The Braziers

The Braziers (fl 1860-1870) is the joint name frequently used to refer to Thomas Brazier and his wife, known simply as Mrs Brazier.

The Braziers

The couple seem to have come to South Africa in 1862, as members of Clara Tellett's company, but with the demise of Mrs Tellett's company in 1862, they stayed on in Cape Town owing to the pregnancy of Mrs Brazier. They thus remained in Cape Town and were active in South Africa till at least 1871, including a period in Port Elizabeth (1864-1870).

Mrs Brazier (fl 1860s)

Biography

Mrs Brazier (fl 1860-1870) was an actress and dancer, said to be from the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, and was married Thomas Brazier.

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

She is first mentioned for performing interpolated acts for Clara Tellett and her company in 1862 (e.g. a "Medley Dance" on 30 June and a dance 3 July), as well as acting in some of the plays, despite her rather soft voice. She is later also named as an occasional performer for the Young Men's Institute and Club Dramatic Company, run by Thomas Brazier, active in Cape Town between 1869 and 1871.

Thomas Brazier (?-1871)

Also billed as T. Brazier or Mr Brazier.

Biography

Thomas Brazier (fl 1860s, died 1871) was an actor active in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in the 1860s and early 1870s. Probably also from Glasgow, he and his wife arrived in Soputh Africa with Clara Tellett in 1862.

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

He was a performer for Clara Tellett and her company in the early 1860s, later also for Sefton Parry and the Leroy and Duret company.

With the demise of Mrs Tellett's company in 1862, The Braziers stayed on in Cape Town owing to the pregnancy of Mrs Brazier. Brazier then performed for Sefton Parry (inter alia playing "Rob Roy") and began (unsuccessfully as it happens) seeking work as a tutor, teacher of elocution, corresponding clerk, or any other suitable employment, became the lessee of The Round House in Camps Bay, where the child was born in May of 1863. Brazier ran the property as a restaurant and entertainment venue, and by the start of 1864 he was advertising it as The Round House Hotel. On 4 April he also tried his hand at lecturing at a presentation of Henry Harper's Diorama of Holland and the Rhine in the Theatre Royal, but his eccentric and uninformed presentations led to his dismissal.

Returning to the safer ground of play-readings and straight theatre, he a presented a series of Dramatic Readings, appearing every alternate Monday in the Cape Town City Hall between 4 July and 7 November of 1864. The seven plays in the series were Knowles's The Hunchback, Bulwer-Lytton's The Lady of Lyons and five plays by Shakespeare: Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, King John and Much Ado about Nothing.

Besides the readings he also produced and performed in a few plays at the Theatre Royal, Cape Town, in 1864, among them Still Waters Run Deep (Taylor), Living Too Fast, or A Twelve Month's Honeymoon (Troughton), The Turned Head (Beckett), Time Tries All (Courtney) and The Irish Post (Planché).

On 12 December, 1864 there was a farewell for the Braziers, who were leaving for Port Elizabeth to continue their careers there.

In 1870 The Braziers were back in Cape Town.

Sources

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

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