André Roothman

André Roothman (19**-) is a bilingual (English and Afrikaans) performer on stage, television and film, as well as a theatre maker, teacher and counsellor.

His first name also found as Andre Roothman in many articles, reviews etc.

THIS ARTICLE BEING EDITED

Biography

Born in Worcester, Western Cape and schooled in Cape Town, he completed a B.A. degree in Politics and Languages at the University of Stellenbosch, graduating in 1978. He became a teacher at the Cloetesville High School in Stellenbosch, where he founded and ran their Dramagroep ("Drama Group") till 1983, when Ben Dehaeck took over for a while.

In this period of study and work he acted as amateur for the Klein Libertas Teater and - with Ben Dehaeck - co-founded the Eksperimentele Teater Stellenbosch, a community theatre enterprise in Cloetesville, later known as the [[Breughel

He left teaching in 1983 to join the Cape Performing Arts Board as a professional performer, and from there had a remarkable career that has spanned more than 4 decades in various media.

He was a teacher of drama at the Cloetesville Secondary School, where he founded and ran their Dramagroep ("Drama Group") till 1983, when he left teaching to become a professional actor.

In 1983 became a professional actor, joining CAPAB and playing leading roles in numerous plays (e.g. as Provost in Measure for Measure, Maynardville (1987)), TV series and films.

Quoted from My Zinc Bed programme notes: 'With unorthodox beginnings in community-based satirical theatre (The Breughel Theatre) during the 1970's, André has explored national television options in Arende and Ballade vir 'n Enkeling. André has, however, always felt at home on our stages which serve the immediate needs of our country's transformation.'

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

Theatre credits include: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, King Lear, Koningin Lear, Edward ll, Measure for Measure, Henry V, As You Like It, Long Journey into Night, Anthony and Cleopatra, Titus Andronicus, Taming of the Shrew, Francis, Gulls, Drift, Mis and the stage musical Fiddler on the Roof as Tevye.

Film credits include: e worked as crew on Spaanse Vlieg and his film debit was on Ou Grote, also a Dirk die Villiers production. He played the war-time teacher, P.J. Buys in the Boer War franchise. Stolen Lives, Consequence, Charlie Jade Cape Town, Survivor, Home Alone,

His TV appearances include: the local series Vierde Kabinet, Ballade vir 'n Enkeling, Arende and Meeulanders, as well as the local online series Testament.

His awards have included Vita Awards for Gulls and Mis, two Fleur du Cap nominations for Drif, in 1994 and 2015. He also received nominations for Edward ll and Koningin Lear.

With Ben Dehaeck he was a founder of Eksperimentele Teater Stellenbosch.

Acted in The Gingerbread Man.

André appeared on stage in productions of Thyestes (Libertas Teaterklub 1978), Knickerbocker Knockabout (CAPAB 1983), Vrede (CAPAB 1983), Laat-Februarie 1922 (CAPAB 1983), Why Strelitzias Can’t Fly (CAPAB 1983, Rain (CAPAB 1983), On the Razzle (CAPAB 1983), Falstaff (CAPAB 1984, Francis (1985), Die Wildsboudjie (CAPAB 1985), a production in Afrikaans of Antigone (by Sophocles) (CAPAB 1985), The Broken Heart (mid-1980s), The Good Soldier Svejk (CAPAB 1986), The Horse Thief (CAPAB 1986),Die Jakkalsstreke van Scapino (CAPAB 1986), The Comedy of Errors (Maynardville 1986), Fiela se Kind (CAPAB 1986), Ubu Roi (1987), Ghetto (CAPAB 1987), Measure for Measure (CAPAB 1987), Gulls (CAPAB 1987), The Seagull (as Dorn CAPAB 1987), Aap in die Mou (CAPAB 1988), Die Droomkotiljons (1988), Hond se Gedagte (CAPAB 1988), a production of Tartuffe in Afrikaans (CAPAB 1988), Romeo and Juliet (Maynardville 1988), Everything in the Garden (as Bill, CAPAB 1988), Elizabeth I (CAPAB 1988), Shakespeare's Macbeth (CAPAB 1989), Twelfth Night, or What You Will (Maynardville 1989), Long Day's Journey into Night (CAPAB 1989.

From 1990 onwards he acted in productions of Much Ado about Nothing (Oude Libertas Theatre and Maynardville 1990), Richard II (CAPAB 1990, Thark (CAPAB 1990), Sky en Czech (1991-1992), Mis (as Konstabel, 1992-1993), Antony and Cleopatra (CAPAB 1993), Fiddler on the Roof (as Tevye, 1995), The Taming of the Shrew (CAPAB 1996), Macbeth (as Macbeth, CAPAB 1996), Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act (CAPAB 1997), Jobias (in the title role, 1998), As You Like It (Maynardville 1999.

He acted in two productions of Drif; for CAPAB in 1994 and for Dubbelpunt Produksies in 2015. He performed in a production of Drift, the author's translation into English, for CAPAB in 1996.

Other productions include Die Goue Seun (KKNK 2002), My Zinc Bed (as Victo Quinn, 2005), Mooi Maria (Impresario production 2011), Moeder Moed en Haar Kinders (Aardklop and KKNK 2014 and 2015), Die Nag van Legio (at Innibos 2017).

Voete van Goud Afrikaans television drama series on SABC2, first episode in November 1998; Short film Starstruck 2001.

Awards, etc.

He was the winner of a Vita Award (Cape region, award year 1995) for his role in ‘’Drif’’.

He had Fleur du Cap nominations as best supporting actor in two productions of ‘’Drif’’, in 1994 and 2016.

Sources

CAPAB Brochure, Aug-Nov 1989.

My Zinc Bed programme notes, 2005.

Theatre programmes of various productions.

The Star, 20 Sept 2011.

Wikipedia (Afrikaans) [1].

IMDb [2].

TVSA [3].

Personal correspondence from André Roothman and Albert Maritz (June, 2024)

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities R

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to Main Page