Difference between revisions of "Vanessa Cooke"

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(****-****).  Actress. Worked at the [[Arena Theatre]] in ''[[Hey Listen]]'', ''[[Woyseck]]'' and ''[[People]]''.  Worked with [[The Company]] in ''[[Mama is Terry Home for Good]]'', ''[[Copout]]'' 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)
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'''Vanessa Cooke''' (1948-) is an actress, playwright and director.  
  
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COOKE, Vanessa. (19**-) Actress, playwright and director.  Daughter of Roy Cooke. 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. 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 Reps at the Alexander 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, Upstairs at the Market, the Baxter and the Brooke in 1979. Together with Robert Whitehead she starred in Janice Honeyman’s production of Romeo and Juliet at the Market 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 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 Mhlophe, 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 Andre Huguenet in 1988. She starred in Christopher Durang’s Laughing Wild at the Market in October 1990. She directed Jean Genet’s The Maids in 1993. (See Astbury, 1979; Schwartz, 1988; Tucker, 1997**)     
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== Biography ==
  
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The daughter of [[Roy Cooke]], she studied at the [[University of the Witwatersrand]], completing a BA in English and History.
  
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==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
  
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities C]]
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She had her first role 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]], then performed for the [[Johannesburg Repertory Society]] an amateur, beginning with a role in Marcel Pagnol’s ''[[Fanny]]'', at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1967.
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She then became a member of  [[Mannie Manim]] and [[Barney Simon]]'s [[The Company]] at the [[Arena Theatre]] round about 1974 and in 1976 became one of the founder members , appearing in the ''[[Marat/Sade]]'' for [[The Company]], which was the official opening production of the [[Market Theatre]]. She later also appeared in ''[[The Seagull]]'',  which opened the [[Upstairs at the Market|Upstairs Theatre]].  A stalwart member of the the management team at the [[Market Theatre]], she took over as director of the [[Market Theatre Laboratory]] in 1996.
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===As performer===
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Her numerous acting roles over the years have included appearances in productions such as ''[[Show Me Yours...]]'', ''[[Woyzeck ]]'' (1973), ''[[Antigone (by Jean Anouilh)]]'' (1975), ''[[The Seagull]]'' (1976), ''[[Mother Courage]]'' (1977), ''[[People are Living There]]'' (1977), ''[[Travesties]]''  (1978), ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' (1982), ''[[Gertrude Stein and a Companion]]'' (1985), Samuel Beckett’s ''[[Catastrophe]]'' (1985) ''[[Laughing Wild]]'' (1990), ''[[The Belle of Amherst]]'' (1990), ''[[Six Degrees of Separation]]'' (1991), ''[[Indiscretions]]'' (1996), ''[[Endgame]]'' (1997), ''[[How I Learned to Drive]]'' (1998), ''[[Dream of the Dog]]''(2007),  ''[[The Beauty Queen of Leenane]]'' (2008), ''[[Benefactors]]'', ''[[Big Bad Mouse]]'', ''[[Blithe Spirit]]'', ''[[The Death of Bessie Smith]]'', ''[[Exit the King]]'', ''[[Lysistrata]]'', ''[[Madame de Sade]]'', ''[[Private Lives]]'', ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', ''[[True Confusions]]'', ''[[Hotel Polana]]'', "Grace" in ''[[Vigil]]'' (2013-2014).  Samuel Beckett’s ''[[Catastrophe]]'' (the [[Wits Theatre]] in 1985), William M. Hoffman’s ''[[As Is]]'' (directed by [[Janice Honeyman]] in 1986),  Jerome Kilty’s ''[[Dear Love]]'' ([[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1988),  ''[[Forbidden Fruits]]''. ''[[Private Lives]]'', ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', ''[[True Confusions]]'', ''[[Hotel Polana]]'', ''[[Vigil]]'' (2013-2014), ''[[Hey Listen!]]'', ''[[Woyzeck]]'', ''[[Mama is Terry home for good?]]'', ''[[Cop-Out]]'', ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', ''[[People are Living There]]'' and ''[[People Too]]'', ''[[An Arabian Night]]''.
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As film actress, she had a role in the 1970 film ''[[Bitter Lied van die Somer|Forgotten Summer]]''.
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===As playwright and improvisor===
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As creative artist/ playwright she worked closely with [[Barney Simon]] and other members of [[The Company]] over the years, helping to create classical pieces (such as Simon and company's ''[[Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life]]'' and ''[[Born in the RSA]]'') and as playwright and performer/improvisational actor she also co-authored a numbered of her own works, including the critically acclaimed ''[[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), as well as ''[[And Green And Golden]]'' (1982-3), ''[[Struts and Frets]]'' and ''[[Ladies and Gentlemen, Shakespeare!]]'' 
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===As a director===
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She was responsible for productions such as  ''[[Meze, Mira and Make-Up]]'' (written by and starring [[Irene Stephanou]]), ''[[Telegrams From Hell]]'', ''[[The Maids]]'' (for the [[Volkswagen Music Active Project]] in 1993) and ''[[Julius Caesar]]'' for the [[Market Theatre Laboratory]], ''[[The House of Truth]]'' (2016?), ''[[How I Learned to Drive]]''.
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== Awards, etc ==
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She was awarded the best English actress as Alice B. Toklas in 1986 in ''[[Gertrude Stein and a companion]]''.
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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]]''.
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Nominated in 1991 for her role in ''[[Laughing Wild]]'' ([[Johannesburg Repetory Players Award]] for best actress in a leading role in English);
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Won the [[Vita Award]] best supporting actress (Gauteng region) for ''[[How I Learned to Drive]]'', August 1999.
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== Sources ==
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''Weekly Mail'', 26 September 1996.
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[[SACD]] 1974; 1975/76; 1977/78.
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Programme notes of ''[[Meze, Mira and Make-Up]]'' at the Market Theatre in 1996.
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Various entries in the [[NELM]] catalogue.
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[[ESAT Bibliography Ar-Az|Astbury]] 1979.
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[[ESAT Bibliography Schr-Schw|Schwartz]] 1988.
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[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997.
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''[[The Star]]'', 12 June 2006.
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[[Beeld]] Plus, 26 July 2007.
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== Return to ==
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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]]

Latest revision as of 15:17, 7 December 2022

Vanessa Cooke (1948-) is an actress, playwright and director.

Biography

The daughter of Roy Cooke, she studied at the University of the Witwatersrand, completing a BA in English and History.

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

She had her first role 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, then performed for the Johannesburg Repertory Society an amateur, beginning with a role in Marcel Pagnol’s Fanny, at the Alexander Theatre in 1967.

She then became a member of Mannie Manim and Barney Simon's The Company at the Arena Theatre round about 1974 and in 1976 became one of the founder members , appearing in the Marat/Sade for The Company, which was the official opening production of the Market Theatre. She later also appeared in The Seagull, which opened the Upstairs Theatre. A stalwart member of the the management team at the Market Theatre, she took over as director of the Market Theatre Laboratory in 1996.

As performer

Her numerous acting roles over the years have included appearances in productions such as Show Me Yours..., Woyzeck (1973), Antigone (by Jean Anouilh) (1975), The Seagull (1976), Mother Courage (1977), People are Living There (1977), Travesties (1978), Romeo and Juliet (1982), Gertrude Stein and a Companion (1985), Samuel Beckett’s Catastrophe (1985) Laughing Wild (1990), The Belle of Amherst (1990), Six Degrees of Separation (1991), Indiscretions (1996), Endgame (1997), How I Learned to Drive (1998), Dream of the Dog(2007), The Beauty Queen of Leenane (2008), Benefactors, Big Bad Mouse, Blithe Spirit, The Death of Bessie Smith, Exit the King, Lysistrata, Madame de Sade, Private Lives, Romeo and Juliet, True Confusions, Hotel Polana, "Grace" in Vigil (2013-2014). Samuel Beckett’s Catastrophe (the Wits Theatre in 1985), William M. Hoffman’s As Is (directed by Janice Honeyman in 1986), Jerome Kilty’s Dear Love (André Huguenet Theatre in 1988), Forbidden Fruits. Private Lives, Romeo and Juliet, True Confusions, Hotel Polana, Vigil (2013-2014), Hey Listen!, Woyzeck, Mama is Terry home for good?, Cop-Out, Twelfth Night, People are Living There and People Too, An Arabian Night.

As film actress, she had a role in the 1970 film Forgotten Summer.


As playwright and improvisor

As creative artist/ playwright she worked closely with Barney Simon and other members of The Company over the years, helping to create classical pieces (such as Simon and company's Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life and Born in the RSA) and as playwright and performer/improvisational actor she also co-authored a numbered of her own works, including the critically acclaimed 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), as well as And Green And Golden (1982-3), Struts and Frets and Ladies and Gentlemen, Shakespeare!

As a director

She was responsible for productions such as Meze, Mira and Make-Up (written by and starring Irene Stephanou), Telegrams From Hell, The Maids (for the Volkswagen Music Active Project in 1993) and Julius Caesar for the Market Theatre Laboratory, The House of Truth (2016?), How I Learned to Drive.

Awards, etc

She was awarded the best English actress as Alice B. Toklas in 1986 in Gertrude Stein and a companion.

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 the Vita Award best supporting actress (Gauteng region) for How I Learned to Drive, August 1999.

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.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Astbury 1979.

Schwartz 1988.

Tucker, 1997.

The Star, 12 June 2006.

Beeld Plus, 26 July 2007.

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities C

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page

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