Fiona Fraser

Fiona Fraser (1928-2006) Actress, writer, director and teacher.

Biography

Born in London, England, where she began her theatrical career which included appearances in the West End, radio, television and film. Came to South Africa in 1956, where she met, worked with and later married the radio personality and critic Bill Brewer. They have one daughter, Thandi Brewer.

Training

She gained her LTCL from Trinity College, London.

At the age of 73 obtained a B.A. Honours in English Literature from UNISA.

Career

Worked for various companies, including Taubie Kushlick, the Cockpit Players and PACT.

She also taught speech and drama and later became a Fellow of Trinity College (becoming the vocal coach for the films Sarafina and Cry the Beloved Country for example).

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

As actress

She had stage roles in The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (NTO, 1958), Leonard Schach’s Cockpit Players production of Basil Warner’s Try for White (1958?), The Marriage-Go-Round (Taubie Kushlick’s production, the Intimate Theatre, 1959), William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker (Cockpit Players, the Playhouse in 1961), Two for the Seesaw (Cockpit Players, Cape Town, 1961), A Touch of the Poet (NTO, 1961), Varya in The Cherry Orchard and Pegeen Mike in The Playboy of the Western World, both PACT productions, 1963, Rookery Nook (PACT, 1963), Romeo and Jeanette (PACT, 1963), The Affair (PACT, 1963), Ring Round the Moon (PACT 1964), The Miser PACT, 1964), Rashomon (PACT, 1965), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (PACT, 1965), The Devils (PACT, 1966), What is Love? (PACT, 1968), King Lear (PACT, 1969), Everything in the Garden (Colin Fish Productions, 196?), A Winter Vacation (PACT, 1970), Forty Carats at the Alexander Theatre in 1971, “Hester” in Equus (Pieter Toerien, 1975), Home (Baxter Theatre, 1978), The Prisoner of Second Avenue (PACT, 1983).

Performed the one-woman show A Woman’s World – And Other Troubles. Also appeared in Letters of Love, Lust and Living.

As director

She directed a number of productions, including:

1968: What is Love?

1969: Rebecca

1969: Once Upon a Time

On occasion she has directed some of PACT's school programmes.

As writer

Wrote several literary reviews which were presented by PACT and other managements. In later years wrote and performed a popular one woman show Growing Old Disgracefully. Became one of the Star's team of television critics and ran regular seminars on presentation skills and communication techniques.

Works written/devised by Fraser include:

1968: What is Love?

With her husband Bill Brewer she also wrote texts for and performed on radio during the early years. In later years she focused on television and film work, such as Egoli, the "Dot and Tchalie" Ithuba adverts, 37 Honey Street, 102 Paradise Lane, For Sale and Bentley.

Awards, etc

She was chosen actress of the year for her performance in The Miracle Worker, 1961.

She won a Naledi Lifetime Achiever Award, February 2005.

Sources

SACD 1973; 1975/76; 1979/80; 1980/81.

Ring Round the Moon programme notes, 1964.

Tucker, 1997.

The Star, 15 February 2005.

The Citizen, 11 January 2007.

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