Difference between revisions of "Phoenix Players"
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | Phoenix Players. Founded in 1965 at [[Dorkay House]] as an offshoot of [[Union Artists]] by [[Ian Bernhardt]] of [[Union Artists]] and director [[Barney Simon]] to produce [[Athol Fugard]]’s ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]''. | + | Phoenix Players. |
| + | |||
| + | ==History== | ||
| + | Founded in 1965 at [[Dorkay House]] as an offshoot of [[Union Artists]] by [[Ian Bernhardt]] of [[Union Artists]] and director [[Barney Simon]] to produce [[Athol Fugard]]’s ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]''. | ||
Despite the personal commitment of the white members of Phoenix Players to furthering the work of black performers, directors and producers and some excellent work produced, there was much criticism from [[BCM]] members because of the perceived preferment given to white members of the company. | Despite the personal commitment of the white members of Phoenix Players to furthering the work of black performers, directors and producers and some excellent work produced, there was much criticism from [[BCM]] members because of the perceived preferment given to white members of the company. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Cornelius Mabaso|Corney Mabaso]] was artistic director and [[Percy Tucker]] a trustee of the Players circa 1974. | ||
==Productions== | ==Productions== | ||
| Line 8: | Line 13: | ||
1968: They went on to sponsor black cast shows such as [[Soweto Ensemble]]’s ''[[Shaka]]'' (directed by [[Cornelius Mabaso|Corney Mabaso]]). | 1968: They went on to sponsor black cast shows such as [[Soweto Ensemble]]’s ''[[Shaka]]'' (directed by [[Cornelius Mabaso|Corney Mabaso]]). | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1969: Phoenix Players arranged performances for non-European audiences by Sarah Churchill, Gÿorgy Pauk and David Kossoff. | ||
1969/1970: Together with [[CAPAB]] and [[PACT]], they staged [[Athol Fugard]]’s ''[[Boesman and Lena]]'' and ''[[People are Living There]]'', both directed by Fugard and starring [[Yvonne Bryceland]] and [[Glynn Day]]. | 1969/1970: Together with [[CAPAB]] and [[PACT]], they staged [[Athol Fugard]]’s ''[[Boesman and Lena]]'' and ''[[People are Living There]]'', both directed by Fugard and starring [[Yvonne Bryceland]] and [[Glynn Day]]. | ||
| Line 15: | Line 22: | ||
1972: [[Barney Simon]] directed [[Athol Fugard]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]]’s workshopped play, ''[[Sizwe Banzi is Dead]]'', starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by [[Ian Bernhardt]] for the Players and was staged at the Men’s Common Room at [[Wits University]] in November. | 1972: [[Barney Simon]] directed [[Athol Fugard]], [[John Kani]] and [[Winston Ntshona]]’s workshopped play, ''[[Sizwe Banzi is Dead]]'', starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by [[Ian Bernhardt]] for the Players and was staged at the Men’s Common Room at [[Wits University]] in November. | ||
| − | In 197* they collaborated with Mabaso to produce the variety show Isuntu, which went on to tour Japan (as Meropa) and England (as KwaZulu). | + | In 197* they collaborated with Mabaso to produce the variety show ''[[Isuntu]]'', which went on to tour Japan (as ''[[Meropa]]'') and England (as KwaZulu). |
| − | + | They performed in the black musical Meropa, previously called Isintu, which toured to Japan and the Far East. Brickhill-Burke reworked this play and reopened [[His Majesty's Theatre]] with it on the 3 December 1974. **** (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) [TH] | |
| + | There were also performances of ''[[An Ideal Husband]]'', ''[[Cabaret]]'', ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'' and the two plays presented by the visiting Cambridge University's, Dryden Society [https://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/societies/directory/drydensoc/] (''[[All's Well That Ends Well]]'' and ''[[Marat/Sade]]''. | ||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
Revision as of 15:01, 31 December 2025
Phoenix Players.
History
Founded in 1965 at Dorkay House as an offshoot of Union Artists by Ian Bernhardt of Union Artists and director Barney Simon to produce Athol Fugard’s Hello and Goodbye.
Despite the personal commitment of the white members of Phoenix Players to furthering the work of black performers, directors and producers and some excellent work produced, there was much criticism from BCM members because of the perceived preferment given to white members of the company.
Corney Mabaso was artistic director and Percy Tucker a trustee of the Players circa 1974.
Productions
1965: Athol Fugard’s Hello and Goodbye.
1968: They went on to sponsor black cast shows such as Soweto Ensemble’s Shaka (directed by Corney Mabaso).
1969: Phoenix Players arranged performances for non-European audiences by Sarah Churchill, Gÿorgy Pauk and David Kossoff.
1969/1970: Together with CAPAB and PACT, they staged Athol Fugard’s Boesman and Lena and People are Living There, both directed by Fugard and starring Yvonne Bryceland and Glynn Day.
1972: Phiri (a celebrated local version of Jonson’s Volpone, adapted and directed by Barney Simon).
1972: Barney Simon directed Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona’s workshopped play, Sizwe Banzi is Dead, starring Kani and Ntshona. It was brought to Johannesburg by Ian Bernhardt for the Players and was staged at the Men’s Common Room at Wits University in November.
In 197* they collaborated with Mabaso to produce the variety show Isuntu, which went on to tour Japan (as Meropa) and England (as KwaZulu).
They performed in the black musical Meropa, previously called Isintu, which toured to Japan and the Far East. Brickhill-Burke reworked this play and reopened His Majesty's Theatre with it on the 3 December 1974. **** (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) [TH]
There were also performances of An Ideal Husband, Cabaret, Fiddler on the Roof and the two plays presented by the visiting Cambridge University's, Dryden Society [1] (All's Well That Ends Well and Marat/Sade.
Sources
PACT/CAPAB's, in association with Phoenix Players, productions of People are Living There and Boesman and Lena programme notes in 1969/70.
For more information
Return to
Return to South African Theatre Venues, Companies, Societies, etc
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
