Sutton Vane

Sutton Vane is the name of two actor/playwrights, father and son. The elder Sutton Vane spent some time in South Africa.

Sutton Vane Snr

Sutton Vane Snr ()[] was a British actor, playwright, stage and theatre manager, biographer.

Biography

Sutton Vane Sr. wrote a number of plays including Adrift, The Cotton King and The Span of Life, (some of his plays were filmed in the beginning years of the twentieth century).

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

Brought out to South Africa in 1875 by Disney Roebuck. He seems to have worked for Roebuck in a variety of capacities till the latter's death in 1885.

In 1875 he became stage manager for the revamped Oddfellows Hall, which Roebuck now dubbed the Bijou Theatre, working on some 140 plays there in the first season. He also became Roebuck's biographer, under the pseudonym Vane Bennett.

Returned to Britain to continue his career.

Sources

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 316-384

Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg: p.

Go to the ESAT Bibliography

Sutton Vane Jnr (1888–1963)

Born Vane Sutton-Vane in England in 1888, he was the son of an author and playwright Sutton Vane snr.

He is perhaps best known for his play Outward Bound (1923).

For the life and work of Sutton Vane Jnr, see for example the entry in Wikipedia[1].

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