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| − | (19**-) Director. Directed ***, ''[[Quartermaine's Terms]]'' (for [[Pieter Toerien]]) in 1981-82, * SIMMONDS Nikolas. He directed [[Pieter Toerien]]’s production of [[Peter Shaffer]]’s ''[[Amadeus]]'' starring [[Richard Haines]] and [[Ralph Lawson]] at the [[Alhambra Theatre]] in 1981. [[Michael Atkinson]] replaced [[Richard Haines|Haines]] in a subsequent extended season. He directed Peter Nichols's ''[[Passion Play]]'' at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1981. He directed [[Simon Gray]]’s ''[[Quartermaine's Terms]]'' starring [[Richard Haines]] at the [[Alhambra Theatre]] in 1982. He directed [[Pieter Toerien]]’s production of ''[[Agnes of God]]'' starring [[Fiona Ramsay]], [[Pauline Bailey]] and [[Lena Ferugia]] at the [[Baxter Theatre]] and the [[Alhambra Theatre]] in 1983. He directed [[Fiona Ramsay]] and [[Richard Haines]] in Tom Stoppard's ''[[The Real Thing]]'' which was staged at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1983. He directed the [[Baxter Theatre]] production of [[Julian Mitchell]]’s ''[[Another Country]]'' starring [[Sean Taylor]], [[Neil McCarthy]], [[Jeremy Crutchley]] and [[John Carson]] with lighting design by [[Pip Marshall]] at the [[Baxter Theatre]] on 17 June 1983 before it moved to the [[Market Theatre]] with minor cast changes in July.
| + | [[Nikolas Simmonds]] (1949-2004). English actor and director. |
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| − | Quoted from the programme of ''[[Agnes of God]]'' in 1983: 'Trained RADA. Career as an actor: joined 'experimental' company of [[Charles Marowitz]]. Lead parts in London and abroad include ''[[Hamlet]]'', ''[[Macbeth]]'', ''[[Measure for Measure]]'', ''[[The Shrew]'' in Shakespeare adaptations or 'collages'. Also Trevor Griffiths' ''Sam Sam'', Peter Barnes' Noonday Demons. Played most major reps, Royal Court Theatre, etc. TV appearances include Joseph Strauss in ''The Strauss Family'' (ATV), lead in Ken Loach's BBC quartet of films ''Days of Hope''; lead in Dennis Potter play ''Lay Down Your Arms'', amongst other plays and series. Turned to directing 8 years ago. One year at [[Haymarket Theatre]], Leicester. Shows directed include ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', ''[[Hamlet]]'', ''[[The Norman Conquests]]'', ''[[Alphabetical Order]]'', ''[[Sleuth]]'', ''[[Bloody Neighbours]]'', etc. Then Bristol Old Vic: premiere of John Bowen's ''Which Way are you Facing'' and ''Semi Detached''. Watford: ''[[The Lady From the Sea]]''. ''[[Habeas Corpus]]''. Open Space (as Associate Director with [[Charles Marowitz]] for one year): ''[[The Strongest Man in the World]]'', new play by Barry Collins; Brecht's ''Private Life of the Third Reich'', etc. National Theatre: joined to assist Bill Gaskill on production of Granville Barker's ''The Madras House'' with [[Paul Scofield]]. Worked on many productions with Sir Peter Hall, Harold Pinter, Christopher Morahan. Directed new plays in Cotteslow Theatre: Roy Hutchinson's ''[[Jews and Arabs]]'', Keith Dewhurst's ''Luggage'', etc. Recent productions at The Kings Head with Observer drama critic Robert Cushman of material based on work of Ogden Nash, ''Nashville''. Production recorded and made for radio. Also [[Alan Ayckbourn|Ayckbourn]]'s ''Season's Greetings'' at the Old Vic, after directing ''Amadeus'' for Pieter Toerien in South Africa. Also directed ''Passion Play'' and ''Quartermaine's Terms'' for this management. Was Co-Director on ''The House of Mankowitz'' due for SABC TV. Hobbies: classical music, new poetry, chess (wanted to become professional but prize money inadequate), trees and food, and fast cars. Would like to live in the country.'
| + | == Biography == |
| | + | Graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His first major role was when he was chosen at the age of 21 by Charles Marowitz to play the title role in his collage version of ‘’[[Macbeth]]’’ in the Open Space Company's production. |
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| | + | In 1976, he applied for a place on the Arts Council's course for young theatre directors. This took him to the Bristol Old Vic and then to the National Theatre, where he assisted Peter Hall and Christopher Morahan. |
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| | + | He died at the age of 55. |
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| | + | ==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance== |
| | + | He directed productions of ''[[Passion Play]]'' by Peter Nichols (1981), ''[[Amadeus]]'' (1981), ''[[Quartermaine's Terms]]'' (1981-2), ''[[Fifth of July]]'' (1982), ''[[The Real Thing]]'' (1983), ''[[Agnes of God]]'' (1983), ''[[Another Country]]'' (1983), ''[[Dog Days]]'' (1983). |
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| | == Sources == | | == Sources == |
| | + | ''[[Agnes of God]]'' programme notes in 1983. |
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| − | ''[[Agnes of God]]'' programme notes in 1983.
| + | [[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997. |
| − | Tucker, 1997
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| | + | IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0799653]. |
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| | + | Obituary published in ''The Guardian'', 17 November 2004 [https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/nov/17/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1]. |
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| | + | == Return to == |
| | Return to [[ESAT Personalities S]] | | Return to [[ESAT Personalities S]] |
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Nikolas Simmonds (1949-2004). English actor and director.
Biography
Graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His first major role was when he was chosen at the age of 21 by Charles Marowitz to play the title role in his collage version of ‘’Macbeth’’ in the Open Space Company's production.
In 1976, he applied for a place on the Arts Council's course for young theatre directors. This took him to the Bristol Old Vic and then to the National Theatre, where he assisted Peter Hall and Christopher Morahan.
He died at the age of 55.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
He directed productions of Passion Play by Peter Nichols (1981), Amadeus (1981), Quartermaine's Terms (1981-2), Fifth of July (1982), The Real Thing (1983), Agnes of God (1983), Another Country (1983), Dog Days (1983).
Sources
Agnes of God programme notes in 1983.
Tucker, 1997.
IMDb [1].
Obituary published in The Guardian, 17 November 2004 [2].
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