Francois Swart

(1938-1994) Brilliant actor and director, artistic director of PACT (197*-198*) and Professor of Drama, Rhodes University (198*-198*). Possessed of a superbly resonant voice, he trained under Elizabeth Sneddon at the Department of Speech and Drama at the University of Natal, was then cast as a young Germanicus in the 19** NTO production of N.P. van Wyk Louw’s epic tragedy. Other major roles for NTO and PACT include **, **, Hamlet (196*?), **. Began to direct in 19* and developed into one of the finest directors the country has ever seen. However, his period of most impact must be between 1972 and 1978, when he, as Artistic Director, guided an inspired PACT Afrikaans company and the budding new playwrights of the time (***, Chris Barnard, P.G. du Plessis) to what is considered by many to be the first golden age of Afrikaans theatre. His inspired direction of Du Plessis’s record breaking tragedy Siener in die Suburbs made him, the playwright and the cast household names. Among his many other notable productions are **, ***, Plaston: DNS-Kind (Du Plessis, 197*), ‘n Seder val in Waterkloof (Du Plessis, 197*), Vasvat van ‘n Feeks (198*), Germanicus (Van Wyk Louw, 198*) ***, Look Back in Anger (1986), Mary Stuart (1987), *** and ***. SWART, François. Actor/Director He starred in the PACT production Hamlet which was staged at the Civic in 1964. It was directed by Margaret Inglis and also starred Reinet Maasdorp, Joan Blake and Joe Stewardson in 1964. PACT staged an Afrikaans translation of The Italian Straw Hat which he directed at the Intimate in 1966. He directed the Restoration comedy classic The Beaux Stratagem at the Brooke Theatre in 1966 for PACT. He starred in Leonard Schach’s production of Shaw’s Heartbreak House for PACT at the Alexander in 1967. It also starred Siegfried Mynhardt, Alec Bell, Elizabeth Meyer, Kerry Jordan, Joan Blake, Frank Lazarus and Maggie Soboil. He directed Die Drie Van Der Walts for TRUK in 1969. He staged Shakespeare’s King John with Ken Leach in the lead, and Ampie in 1970. He directed A Winter Vacation by Don Maclennan for PACT at the Arena in 1970. In 1972 PACT/TRUK, under directorship of Swart, staged Shakespeare’s Richard III directed by Ken Leach, John Guare’s The House of Blue Leaves, directed by Taubie Kushlick, John Hussey’s production of the Peter Shaffer double bill Black Comedy and White Liars with Ruth Oppenheim and Eckard Rabe and Truida Louw’s Afrikaans production of Schiller’s Maria Stuart, all of which took place at the Alexander. He won best director for his direction of P.G. du Plessis’s Siener in die Suburbs starring Marius Weyers and Sandra Prinsloo which was stage by PACT in 1971. He directed Molière’s Tartuffe which was staged at the Alexander in 1973. He directed Sandra Prinsloo in an Afrikaans translation of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler for PACT in 1974. PACT staged his Afrikaans production of Othello with Louis van Niekerk, Sandra Prinsloo and Marius Weyers in 1975. He directed P.G. du Plessis’ ‘n Seder Val in Waterkloof starring Johan Malherbe, Annette Engelbrecht, Don Lamprecht, Franz Marx and Wilna Snyman for PACT in 1975. He directed PACT’s production of Simon Gray’s Butley with Michael McCabe at the Alexander in 1977. He directed Terence Rattigan’s Ross with Michael McCabe for PACT in 1979. Schlengemann’s Die Drie Van Der Walts starring Don Lamprecht, Wilna Snyman and Errol Ross, and John Pank’s Windmills of the Mind with Kerry Jordan, Michael McCabe, John Hussey and Bobby Heaney were also directed by him for PACT in 1979. He directed Eduardo di Filippo’s Filumena starring Wilna Snyman which formed part of the opening season of the Pretoria State Theatre in 1981. He directed the PACT production of William Gibson’s Monday After the Miracle, the sequel to The Miracle Worker starring Sandra Duncan and Pamela Gien at the Pretoria State Theatre and the Alexander in 1982. He directed Christopher Hampton’s Savages with Michael McCabe and Frantz Dobrowsky for PACT in 1982. He directed an Afrikaans translation of James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter called Die Leeu in die Winter starring Wilna Snyman and Louis van Niekerk for PACT in 1982. He directed PACT’s Look Back in Anger at the Alexander in 1987. He directed Marius Weyers and Sandra Prinsloo in an Afrikaans translation of Hamlet for TRUK in 1987. He directed As You Like It for PACT in 1989. He directed Lerner and Louwe’s Camelot at the State Theatre in 1989. He directed Uys Krige’s Afrikaans version of King Lear in 1990. He directed PACT, PACOFS and NAPAC’s production of My Fair Lady at the State Theatre in 1990. He directed Lerner and Louwe’s Brigadoon at the Pretoria State Theatre in 1991. He directed Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman in 1992. His production of Lerner and Louwe’s Gigi was staged at the Pretoria State Theatre in 1992. He directed Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance in 1993. He died of cancer at the age of fifty-six in January 1994. SWART Francois (regiseur) Bloedbruilof – Federico Garcia Lorca, Regie: Francois Swart, Vertaling: A Brink; met Wilna Snyman, Jacques Loots & Johan Malherbe. Ontwerp: Chris van den Berg, Sand Du Plessis Theatre, Aug. 1985. Don Juan onder die Boere – Bartho Smit; Regie: Francois Swart, met Wilna Snyman, Pierre van Pletzen, Arnold Vosloo, Johan Malherbe, Jacques Loots. Ontwerp: dekor – Johan Badenhorst; Kostuums: James Parker; Sand du Plessis Theatre, 1985 Wilna Snyman speel Anastasia, Die Vroue van Troje, Hamlet. Francois Swart (dir) First Monday in October, 1980, CAPAB. (First English role). Theodora, 1981, Staatsteater, Pta. Bloedbruilof – Federico Garcia Lorca, Regie: Francois Swart, Vertaling: André P. Brink; met Jacques Loots & Johan Malherbe. Ontwerp: Chris van den Berg, Sand Du Plessis Theatre, Aug. 1985.

Sources

Tucker, 1997

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