogh]] at The [[Market Theatre]] in 1977.
 +
 +
She starred in [[Barney Simon]]’s production of ''[[Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life]]'' together with [[Marcel van Heerden]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Lesley Nott]], [[Barrie Shah]], [[Thoko Ntshinga]], [[Bo Petersen]], [[Sam Williams]] and [[Robin Smith]] for [[The Company]] at The [[Market Theatre]], [[Upstairs at the Market]], the [[Baxter Theatre]] and the [[Brooke Theatre]] in 1979.
 +
 +
Together with [[Danny Keogh]] she starred in and wrote ''[[This is for Keeps]]'' which [[Janice Honeyman]] directed at the [[Laager]] in May 1983 before playing at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in August.
 +
 +
She starred in [[Janice Honeyman]]’s production, ''[[Forbidden Fruits]]'', together with [[Jeremy Crutchley]], [[Mike Huff]], [[Danny Keogh]], [[Amanda Strydom]] and [[Annelisa Weiland]] at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1983/84.
 +
 +
Together with the cast comprising [[Fiona Ramsay]], [[Timmy Kwebulana]], [[Gcina Mhlope]], [[Terry Norton]], [[Thoko Ntshinga]] and [[Neil McCarthy]], and in collaboration with its director [[Barney Simon]], she helped write ''[[Born in the RSA]]'' which opened at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in August 1985 before moving to the main theatre.
 +
 +
She starred in Michael Frayn’s ''[[Benefactors]]'' which was directed by [[Rex Garner]] for [[Pieter Toerien]] in 1985, in [[Bobby Heaney]]’s productions of Saumuel Beckett’s ''[[Catastrophe]]'' at the [[Wits Theatre]]also  in 1985 and in William M. Hoffman’s ''[[As Is]]'' which was directed by [[Janice Honeyman]] in 1986. She starred in Jerome Kilty’s ''[[Dear Love]]'' at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1988.
 +
 +
 +
 +
Directed ''[[Meze, Mira and Make-Up]]'' written by and starring [[Irene Stephanou]]. She also directed ''[[Telegrams From Hell]]'' and ''[[The Maids]]'' in 1993 for the Volkswagen Music Active Project and ''[[Julius Caesar]]'' for the [[Market Theatre Laboratory]].
 +
 +
She wrote [[Struts and Frets]], co-devised and directed [[Ladies and Gentlemen, Shakespeare!]],
 +
 +
Roles in Show Me Yours..., [[Woyzeck ]] (1973), [[The Seagull]] (1976), [[Mother Courage]] (1977), [[Antigone (by Jean Anouilh)]] (1975), ''[[Travesties]]''  (1978), ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' (1982), [[ Gertrude Stein and a Companion]] (1985),[[Catastrophe]] (1995),  [[Laughimg Wild]] (1990), [[The Belle of Amherst]] (1990), [[Six Degrees of Separation]] (1991), [[Indiscretions]] (1996), [[Beauty Queen of Leenane (2008), [[Benefactors]], [[Big Bad Mouse]], [[Blithe Spirit]], [[Cop-Out]], [[The Death of Bessie Smith]], [[Exit the King]], [[Lysistrata]], [[Madame de Sade]], [[Private Lives]], [[Romeo and Juliet]].
 
2013-14 Played "Grace" in ''[[Vigil]]'' (Morris Panych)
 
2013-14 Played "Grace" in ''[[Vigil]]'' (Morris Panych)
  
−
==Sources==
+
She had a role in the 1970 film [[Bitter Lied van die Somer|Forgotten Summer]].
 +
 
 +
== Awards, etc ==
 +
She is the winner of two [[Vita Awards]] for Best Actress, a [[DALRO]] award for best supporting actress and an Amstel award for best script as co-writer of [[The Native Who Caused All the Trouble]].
 +
 
 +
Nominated in 1991 for her role in`Laughing Wild' (Johannesburg Repetory Players Award for best actress in a leading role in English);
 +
 
 +
Won [[Vita Award]] best supporting actress (Gauteng region) for ''[[How I Learnt to Drive]]'', August 1999. (learned?)
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Sources ==
 +
Weekly Mail, 26 September 1996.
 +
 
 +
[[SACD]] 1974; 1975/76; 1977/78.
  
 
Programme notes of ''[[Meze, Mira and Make-Up]]'' at the Market Theatre in 1996.
 
Programme notes of ''[[Meze, Mira and Make-Up]]'' at the Market Theatre in 1996.
  
−
Return to [[ESAT Personalities C]]
+
[[ESAT Bibliography Ar-Az|Astbury]] 1979.
 +
 
 +
[[ESAT Bibliography Schr-Schw|Schwartz]] 1988.
 +
 
 +
[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Return to ==
 +
 
 +
Return to [[ESAT Personalities C]]  
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 +
 +
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Revision as of 10:57, 15 December 2016

Vanessa Cooke (1948-****). Actress, playwright and director.

Biography

Vanessa is the daughter of Roy Cooke.

Youth

Training

She did a BA in English and History at Wits, no theatre training.

Career

She formed part of Mannie Manim and Barney Simon’s The Company together with Aletta Bezuidenhout, Leonie Hofmeyr, David Eppel, Judith Cornell, Janice Honeyman, Sue Kiel, Danny Keogh, Lindsay Reardon and John Oakley-Smith around 1974.

Vanessa was one of the founder members of the Market Theatre in 1976 and she became director of the Market Theatre Laboratory in 1996.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

She began in theatre at the age of 4 when she performed on stage at His Majesty's Theatre in Johannesburg in Madame Butterfly by the Italian Opera Company.

She starred in Marcel Pagnol’s Fanny, which was staged by the Reps at the Alexander Theatre in 1967.

She worked at the Arena Theatre in Hey Listen!, Woyzeck, with The Company in Mama is Terry Home for Good, Cop-Out and Twelfth Night. She also performed in People Too, Marat/Sade and People are Living There.

Actress for the Space Theatre in Fugard’s Dimetos.

One of the founding members of The Company, she performed in the Marat/Sade, which was the official opening of the Market Theatre in 1976, as well as The Seagull which opened the Upstairs Theatre.

Co-author of Cincinatti (with Barney Simon and the rest of the cast – 1979), This is for Keeps (with Danny Keogh and Janice Honeyman -1983), The Native Who Caused All the Trouble (with Fink Haysom and [[Danny Keogh] -1983), And Green And Golden (1982-3), Born in the RSA (with Barney Simon and the rest of the cast – 1985),***

Besides performing in all the foregoing, major acting roles include multiple characters, including Sheherazade*?, in An Arabian Night (197*), ****, Alice in *****Alice B. Toklas (198*), **** , ***.

She starred in The Company’s presentation of Barney Simon’s revival of People are Living There with Wilson Dunster, Yvonne Bryceland and Danny Keogh at The Market Theatre in 1977.

She starred in Barney Simon’s production of Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life together with Marcel van Heerden, Danny Keogh, Lesley Nott, Barrie Shah, Thoko Ntshinga, Bo Petersen, Sam Williams and Robin Smith for The Company at The Market Theatre, Upstairs at the Market, the Baxter Theatre and the Brooke Theatre in 1979.

Together with Danny Keogh she starred in and wrote This is for Keeps which Janice Honeyman directed at the Laager in May 1983 before playing at Upstairs at the Market in August.

She starred in Janice Honeyman’s production, Forbidden Fruits, together with Jeremy Crutchley, Mike Huff, Danny Keogh, Amanda Strydom and Annelisa Weiland at Upstairs at the Market in 1983/84.

Together with the cast comprising Fiona Ramsay, Timmy Kwebulana, Gcina Mhlope, Terry Norton, Thoko Ntshinga and Neil McCarthy, and in collaboration with its director Barney Simon, she helped write Born in the RSA which opened at Upstairs at the Market in August 1985 before moving to the main theatre. 

She starred in Michael Frayn’s Benefactors which was directed by Rex Garner for Pieter Toerien in 1985, in Bobby Heaney’s productions of Saumuel Beckett’s Catastrophe at the Wits Theatrealso  in 1985 and in William M. Hoffman’s As Is which was directed by Janice Honeyman in 1986. She starred in Jerome Kilty’s Dear Love at the André Huguenet Theatre in 1988.


Directed Meze, Mira and Make-Up written by and starring Irene Stephanou. She also directed Telegrams From Hell and The Maids in 1993 for the Volkswagen Music Active Project and Julius Caesar for the Market Theatre Laboratory.

She wrote Struts and Frets, co-devised and directed Ladies and Gentlemen, Shakespeare!,

Roles in Show Me Yours..., Woyzeck (1973), The Seagull (1976), Mother Courage (1977), Antigone (by Jean Anouilh) (1975), Travesties (1978), Romeo and Juliet (1982), Gertrude Stein and a Companion (1985),Catastrophe (1995), Laughimg Wild (1990), The Belle of Amherst (1990), Six Degrees of Separation (1991), Indiscretions (1996), [[Beauty Queen of Leenane (2008), Benefactors, Big Bad Mouse, Blithe Spirit, Cop-Out, The Death of Bessie Smith, Exit the King, Lysistrata, Madame de Sade, Private Lives, Romeo and Juliet. 2013-14 Played "Grace" in Vigil (Morris Panych)

She had a role in the 1970 film Forgotten Summer.

Awards, etc

She is the winner of two Vita Awards for Best Actress, a DALRO award for best supporting actress and an Amstel award for best script as co-writer of The Native Who Caused All the Trouble.

Nominated in 1991 for her role in`Laughing Wild' (Johannesburg Repetory Players Award for best actress in a leading role in English);

Won Vita Award best supporting actress (Gauteng region) for How I Learnt to Drive, August 1999. (learned?)


Sources

Weekly Mail, 26 September 1996. 

SACD 1974; 1975/76; 1977/78.

Programme notes of Meze, Mira and Make-Up at the Market Theatre in 1996.

Astbury 1979.

Schwartz 1988.

Tucker, 1997.


Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities C

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page

Retrieved from "https://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php?title=Vanessa_Cooke&oldid=119746"