Chris Barnard

Chris Barnard (1939-2015) is a celebrated Afrikaans novelist, journalist, reviewer, playwright and scriptwriter for radio, film and TV and a farmer.

Biography

Born Christiaan Johan Barnard in Mataffin, Nelspruit, on July 15, 1939 and matriculated at Hoërskool Nelspruit in 1957. He then studied at the University of Pretoria, with Afrikaans-Nederlands and History of Art as majors.

He then joined

He was friends with many Afrikaans writers and a part of the literary movement known as "Die Sestigers" ("The writers of the Sixties") and became a key figure in the later Afrikaanse Skrywersgilde ("Afrikaans Writers' Guild").

He married his first wife, Annette, in 1962, with whom he had three sons: Johan, Stephan and Tian. After divorcing her in 1978, he married the actress and film maker Katinka Heyns, with whom he had a fourth son, Simon. Barnard died of a heart attack on 28 December, 2015.

His writing career

A well-known and respected journalist for many years, Barnard was also a prolific, able and eclectic writer of , inter alia, Afrikaans novels, novellas, columns, youth novels, short stories, plays, radio dramas, film scripts and television dramas.

Besides many short stories, sketches and articles (a number published in the Chriskras series of four collections, appearing in 1972, 1976, 1985 and 1988 respectively), and Bartho by geleentheid van sy sestigste verjaardag (a compilation of tributes to Bartho Smit, edited by Barnard, 1984), he published thirteen other book-length prose works, that include such well-respected works as Man in die middel (1963), Dwaal (1964), Duiwel-in-die-bos (short stories, 1968), Mahala (1971), the Danda]] youth novels (1974, 1977), Moerland (1992), Boendoe (1999) and in 2008 Oulap se blou, another collection of short stories.

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

Barnard was also an influential writer of dramatic works, initially experimenting with theatre of the absurd in the early sixties and first making his name as playwright with the greatly admired piece called Pa, Maak vir my 'n Vlieër Pa ("Father, build me a kite, Father" – the English translation being titled Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow), first staged by CAPAB in 1969.

He then went on to write a number of other plays and scripts for stage, radio, TV and film.

The stage plays

Iemand Om Voor Nag te Sê (“Someone to say Good Night to” – 19*),

'n Man met Vakansie (“A Man on Vacation” – 19*),

Taraboemdery (19*) a

Bloed?* (1981?*),

Die Swanesang van Majoor Sommer (PACT, 1979), **. Also wrote for radio. Plays include the Film and television texts: Nagspel [“Night Game”], Piet-my-vrou, Die Ballade van Klara Viljee and Paljas), are among the few published scripts available in Afrikaans.

Radio Dramas

Pa, maak vir my 'n vlieër, Pa; (1964) 'n Stasie in die niet; (1970) Die rebellie van Lafras Verwey; (1971) Iemand om voor nag te sê; (1975) Op die pad na Acapulco; (1975) 'n Man met vakansie; (1977) Taraboemdery; (1977)

Television and Filmscripts

Die Transvaalse Laeveld: kamee van 'n kontrei; (1975) Piet-my-vrou & Nagspel; (1982)

Die storie van Klara Viljee;[4] compiler and editor (1992) Paljas;[5][6] compiler and editor (1998)

Awards and honors

Barnard was the recipient of numerous literary and other awards. They include:

1961 CNA Prize; Bekende onrus 1962 APB Prize for youth literature; Boela van die blouwater 1968 CNA Prize; Duiwel-in-die-bos 1970 SABC/BRT Prize for radio dramas; Die rebellie van Lafras Verwey 1973 Hertzog Prize for prose; Mahala and Duiwel-in-die-bos 1973 SABC Academy Prize for radio dramas; Die rebellie van Lafras Verwey 1974 WA Hofmeyr Prize; Mahala 1980 Idem Prize for radio dramas; Die rebellie van Lafras Verwey 1984 Idem Prize for television dramas; Donkerhoek 1986 FAK-Helpmekaar Prize for light fiction; So onder deur die maan: Chriskras 3 1987 Idem Prize for radio dramas; Uitnodiging tot die dans 1987-89 Scheepers Prize for youth literature; Voetpad na Vergelegen 1991 Hertzog Prize for drama; For his complete drama oeuvre 1992 WA Hofmeyr Prize; Moerland 1993 Rapport Prize; Moerland 1993 CNA Prize; Moerland 2006 ATKVeertjie for writer of episode 13 of Amalia 2008 SA Akademie's Medal of Honour for Afrikaans Radio Dramas; Blindemol 2013 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, shortlisted for Bundu (tr. Michiel Heyns; Afrikaans)[9]

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Barnard_(author)

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities B

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page