Difference between revisions of "Helen Mann"

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'''Helen Mann''' (19*-) Actress and director.  
 
'''Helen Mann''' (19*-) Actress and director.  
  
−
A member of the **, she helped found and manage the [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]] in 19*.  
+
At school, she learned to take her Shakespeare calmly and though her tutors regarded him with proper awe and reverence, the bits of Shakespeare's plays they rammed down her throat, at the rate of one per year, stuck in her throat for life.
  
−
Plays directed include ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' as Portia, 1971, ''[[King Lear]]'' with [[André Huguenet]], 1985.  
+
Hers was a purely literary approach and “there was none of this modern nonsense about considering Shakespeare's plays as dramas to be acted on the stage," said Mann.
  
−
She directed ''[[Brigadoon]]'' for the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society]] 1968, ''[[Children of the Wolf]]'', [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]] 1975, ''[[The Crucible]]'' (1978), ''[[No, No, Nanette]]'' (1975), ''[[Othello]]'', 1978 for [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]], [[Mannville]]. She produced ''[[Shrivings]]'', 1983.
+
"It was all very confusing, but it seemed that some extraordinary man, called William Shakespeare for the sake of convenience, wrote very beautiful poetry and was very clever about people.
  
−
[[Mannville Open-air Theatre]], [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]], [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society]].
+
"Then [[Will Jamieson]] arrived in Port Elizabeth and produced [[Twelfth Night]] and many other wonderful plays.
 +
 
 +
"Will's genius, drive and uncanny grasp Shakespeare's work first taught Port Elizabethans (to) love the work of [[William Shakespeare]], a writer of popular plays," she said.
 +
 
 +
Starting in 1949, she was always at the forefront of theatre in Port Elizabeth as an actress, producer, designer and decor artist, seamstress and costume designer and back stager.
 +
 
 +
A member of the [[Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild]],  she helped found and manage the [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]] on May 10, 1960.
 +
 
 +
Although her acting parts were widely varied, she preferred the classics, particularly Shakespearean productions. She appeared in [[Will Jamieson]]'s first post-war Shakespearean production of [[Twelfth Night]].
 +
 
 +
== Contributions to South African Theatre ==
 +
 
 +
==As Actor==
 +
 
 +
1952: Played the role of "Dynemone" in ''[[A Phoenix Too Frequent]]''.
 +
 
 +
1952: Portrayed "Lady Precious Stream" in ''[[Lady Precious Stream]]''.
 +
 
 +
1953: Played "Amanda" in ''[[Private Lives]]''.
 +
 
 +
1954: Portrayed a Hypochondriac in ''[[Sorry, Wrong Number]]''.
 +
 
 +
1954: She played the part of a Naughty Girl in ''[[Hit the Deck]]''.
 +
 
 +
1956: She played the part of "Miranda" in ''[[Miranda]]''.
 +
 
 +
1957: Portrayed "Piggy" in ''[[Hands Across the Sea]]''.
 +
 
 +
1957: Played the Good Fairy in ''[[Cinderella]]''.
 +
 
 +
1958: Played Arum Lily in ''[[Sleeping Beauty]]''.
 +
 
 +
1959: Played "Audrey" in ''[[Autumn Crocus]]''.
 +
 
 +
1959: She was "Miss Hybrid Mealie" in ''[[Aladdin]]''.
 +
 
 +
1959: She portrayed "Esmeralda" in ''[[Dead On Nine]]''.
 +
 
 +
1960: Played "Goneril" in ''[[King Lear]]'' alongside [[Andre Huguenet]].
 +
 
 +
1960: Played "Emily" in ''[[Our Town]]''.
 +
 
 +
1960: Portrayed a Young Wife in ''[[Flare Path]]''.
 +
 
 +
1961: Portrayed "St Joan" in ''[[The Lark]]''.
 +
 
 +
1961: Played "Laura" in ''[[Tea and Sympathy]]''.
 +
 
 +
1962: Portrayed "Linda" in ''[[Death of a Salesman]]''.
 +
 
 +
1962: Played "Hippolyte" (Antiphone??) in ''[[Rape of the Belt]]''.
 +
 
 +
1963: Played "Argia" in ''[[Queen of the Rebels]]''.
 +
 
 +
1964: Played "Katherina" in ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]''.
 +
 
 +
1965: Played "Beatrice" in ''[[Much Ado About Nothing]]''.
 +
 
 +
1965: Played "Sally Thomas" in ''[[Signpost to Murder]]''.
 +
 
 +
1970: Portrayed "Viola" in ''[[Twelfth Night]]''.
 +
 
 +
1971: Starred as "Portia" in the newly formed [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]]'s production of ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'' which was staged in the [[Happy Valley Amphitheatre]] to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Republic of South Africa. Produced by and starring [[Leslie French]] as "Shylock".
 +
 
 +
1972: Played "Helena" in ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]''.
 +
 
 +
1974: Played "Catherine Sloper" in ''[[The Heiress]]''.
 +
 
 +
==As Director==
 +
 
 +
1955: ''[[Home and Beauty]]''
 +
 
 +
1955: ''[[The Snow Goose]]''
 +
 
 +
1963: ''[[Carmen]]'', for the [[Port Elizabeth Male Voice Choir]]
 +
 
 +
1966: ''[[The Mikado]]''
 +
 
 +
1966: ''[[Cubarama]]''
 +
 
 +
1967: ''[[Oklahoma!]]''
 +
 
 +
1967: ''[[The King and I]]''
 +
 
 +
1968: ''[[Brigadoon]]'' for the [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society]]
 +
 
 +
1968: ''[[Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves]]''
 +
 
 +
1969: ''[[The Student Prince]]''
 +
 
 +
1969: ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]''
 +
 
 +
1970: ''[[The Desert Song]]''
 +
 
 +
1971: ''[[Oliver]]'' for the Grey Junior School
 +
 
 +
1973: ''[[Tinker's Curse]]''
 +
 
 +
1975: ''[[Children of the Wolf]]'', ''[[No, No, Nanette]]''
 +
 
 +
1978: ''[[Othello]]'', ''[[The Crucible]]''
 +
 
 +
1983: ''[[Shrivings]]''
 +
 
 +
1984: ''[[The Gingerbread Lady]]''
 +
 
 +
1991: ''[[M. Butterfly]]''
 +
 
 +
Other productions (dates unknown) include ''[[A Voyage Round My Father]]'', ''[[As You Like It]]'', ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', ''[[Bosoms and Neglect]]''.
 +
 
 +
For more information, see [[Mannville Open-air Theatre]], [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]], [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society]].
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
 +
Various entries in the [[NELM]] catalogue.
 +
 +
''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' theatre programme, 1969.
 +
 +
''[[The Sound of Music]]'' theatre programme, 1972.
 +
 +
[[M. Butterfly]] theatre programme, 1991.
 +
  
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

Latest revision as of 17:30, 13 August 2024

Helen Mann (19*-) Actress and director.

At school, she learned to take her Shakespeare calmly and though her tutors regarded him with proper awe and reverence, the bits of Shakespeare's plays they rammed down her throat, at the rate of one per year, stuck in her throat for life.

Hers was a purely literary approach and “there was none of this modern nonsense about considering Shakespeare's plays as dramas to be acted on the stage," said Mann.

"It was all very confusing, but it seemed that some extraordinary man, called William Shakespeare for the sake of convenience, wrote very beautiful poetry and was very clever about people.

"Then Will Jamieson arrived in Port Elizabeth and produced Twelfth Night and many other wonderful plays.

"Will's genius, drive and uncanny grasp Shakespeare's work first taught Port Elizabethans (to) love the work of William Shakespeare, a writer of popular plays," she said.

Starting in 1949, she was always at the forefront of theatre in Port Elizabeth as an actress, producer, designer and decor artist, seamstress and costume designer and back stager.

A member of the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild, she helped found and manage the Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival on May 10, 1960.

Although her acting parts were widely varied, she preferred the classics, particularly Shakespearean productions. She appeared in Will Jamieson's first post-war Shakespearean production of Twelfth Night.

Contributions to South African Theatre

As Actor

1952: Played the role of "Dynemone" in A Phoenix Too Frequent.

1952: Portrayed "Lady Precious Stream" in Lady Precious Stream.

1953: Played "Amanda" in Private Lives.

1954: Portrayed a Hypochondriac in Sorry, Wrong Number.

1954: She played the part of a Naughty Girl in Hit the Deck.

1956: She played the part of "Miranda" in Miranda.

1957: Portrayed "Piggy" in Hands Across the Sea.

1957: Played the Good Fairy in Cinderella.

1958: Played Arum Lily in Sleeping Beauty.

1959: Played "Audrey" in Autumn Crocus.

1959: She was "Miss Hybrid Mealie" in Aladdin.

1959: She portrayed "Esmeralda" in Dead On Nine.

1960: Played "Goneril" in King Lear alongside Andre Huguenet.

1960: Played "Emily" in Our Town.

1960: Portrayed a Young Wife in Flare Path.

1961: Portrayed "St Joan" in The Lark.

1961: Played "Laura" in Tea and Sympathy.

1962: Portrayed "Linda" in Death of a Salesman.

1962: Played "Hippolyte" (Antiphone??) in Rape of the Belt.

1963: Played "Argia" in Queen of the Rebels.

1964: Played "Katherina" in The Taming of the Shrew.

1965: Played "Beatrice" in Much Ado About Nothing.

1965: Played "Sally Thomas" in Signpost to Murder.

1970: Portrayed "Viola" in Twelfth Night.

1971: Starred as "Portia" in the newly formed Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival's production of The Merchant of Venice which was staged in the Happy Valley Amphitheatre to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Republic of South Africa. Produced by and starring Leslie French as "Shylock".

1972: Played "Helena" in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

1974: Played "Catherine Sloper" in The Heiress.

As Director

1955: Home and Beauty

1955: The Snow Goose

1963: Carmen, for the Port Elizabeth Male Voice Choir

1966: The Mikado

1966: Cubarama

1967: Oklahoma!

1967: The King and I

1968: Brigadoon for the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society

1968: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

1969: The Student Prince

1969: Romeo and Juliet

1970: The Desert Song

1971: Oliver for the Grey Junior School

1973: Tinker's Curse

1975: Children of the Wolf, No, No, Nanette

1978: Othello, The Crucible

1983: Shrivings

1984: The Gingerbread Lady

1991: M. Butterfly

Other productions (dates unknown) include A Voyage Round My Father, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Bosoms and Neglect.

For more information, see Mannville Open-air Theatre, Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival, Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Sources

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Romeo and Juliet theatre programme, 1969.

The Sound of Music theatre programme, 1972.

M. Butterfly theatre programme, 1991.


Go to ESAT Bibliography

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Return to ESAT Personalities M

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

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