Difference between revisions of "Helen Mann"
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'''Helen Mann''' (19*-) Actress and director. | '''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. | 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 == | == Contributions to South African Theatre == | ||
| − | 1952: Played the role of Dynemone in ''[[A Phoenix Too Frequent]]''. | + | ==As Actor== |
| + | |||
| + | 1952: Played the role of "Dynemone" in ''[[A Phoenix Too Frequent]]''. | ||
| − | 1952: Portrayed Lady Precious Stream in ''[[Lady Precious Stream]]''. | + | 1952: Portrayed "Lady Precious Stream" in ''[[Lady Precious Stream]]''. |
| − | 1953: Played Amanda in ''[[Private Lives]]''. | + | 1953: Played "Amanda" in ''[[Private Lives]]''. |
1954: Portrayed a Hypochondriac in ''[[Sorry, Wrong Number]]''. | 1954: Portrayed a Hypochondriac in ''[[Sorry, Wrong Number]]''. | ||
| − | 1954: She played the part of a Naughty Girl in ''[[Hit | + | 1954: She played the part of a Naughty Girl in ''[[Hit the Deck]]''. |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | 1956: She played the part of Miranda in ''[[Miranda]]''. | + | 1956: She played the part of "Miranda" in ''[[Miranda]]''. |
| − | 1957: Portrayed Piggy in ''[[Hands Across the Sea]]''. | + | 1957: Portrayed "Piggy" in ''[[Hands Across the Sea]]''. |
| − | 1957: Played the Good Fairy in ''[[ | + | 1957: Played the Good Fairy in ''[[Cinderella]]''. |
1958: Played Arum Lily in ''[[Sleeping Beauty]]''. | 1958: Played Arum Lily in ''[[Sleeping Beauty]]''. | ||
| − | 1959: Played Audrey in ''[[Autumn Crocus]]''. | + | 1959: Played "Audrey" in ''[[Autumn Crocus]]''. |
| − | 1959: She was Miss Hybrid Mealie in ''[[Aladdin]]''. | + | 1959: She was "Miss Hybrid Mealie" in ''[[Aladdin]]''. |
| − | 1959: She portrayed Esmeralda in ''[[Dead On Nine]]''. | + | 1959: She portrayed "Esmeralda" in ''[[Dead On Nine]]''. |
| − | 1960: Played Goneril in ''[[King Lear]]''. | + | 1960: Played "Goneril" in ''[[King Lear]]'' alongside [[Andre Huguenet]]. |
| − | 1960: Played Emily in ''[[Our Town]]''. | + | 1960: Played "Emily" in ''[[Our Town]]''. |
1960: Portrayed a Young Wife in ''[[Flare Path]]''. | 1960: Portrayed a Young Wife in ''[[Flare Path]]''. | ||
| − | 1961: Portrayed St Joan in ''[[The Lark]]''. | + | 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]]'' | |
| − | [[Mannville Open-air Theatre]], [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]], [[Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society]]. | + | 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. | Various entries in the [[NELM]] catalogue. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' theatre programme, 1969. | ||
''[[The Sound of Music]]'' theatre programme, 1972. | ''[[The Sound of Music]]'' theatre programme, 1972. | ||
[[M. Butterfly]] theatre programme, 1991. | [[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
Return to
Return to ESAT Personalities M
Return to South African Theatre Personalities
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
