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| − | [[Paul Roubaix]] (1920-) was a teacher, poet, short story writer, playwright and director. ,\ | + | #REDIRECT [[Isaac Pfaff]] |
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| − | The name is a pseudonym for '''[[Isaac Pfaff]]'''. Also found as '''[[Paul de Roubaix]]''' in some sources.
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| − | == Biography ==
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| − | Born [[Isaac Moses Pfaff]] in Ladysmith on June 13, 1920. He went on to study [[Afrikaans]]/[[Dutch]] and English at the [[University of Cape Town]], becoming a teacher.
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| − | He began writing anti-apartheid-themed literary works at the age of 18, his publications ultimately including poetry, more than a dozen stage plays, some radio plays, three novels and several short stories.
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| − | By May of 1964, his politically charged writing forced him to flee South Africa with his wife Juanita and their children Desiree and Howard, leaving their home with all their furniture inside. They emigrated to Canada, where he obtained an MA in English from York University and a degree in Education from the University of Toronto, and taught languages, world politics, history and theatre arts.
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| − | In Toronto he continued directing his plays with young people, for example in 1966 he did a production of ''[[Hour of Glory]]'' with the Oakwood Masquers and of ''[[Bitter Road]]'' with the Theatre Arts Students of Bickford Park Summer School.
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| − | Pfaff died on 4 February, 2005 of complications due to severe asthma.
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| − | ==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
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| − | He had begun acting as schoolboy and later started writing poems, short stories and plays in [[Afrikaans]] while at University during the war years.
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| − | He was a member of the [[Peninsula Dramatic Society]] and had a role in ''[[You Can't Take it With You]]'' in 1943.
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| − | In 1946 ''[[Storm]]'', an Afrikaans one-act play, won the [[FATSSA]] playwriting competition[??**] and was published in ''[[Storm en Ander Eenbedrywe]]'' (“Storm and Other One-act Plays”) by [[Gerhard J. Beukes]]. Beukes was to publish two more of his plays in his popular anthologies: ''[[Die Bitter Pad]]'' (“Bitter Road”) in ''[[Nuwe Eenbedrywe]]'' (“New One-act Plays”, 1952) and ''[[O, Uur van Glorie]]'' (“Hour of Glory”) in ''Vyf Eenbedrywe'', (“** One Act Plays”, 1957). These were prescribed books in schools across the country for many years.
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| − | In 1950 he joined/founded[?*] the [[Trafalgar Players]], with which he produced his own plays in Afrikaans and English. These include ''[[Here Endeth the First Lesson]]'' and ''[[Though I Speak]]'' (double-bill, [[Woodstock Town Hall]], 1950), ''[[Die Bitter Pad]]''/''[[Bitter Road]]'' ([[Maitland Town Hall]], 1954), ''[[O, Uur van Glorie]]''?*] ''[[Hour of Glory]]'' (best play at the [[Scopus Club Drama Festival]], 1956, ) and ''[[The Yearning of my Heart]]'' [ ''[[Die Verlangende Hart]]''?*] (a playreading, [[Little Theatre]], Cape Town 1958).
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| − | He also wrote the play ''[[Sonder Bloeisels]]'' ("[trees] without buds") .
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| − | A collection of his plays in English translation were published by Roubaix in a collection called ''[[A Time for Compassion. Biko’s World in Six Plays]]'' in 1978 (Toronto, Culturama Incorporated), with an introduction by Frank Birbalsingh.
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| − | == Awards, etc ==
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| − | ''[[O, Uur van Glorie]]'' (''[[Hour of Glory]]'') (best play at the [[Scopus Club Drama Festival]], 1956.
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| − | == Sources ==
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| − | ''Twee vergete Afrikaanse skrywers'' by [[Barend Toerien]] published in ''[[Vrye Weekblad]]'', 30 March 1990.
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| − | "DISPATCH: Isaac Pfaff", ''The Globe and Mail'' (Canada) 5 March, 2005[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/dispatch-isaac-pfaff/article976507/].
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| − | Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
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| − | == Return to ==
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| − | Return to [[ESAT Personalities R]]
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| − | Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
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| − | Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
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| − | Return to [[Main Page]]
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