Malcolm Terrey

Malcolm Terrey (19*-). British-born actor, director, playwright and designer.

Biography

Born and educated in Bournemouth, England, he began his career as a cabaret artist, before appearing in many musical comedies, plays, variety shows, T.V. shows and radio plays. He spent three years in repertory theatre and seven consecutive years playing Dame in pantomime. Then followed a year of taking his clothes off in Oh, Calcutta.

Terrey initially moved to Lesotho and then on to South Africa in 1982, ultimately settling in Johannesburg.

A diabetic, he passed away in Johannesburg on 2 December, 2020, after period of illness.

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

In South Africa made a successful career as a performer, writer and designer , being involved with numerous musical comedies, plays, variety shows, T.V. shows, radio plays and films.

His stage performances

Terrey appeared in numerous stage shows, including musicals and operettas, touring South Africa and/or internationally with a number of them. He is closely identified with Pieter Toerien's productions, having worked with Toerien for over 30 years. Among the many productions featuring Terry have been leading roles in:

Uproar in the House (1992), Toerien's Who Goes Bare?, Move Over Mrs. Markham, Rex Garner’s production of Cahoots at the Leonard Rayne Theatre in 1988. He starred in Tom Lehrer’s Tom Foolery at the André Huguenet Theatre in 1989. His Jo'burg Follies was staged at the Leonard Rayne Theatre in January 1990. He starred in Ray Cooney’s Uproar in the House at the André Huguenet Theatre in 1992. He starred in Edward Duke’s Jeeves Takes Charge at the Richard Haines Theatre (1993, nominated for a Fleur du Cap as best actor in 1985) and in My Fat Friend, 1995, Shear Madness 1997, Peril at End House, Funny Peculiar, Kinky Boots (as the shoe factory manager). A Handful of Keys (1994), The Mousetrap, The Sound of Music, Dirty Dancing, Show Boat, We Will Rock You, The Phantom of the Opera, Cinderella (Joburg Theatre), Grin and Bare It and Ying Tong (Theatre on the Bay and Montecasino), The Mystery of Irma Vep (2000/2001), The Merry Widow (State Theatre, 2007), Kinky Boots (), My Fat Friend, Sheer Madness, Peril at End House, Funny Peculiar, Canterbury Tales, Tom Foolery, Dear Liar

.

As designer/costumier

Malcolm designed costumes for From Door to Door, Honour, The Judas Kiss, My Fat Friend, Absurd Person Singular, The Other Side of the Swamp, We All Fall Down.

As director

He directed The Unexpected Guest, Damsels in Distress,

As playwright and playmaker

He created and co-starred with Kevin Feather in Jo'burg Follies (opening at the Black Sun in Berea in 1986) and A Handful of Keys (1994),

Awards

He was nominated for a Fleur du Cap Best Actor for Jeeves Takes Charge, award year 1985.

Nominated for a Gauteng regional Vita Award 2000/2001) for Best Performance in a Comedy by a Male for The Mystery of Irma Vep.

Sources

A Handful of Keys programme notes, 1994.

Tucker, 1997.

Laetitia Pople, 2020. "Malcolm Terrey 'n 'class act' " (Obituary), Die Burger, 3 December, 2020: p.8.

Theatre Lives [1].

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

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