Ruth Peffers

Ruth Peffers (1897-1981). Actress, director, speech teacher and head of Speech Training at the College of Music, University of Cape Town, 1931-1946.

Biography

Ruth Jane Peffers was born in Bloemfontein. Married David Alexander (19 January 1935). She died in Cape Town.

She was a key figure in the early years of the Department of Speech and Drama at the University of Cape Town.

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

As actress

As actress she appeared in Chekhov's The Seagull (Little Theatre, 1931), The Old Maid (1939).

As director

As director she did:

1931: Hippolytus (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1932: The Cradle Song (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1932: Marriage à la Mode (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1933: Sister Beatrice (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1935: Henry IV (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1935: The Cloak (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1935: Medea (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1936: The Kingdom of God (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1937: King Lear's Wife & Culbin Sands (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1941: Quality Street ((University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)/University of Cape Town Dramatic Society)

1941: The Trojan Women (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1942: The Tidings Brought to Mary (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1943: Symphony in Illusion (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1944: Family Portrait (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

1945: The Pleasure Garden (University of Cape Town Speech and Drama Department)

Sources

Inskip, 1972. p.119.

Binge, 1969.

South African Opinion, 2(2):21, 1945.

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