Difference between revisions of "Donald Inskip"

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INSKIP, Donald. (19**-1989) An influential theatre critic, administrator and advisor on theatre matters. Born in ***, he studied French **** In *** appointed at the University of Cape Town, later becoming professor and chairman of the French department in 1932. Instrumental in founding the [[Little Theatre]] (along with Professor [[William H. Bell]]), he became director of it in 1937 and a member of its board. As director he lobbied for a new theatre committee to deal more strongly with the issues facing the theatre. He also gives the [[University Dramatic Society]] a student representative in the new committee, and later becomes Honorary President of the student society. In 1960 he was appointed in the newly created post of Deputy Principle of UCT, though retaining his directorship of the Little Theatre, but was henceforth not able to give time to acting or producing. A longtime chairman of the [[Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society]] and member of the [[Johannesburg Repertory Society|Johannesburg (?*) REPS]], he was was instrumental in bringing [[Leontine Sagan]] to South Africa in 1939. In January 1947 was made a member of a sub-committee of the National Council for Adult Education, intended to study theatre matters. It further consisted of [[P.P.B. Breytenbach]] (chair), [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]], [[Myles Bourke]], and [[Steve Naudé]] (secretary), and submitted a proposal for a state-funded theatre to the government. This evenually led to the establishment of  the [[National Theatre Organisation]] ([[NTO]]) in 1947, with Inskip a member of the first board. * He also served on the [[Cape Performing Arts Board]]’s board and the judges panel for the [[Three Leaf Awards]], (later the [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards]] ). In 19** he became the co-founder of The [[Company of Four]] with **. Wrote two valuable books on theatre, namely a history of the[[ Little Theatre]] (''Forty Little Years'') and a biography of [[Leonard Schach]] (''Stage by Stage''). In 1982 he received the  [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap]] Lifetime Award for his contribution to the industry.  
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'''Donald Inskip'''. (1906-1989) An influential theatre critic, administrator and advisor on theatre matters. He also produced, acted and translated plays from the French.
  
INSKIP, Donald.  Of the Cape Town [[Little Theatre]] Member of the [[Company of Four]] with [[Leonard Schach]], [[René Ahrenson]] and [[Cecilia Sonnenberg]]. Member of the National Theatre Organization together with [[Steve Naudé]] (secretary), [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]], [[Myles Bourke]]. ***  (See Du Toit,  1988; Inskip, 197*, Tucker, 1997) [TH, JH, FdV]
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== Biography ==
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He first arrived in Cape Town on the Balmoral Castle in March 1932 to take up a post at the [[University of Cape Town]]. The first play he attended at the [[Little Theatre]], of which he subsequently became the Director, was ''[[Hotel Universe]]'' by Philip Barry on 14 September 1932.
  
Return to [[ESAT Personalities I]]
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=== Youth ===
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=== Training ===
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=== Career ===
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In 1932 he was appointed at the University of Cape Town, later becoming professor and chairman of the French department.
 +
 
 +
He served on the Little Theatre Committee since June 1936 and he became director of it in July 1937 and a member of its board. As director he lobbied for a new theatre committee to deal more strongly with the issues facing the theatre. He also gives the [[University Dramatic Society]] a student representative in the new committee, and later becomes Honorary President of the student society.
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A longtime chairman of the [[Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society]] and member of the [[Johannesburg Repertory Society|Johannesburg (?*) REPS]], he was instrumental in bringing [[Leontine Sagan]] to South Africa in 1939. In January 1947 was made a member of a sub-committee of the National Council for Adult Education, intended to study theatre matters. It further consisted of [[P.P.B. Breytenbach]] (chair), [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]], [[Myles Bourke]], and [[Steve Naudé]] (secretary), and submitted a proposal for a state-funded theatre to the government. This evenually led to the establishment of  the [[National Theatre Organisation]] ([[NTO]]) in 1947, with Inskip a member of the first board. * He also served on the [[Cape Performing Arts Board]]’s board and the judges panel for the [[Three Leaf Awards]], (later the [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards]] ). 
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In 1960 he was appointed in the newly created post of Deputy Principle of UCT, though retaining his directorship of the Little Theatre, but was henceforth not able to give time to acting or producing.
 +
 
 +
In 1977 he became the co-founder of The [[Company of Four]].
 +
 
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==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
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Some of his roles on stage were in ''[[Arms and the Man]]'' (1941), ''[[The Madwoman of Chaillot]]'' (1951), ''[[The Government Inspector]]'' in 1952 and in 1955 he played "Lucky" in ''[[Waiting for Godot]]''.
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Among the plays he translated are Giraudoux’s ''[[Intermezzo]]'' and  Bernanos’s ''[[Dialogues of the Carmelites]]'' (''[[The Chosen of God]]'') from the original French into English.
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He produced ''[[Les Jours Heureux]]'' and ''[[The Wind and the Rain]]'' at the [[Little Theatre]] in 1943 and in December 1944 ''[[The Springtime of Others]]''.
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He wrote two valuable books on theatre, namely a history of the [[ Little Theatre]] (''Forty Little Years'') and a biography of [[Leonard Schach]] (''Stage by Stage'').
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== Awards, etc ==
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In 1986 he received the [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Lifetime Achievement Award]] for his contribution to the industry.
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== Sources ==
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[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997. 19, 32.
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[[ESAT Bibliography Dur-Dz|Du Toit, P.J.]], 1988.
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[[ESAT Bibliography I|Inskip, Donald P.]], 1972.
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[TH, JH, FdV]
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Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
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== Return to ==
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities I]]  
  
 
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]]

Latest revision as of 16:20, 20 September 2019

Donald Inskip. (1906-1989) An influential theatre critic, administrator and advisor on theatre matters. He also produced, acted and translated plays from the French.

Biography

He first arrived in Cape Town on the Balmoral Castle in March 1932 to take up a post at the University of Cape Town. The first play he attended at the Little Theatre, of which he subsequently became the Director, was Hotel Universe by Philip Barry on 14 September 1932.

Youth

Training

Career

In 1932 he was appointed at the University of Cape Town, later becoming professor and chairman of the French department.

He served on the Little Theatre Committee since June 1936 and he became director of it in July 1937 and a member of its board. As director he lobbied for a new theatre committee to deal more strongly with the issues facing the theatre. He also gives the University Dramatic Society a student representative in the new committee, and later becomes Honorary President of the student society.

A longtime chairman of the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society and member of the Johannesburg (?*) REPS, he was instrumental in bringing Leontine Sagan to South Africa in 1939. In January 1947 was made a member of a sub-committee of the National Council for Adult Education, intended to study theatre matters. It further consisted of P.P.B. Breytenbach (chair), Anna Neethling-Pohl, Myles Bourke, and Steve Naudé (secretary), and submitted a proposal for a state-funded theatre to the government. This evenually led to the establishment of the National Theatre Organisation (NTO) in 1947, with Inskip a member of the first board. * He also served on the Cape Performing Arts Board’s board and the judges panel for the Three Leaf Awards, (later the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards ).

In 1960 he was appointed in the newly created post of Deputy Principle of UCT, though retaining his directorship of the Little Theatre, but was henceforth not able to give time to acting or producing.

In 1977 he became the co-founder of The Company of Four.

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

Some of his roles on stage were in Arms and the Man (1941), The Madwoman of Chaillot (1951), The Government Inspector in 1952 and in 1955 he played "Lucky" in Waiting for Godot.

Among the plays he translated are Giraudoux’s Intermezzo and Bernanos’s Dialogues of the Carmelites (The Chosen of God) from the original French into English.

He produced Les Jours Heureux and The Wind and the Rain at the Little Theatre in 1943 and in December 1944 The Springtime of Others.

He wrote two valuable books on theatre, namely a history of the Little Theatre (Forty Little Years) and a biography of Leonard Schach (Stage by Stage).

Awards, etc

In 1986 he received the Fleur du Cap Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the industry.

Sources

Tucker, 1997. 19, 32.

Du Toit, P.J., 1988.

Inskip, Donald P., 1972.

[TH, JH, FdV]

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities I

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page