Difference between revisions of "Gertie Awerbuch"

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(19**-) Actress and director[*?] She devised a revue, together with her then husband *** and [[Miriam Lopert]], called ''[[What Was, Was!]]'' This riotous show about life in the Jewish community , starring [[Charles Stodel]], [[June Hern]] and [[Michael Fisher]], was staged at the [[Jewish Guild]] and the [[Alexander]] in 1965. It was so popular that they did two more in the same year. She appears to have left theatre after this.  
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'''Gertie Awerbuch''' (September 28, 1928 - November 2015) was born in Doornfontein, Johannesburg, was an amateur stage actress and playwright.
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== Early Life ==
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[[Gertie Awerbach]] grew up in a boarding school which her Russian mother had set up to help Russian and Polish Jews assimilate into South African society. She matriculated with seven distinctions at Commercial College and afterwards became a secretary with the Grinaker shipping company. She later became a very successful real estate agent. For 17 years she was cookery editor of the [[Citizen]] newspaper and her column was published once a week. She was well-known for her tasty traditional Jewish recipes.
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== Contribution to South African Theatre ==
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She devised a revue in the early 1960s, together with her then husband, Lithuanian-born [[Morris Awerbuch]] (who she married in 1951) and [[Miriam Lopert]], called ''[[What Was, Was!]]'' This riotous show about life in the Jewish community , starring [[Charles Stodel]], [[June Hern]] and [[Michael Fisher]], was staged at the [[Jewish Guild]] and the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1965. The play was a humorous look about being Jewish in South Africa and was written in "Yinglish", a mixture of Yiddish and English. It was so popular that they did two more in the same year.  
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After being contacted by [[Joan Brickhill]], she wrote [[Mock Wedding]] and many of the songs after [[Solly Krok]] and [[Abe Krok]] approached Brickhill to do a charity show.
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Another writing success was [[Take My Word]], a musical which opened at the [[Brian Brooke Theatre]] in Johannesburg in 1965. The highlight of her acting career was appearing opposite British actor [[David Koseff]] in [[Sideman and Son]].
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
See Tucker, 1997
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[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997. 204.
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"Obituary: Gertie Awerbuch, Doyenne of the Stage and the Kitchen" by Chris Barron, [[Sunday Times]] 15 November, 2015.
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Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography]]
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== Return to ==
  
 
Return to [[ESAT Personalities A]]
 
Return to [[ESAT Personalities A]]
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
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Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 13:33, 18 December 2022

Gertie Awerbuch (September 28, 1928 - November 2015) was born in Doornfontein, Johannesburg, was an amateur stage actress and playwright.

Early Life

Gertie Awerbach grew up in a boarding school which her Russian mother had set up to help Russian and Polish Jews assimilate into South African society. She matriculated with seven distinctions at Commercial College and afterwards became a secretary with the Grinaker shipping company. She later became a very successful real estate agent. For 17 years she was cookery editor of the Citizen newspaper and her column was published once a week. She was well-known for her tasty traditional Jewish recipes.

Contribution to South African Theatre

She devised a revue in the early 1960s, together with her then husband, Lithuanian-born Morris Awerbuch (who she married in 1951) and Miriam Lopert, called What Was, Was! This riotous show about life in the Jewish community , starring Charles Stodel, June Hern and Michael Fisher, was staged at the Jewish Guild and the Alexander Theatre in 1965. The play was a humorous look about being Jewish in South Africa and was written in "Yinglish", a mixture of Yiddish and English. It was so popular that they did two more in the same year.

After being contacted by Joan Brickhill, she wrote Mock Wedding and many of the songs after Solly Krok and Abe Krok approached Brickhill to do a charity show. Another writing success was Take My Word, a musical which opened at the Brian Brooke Theatre in Johannesburg in 1965. The highlight of her acting career was appearing opposite British actor David Koseff in Sideman and Son.

Sources

Tucker, 1997. 204.

"Obituary: Gertie Awerbuch, Doyenne of the Stage and the Kitchen" by Chris Barron, Sunday Times 15 November, 2015.


Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities A

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page