Difference between revisions of "Jill Fletcher"
(→Awards) |
|||
| (7 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
| − | |||
A descendent of the 1840 Byrne Settlers, she was born in Port Said, Egypt on 20 August 1829, and educated in England, before emigrating to South Africa in 1948, where she settled in Cape Town. Married to [[Tony Fletcher]]. For a while in 2001-2002, she taught the history of theatre at the [[New Africa Theatre]] Association. She died in Cape Town on December 28, 2003. | A descendent of the 1840 Byrne Settlers, she was born in Port Said, Egypt on 20 August 1829, and educated in England, before emigrating to South Africa in 1948, where she settled in Cape Town. Married to [[Tony Fletcher]]. For a while in 2001-2002, she taught the history of theatre at the [[New Africa Theatre]] Association. She died in Cape Town on December 28, 2003. | ||
| Line 9: | Line 8: | ||
== Contribution to South African theatre, film, media and performance == | == Contribution to South African theatre, film, media and performance == | ||
| + | She is a playwright, theatre historian, puppeteer (with her husband [[Tony Fletcher]]'s company [[Fletcher's Puppets]]), a free-lance theatre critic for the [[Cape Times]] and very involved in amateur and youth theatre. | ||
| + | |||
| + | She was chairperson of the [[Cape Times Award Committee]], (awards which recognise the achievements of amateur theatre in Cape Town), secretary of the [[Friends of the SA Library]] and worked for [[Action Workshop]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Also had a private theatre company called: The [[Barnstormers]], which had [[The Old Barn]] as home. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===As puppeteer=== | ||
| + | She was a puppeteer for her husband, [[Tony Fletcher]]'s company [[Fletcher's Puppets]], and in the early 1970s, Jill and her husband [[Tony Fletcher]] mounted periodic marionette productions with their company at the Nico Malan Theatre in Cape Town, centered on their loveable character, "Mrs Em", | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===As playwright=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | She is the author of at least seven full-length, thirteen one-act, and several children’s plays, including those written under several pseudonyms, including [[Brigid Brophy]], [[Betty Cowie]], [[Francis Hardy]], [[Francis Jill Morwenna]]. Her plays, mostly comedies, are characterized by controlled and witty dialogue, a keen sense of satire and credible plots. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Among the one act plays written under her own name are: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * ''[[Borderline]]'' | ||
| + | * ''[[Bulldozer]]'' | ||
| + | * ''[[The Play’s the Thing]]'' | ||
| + | * ''[[Taken Short]]'' | ||
| + | * ''[[Crocodile Tears]]'' (1973) | ||
| + | * ''[[Have a Heart]]'' (1974) | ||
| + | * ''[[Miss Nelly]]'' (1974) | ||
| + | * ''[[The Miracle or No 12 Flower Street]]'' (1981) | ||
| + | * ''[[Exposure]]'' (1986) | ||
| + | |||
| + | Writing as [[Francis Hardy]]: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * ''[[Anyone for Mafeking]]'' | ||
| + | * ''[[Out of Season]]'' (1974) | ||
| − | + | Her full length plays include ''[[André Huguenet – Meneer!]]'' (2000), a new, full-length play based on the life of controversial Afrikaans actor and director [[André Huguenet]]. This was produced by The [[Barnstormers]] in the [[Arena Theatre]], with Fletcher as director. | |
| − | + | ===As director=== | |
| − | She | + | She directed: |
| − | + | 1975: ''[[Laughing Dandino]]'' | |
| − | + | 2000: ''[[André Huguenet – Meneer!]]'' | |
| − | + | ===As writer/historian=== | |
| + | As historian she has made a major contribution with her accessible and beautifully illustrated history of early colonial theatre in South Africa, called ''The Story of South African Theatre: 1780-1930'', based on the work she had done on an exhibition of the history of theatre in the Cape for the opening of the [[Nico Malan Theatre]]. The book was published in 1994. | ||
| − | + | ==Awards== | |
| − | + | In 2001 she received the [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Lifetime Award]] for her contribution to the industry. | |
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
| − | [[Tony Fletcher]], Obituary of Jill Fletcher on [[ | + | [[Tony Fletcher]], Obituary of Jill Fletcher on [[RootsWeb.com]][http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/SOUTH-AFRICA-IMMIGRANTS-BRITISH/2004-01/1073503721] |
== Return to == | == Return to == | ||
Latest revision as of 18:28, 4 June 2026
Jill Fletcher (1929- 2003) was a Cape Town puppeteer, dramatist, journalist, critic and theatre historian.
Contents
Biography
A descendent of the 1840 Byrne Settlers, she was born in Port Said, Egypt on 20 August 1829, and educated in England, before emigrating to South Africa in 1948, where she settled in Cape Town. Married to Tony Fletcher. For a while in 2001-2002, she taught the history of theatre at the New Africa Theatre Association. She died in Cape Town on December 28, 2003.
Contribution to South African theatre, film, media and performance
She is a playwright, theatre historian, puppeteer (with her husband Tony Fletcher's company Fletcher's Puppets), a free-lance theatre critic for the Cape Times and very involved in amateur and youth theatre.
She was chairperson of the Cape Times Award Committee, (awards which recognise the achievements of amateur theatre in Cape Town), secretary of the Friends of the SA Library and worked for Action Workshop.
Also had a private theatre company called: The Barnstormers, which had The Old Barn as home.
As puppeteer
She was a puppeteer for her husband, Tony Fletcher's company Fletcher's Puppets, and in the early 1970s, Jill and her husband Tony Fletcher mounted periodic marionette productions with their company at the Nico Malan Theatre in Cape Town, centered on their loveable character, "Mrs Em",
As playwright
She is the author of at least seven full-length, thirteen one-act, and several children’s plays, including those written under several pseudonyms, including Brigid Brophy, Betty Cowie, Francis Hardy, Francis Jill Morwenna. Her plays, mostly comedies, are characterized by controlled and witty dialogue, a keen sense of satire and credible plots.
Among the one act plays written under her own name are:
- Borderline
- Bulldozer
- The Play’s the Thing
- Taken Short
- Crocodile Tears (1973)
- Have a Heart (1974)
- Miss Nelly (1974)
- The Miracle or No 12 Flower Street (1981)
- Exposure (1986)
Writing as Francis Hardy:
- Anyone for Mafeking
- Out of Season (1974)
Her full length plays include André Huguenet – Meneer! (2000), a new, full-length play based on the life of controversial Afrikaans actor and director André Huguenet. This was produced by The Barnstormers in the Arena Theatre, with Fletcher as director.
As director
She directed:
1975: Laughing Dandino
2000: André Huguenet – Meneer!
As writer/historian
As historian she has made a major contribution with her accessible and beautifully illustrated history of early colonial theatre in South Africa, called The Story of South African Theatre: 1780-1930, based on the work she had done on an exhibition of the history of theatre in the Cape for the opening of the Nico Malan Theatre. The book was published in 1994.
Awards
In 2001 she received the Fleur du Cap Lifetime Award for her contribution to the industry.
Sources
Tony Fletcher, Obituary of Jill Fletcher on RootsWeb.com[1]
Return to
Return to ESAT Personalities F
Return to South African Theatre Personalities
Return to Main Page
