Difference between revisions of "Paul Roubaix"

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(19**-) Pseudonym of [[Isaac Pfaff]]. Teacher, poet, short story writer, playwright and director. Born in Cape Town, he studied Afrikaans/Dutch  and English at the [[University of Cape Town]]. Became a teacher. He began acting as schoolboy, and later started writing poems, short stories and plays in Afrikaans while at University during the war years. 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 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. In 1950 he joined/founded[?*] the [[Trafalgar Players]], which 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). * In 1960*? He 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. He also continued directing his plays with young people in Toronto, for example in 1966 he did ''Hour of Glory'' with the Oakwood Masquers and ''Bitter Road'' with the Theatre Arts Students of Bickford Park Summer School.  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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[[Paul Roubaix]] (19**-) Pseudonym of [[Isaac Pfaff]]. Teacher, poet, short story writer, playwright and director. ,   
  
Return to [[ESAT Personalities R]]
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== Biography ==
 +
 
 +
Born in Cape Town. He became a teacher. He began acting as schoolboy, and later started writing poems, short stories and plays in Afrikaans while at University during the war years.
 +
 
 +
=== Youth ===
 +
 
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== Training ===
 +
He studied Afrikaans/Dutch and English at the [[University of Cape Town]].
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== Career ===
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
 +
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.
 +
 
 +
In 1950 he joined/founded[?*] the [[Trafalgar Players]], which 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).
 +
 
 +
He also wrote the play ''[[Sonder Bloeisels]]''.
 +
 
 +
In 1960*? He 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. He also continued directing his plays with young people in Toronto, for example in 1966 he did ''Hour of Glory'' with the Oakwood Masquers and ''Bitter Road'' with the Theatre Arts Students of Bickford Park Summer School. 
 +
 
 +
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.
 +
 
 +
== Awards, etc ==
 +
''[[O, Uur van Glorie]]'' (''[[Hour of Glory]]'') (best play at the [[Scopus Club Drama Festival]], 1956.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Sources ==
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Return to ==
 +
 
 +
Return to [[ESAT Personalities P]]  
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 +
 +
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Revision as of 16:08, 13 August 2016

Paul Roubaix (19**-) Pseudonym of Isaac Pfaff. Teacher, poet, short story writer, playwright and director. ,

Biography

Born in Cape Town. He became a teacher. He began acting as schoolboy, and later started writing poems, short stories and plays in Afrikaans while at University during the war years.

Youth

Training

He studied Afrikaans/Dutch and English at the University of Cape Town.


Career

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

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.

In 1950 he joined/founded[?*] the Trafalgar Players, which 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).

He also wrote the play Sonder Bloeisels.

In 1960*? He 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. He also continued directing his plays with young people in Toronto, for example in 1966 he did Hour of Glory with the Oakwood Masquers and Bitter Road with the Theatre Arts Students of Bickford Park Summer School.

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.

Awards, etc

O, Uur van Glorie (Hour of Glory) (best play at the Scopus Club Drama Festival, 1956.


Sources

Go to ESAT Bibliography


Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities P

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page