Andrew Buckland

(1954-) Stage and film actor, mime, playwright and drama teacher. Born in Zimbabwe, trained at Rhodes University Drama Department. He became a junior lecturer, then joined PACT (1980-1984) as actor, playing in, inter alia, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Importance of Being Earnest (1982), Savages, Tom Jones and Bloed in die Strate (by Harry Kalmer), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1984). Gradually began to create his own theatre works (including The Mime, Stillborn and Matches) and in 1987 he and Janet Buckland founded Mouthpeace Theatre in Johannesburg (moving it to Grahamstown in 1992); working closely with their friends Lionel Newton, and director Lara Foot-Newton. In 1992 Buckland became a member of the First Physical Theatre Company and a lecturer in the Drama Department at Rhodes University. (Later senior lecturer and finally professor.) Created a distinctive style of theatre for himself, utilizing the techniques of physical theatre and mime to relate his poetic fantasies. Among his best known works are Touchstones (1984), Pas de Deux, which he had co-written with Soli Philander (1986), the much-admired and multiple award-winning The Ugly Noonoo (1988/1989), Between the Teeth (1990), Bloodstream (with Lionel Newton - 1992), Feedback (also with Newton, 1995), Noisy Walk (1996), The Water Juggler /The Well Being (1998), and **** (2001). His film work includes roles in Shotdown, The Schoolmaster, Dirty Games, The Good Fascist and Quest for Love. Awards include the Standard Bank Young Artist's Award for Drama for Pas de Deux (1986), The Scotsman Fringe Award (Edinburgh Festival - 1995) for Feedback and several Vita Awards and the Fleur du Cap Award for Best New Indigenous Script (1989). His The Investigation of an Ugly Noo Noo was staged at the Warehouse in 1988. He starred in David Mamet’s Speed the Plow at Upstairs at the Market in 1990. He starred in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House at Upstairs at the Market in 1990. He starred in a return run of The Ugly Noo Noo at the Market in 1991. He directed Soli Philander in Soli’s Take Two at the Laager in 1991. He starred in and wrote Bloodtream circa 1992. (Tucker, 1997; Kruger, 1999) BUCKLAND, Andrew, Albert Albee’s Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf, Alexander Theatre,1984 with Jacqui Singer & Michael McCabe, Carol-Ann Kelleher, (dir) William Egan, designs, Gloria Lovegrove. Pact. Touchstones, 1984, Grahamstown Festival. The Ugly Noo Noo: A Trilogy, Markteater, 1989. Bekroon met Vita-toekenning. [training in mime with Jacques le Coq.??**] Awarded the the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Drama in 1986. Performed in Love for Cirque de Soleil in 2009.

Laugh the Buffalo (2013), directed by Janet Buckland; the ghost of Christmas Present in Scrooge (Baxter Theatre, 2013)

performed in Romeo and Juliet (as “Tybalt” with CAPAB), Monday after the Miracle (as “John Macy” with PACT), and in Shrivings (as “David” with PACT).

Sources

Limelight 1982-83

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities B

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page