Difference between revisions of "Fiona Fraser"

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(****-****).  Actress.  Performed the one-woman show ''[[A Woman’s World – And Other Troubles]]''. Played “Hester” in ''[[Equus]]'', in ''[[Home]]'' at the [[Baxter Theatre]] and in ''[[Letters of Love, Lust and Living]]''. ([[SACD]] 1973) ([[SACD]] 1975/76) ([[SACD]] 1979/80) ([[SACD]] 1980/81)
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[[Fiona Fraser]] (1928-2006) Actress, writer, director and teacher.
  
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FRASER, Fiona (1928-2006) Actress, writer, director and teacher. 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. Worked for various companies, including [[Taubie Kushlick]], the [[Cockpit Players]] and [[PACT]]. Stage roles in [[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), [[John Fernald]]’s production of ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'' ([[PACT]], [[Alexander Theatre]], 19631962/1963?), ''[[King Lear]]'' ([[PACT]], 196*), ** . With her husband [[Bill Brewer]] she also wrote texts for and performed on radio during the early years (including the popular ***). 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''. Having gained her LTCL from Trinity College, London, she also taught speech and drama and later became a Fellow of the College (becoming the vocal coach for the films ''Sarafina'' and ''Cry the Beloved Country'' for example). 
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== Biography ==
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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]].  
  
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Wrote several literary reviews which were presented by [[PACT]] and other managements and 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. At the age of 73 obtained a B.A. Honours in English Literature from UNISA. Has one daughter, Thandi.
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=== Youth ===
  
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FRASER, Fiona. She starred in [[Leonard Schach]]’s [[Cockpit Players]] production of [[Basil Warner]]’s ''[[Try for White]]'', which opened at the Pretoria [[Opera House]] before moving to the [[Intimate Theatre]] for the remainder of their highly successful run. It also starred [[Nigel Hawthorne]], [[Zoe Randall]], [[Michael Turner]] and [[Marjorie Gordon]], [[Joyce Grant]]. Grant and Fraser replaced [[Minna Millsten]] and [[Heather Lloyd-Jones]] respectively, from the Cape Town cast. She starred in ''[[The Marriage-Go-Round]]'', which was directed by [[Taubie Kushlick]] and staged at the [[Intimate Theatre]] in September 1959. Also starring [[Gordon Mulholland]] and [[Peggy Moran]]. She starred in [[Leonard Schach]]’s [[Cockpit Players]] production of William Gibson’s ''[[The Miracle Worker]]'' at the [[Playhouse]] in 1961, with [[Reinet Maasdorp]]. She starred in ''[[Two for the Seesaw]]'', which the [[Cockpit Players]] staged in Cape Town in 1962. It also  starred [[John Hayter]]. She starred in [[John Fernald]]’s production of Chekhov’s ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'' which was staged for [[PACT]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1963. It also starred Siegfried Mynhardt, Jenny Laird, Arthur Hall, Estelle Kohler and Patrick Mynhardt. She starred in Taubie [[Taubie Kushlick]]’s production of ''[[Forty Carats]]'' at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1971. It also starred [[Gordon Mulholland]], [[Glynis Johns]] and [[James Leith]]. She starred in [[Pieter Toerien]]’s production of Peter Shaffer’s ''[[Equus]]'' which was directed by [[Leonard Schach]]. It also starred British actors [[John Fraser]] and [[Dai Bradley]] together with locals [[Kim Braden]] , [[Anne Courtneidge]] and [[Michael Howard]] at the [[Civic Theatre]] in 1975. (Tucker, 1997).
 
  
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FRASER, Fiona, ''[[The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll]'' (Australian comedy-drama)by Ray Lawler, presented by [[NTO]], [[Marjorie Gordon]], [[Edward Ogden]] & [[Bill Brewer]]. [[Frank Graves]] (décor), 1958.  Later changes:  [[Joan Blake]], [[Jane Fenn]], [[Elspeth Bryce]], [[Nigel Hawthorne]], [[Eveline Garratt]], [[Robert Cheetham]], [[Doreen Graves]] (Costumes).
 
  
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=== Training ===
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She gained her LTCL from Trinity College, London.
  
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities F]]
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At the age of 73 obtained a B.A. Honours in English Literature from UNISA.
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=== Career ===
 +
Worked for various companies, including [[Taubie Kushlick]], the [[Cockpit Players]] and [[PACT]].
 +
 
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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). 
 +
 
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==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
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Performed the one-woman show ''[[A Woman’s World – And Other Troubles]]''. Played “Hester” in ''[[Equus]]'', in ''[[Home]]'' at the [[Baxter Theatre]] and in ''[[Letters of Love, Lust and Living]]''.
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''[[Forty Carats]]'' at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1971, ''[[Equus]]'' in 1975, ''[[The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll]]'' 1958. 
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She had stage roles in [[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), ''[[King Lear]]'' ([[PACT]], 196*), Varya in ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'' and Pegeen Mike in ''[[The Playboy of the Western World]]'', both [[PACT]] productions, 1963, ''[[Ring Round the Moon]]'' ([[PACT]] 1964).
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Other productions include ''[[The Affair]]'', ''[[The Devils]]'', ''[[Rashomon]]'', ''[[The Miser]]'', ''[[Romeo and Jeanette]]'', ''[[A Touch of the Poet]]'', ''[[What is Love?]]'', ''[[The Prisoner of Second Avenue]]'', ''[[Ring Round the Moon]]'', ''[[The Caucasian Chalk Circle]]'', ''[[Rookery Nook]]'', ''[[A Winter Vacation]]'', ''[[Everything in the Garden]]''.
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She directed ''[[Rebecca]]'' in 1969.
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On occasion she has directed some of PACTs’s school programmes.
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With her husband [[Bill Brewer]] she also wrote texts for and performed on radio during the early years (including the popular ***). 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''.
 +
 
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Wrote several literary reviews which were presented by [[PACT]] and other managements and 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.
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== Awards, etc ==
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She was chosen actress of the year for her performance in [[The Miracle Worker]], 1961.
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She won a [[Naledi Theatre Awards|Naledi Lifetime Achiever Award]], February 2005.
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== Sources ==
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[[SACD]] 1973; 1975/76; 1979/80; 1980/81.
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''Ring Round the Moon'' programme notes, 1964.
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[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997.
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''[[The Star]]'', 15 February 2005.
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''[[The Citizen]]'', 11 January 2007.
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== Return to ==
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities F]]  
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]

Latest revision as of 01:48, 12 May 2017

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.

Youth

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

Performed the one-woman show A Woman’s World – And Other Troubles. Played “Hester” in Equus, in Home at the Baxter Theatre and in Letters of Love, Lust and Living.

Forty Carats at the Alexander Theatre in 1971, Equus in 1975, The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll 1958.

She had stage roles in 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), King Lear (PACT, 196*), Varya in The Cherry Orchard and Pegeen Mike in The Playboy of the Western World, both PACT productions, 1963, Ring Round the Moon (PACT 1964).

Other productions include The Affair, The Devils, Rashomon, The Miser, Romeo and Jeanette, A Touch of the Poet, What is Love?, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Ring Round the Moon, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Rookery Nook, A Winter Vacation, Everything in the Garden.

She directed Rebecca in 1969.

On occasion she has directed some of PACTs’s school programmes.

With her husband Bill Brewer she also wrote texts for and performed on radio during the early years (including the popular ***). 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.

Wrote several literary reviews which were presented by PACT and other managements and 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.

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.

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities F

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page

Retrieved from "https://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php?title=Fiona_Fraser&oldid=127588"