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| | == For more information == | | == For more information == |
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| − | These include:
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| − | After the political change, he grasped the opportunity of bringing the formerly banned big musicals to South Africa. These include ''[[Les Misrablés]]'' (with [[Cameron Mackintosh]], 19**), ''[[The Phantom of the Opera]]'' (19**), ***.
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| − | He brought [[Nigel Patrick]] to star in [[Alan Bennett]]’s ''[[Habeas Corpus]]'' which was directed by [[Kim Grant]] at the [[Civic]] in 1974. [[David Poulson]] directed ''[[Not in the Book]]'' with [[Wilfrid Hyde-White]] and [[Avril Angers]] for Toerien at the [[Civic]] in 1974 He staged [[Peter Shaffer]]’s ''[[Equus]]'' which was directed by [[Leonard Schach]] starring British actors [[John Fraser]] and [[Dai Bradley]] together with [[Anne Courtneidge]], [[Kim Braden]], [[Fiona Fraser]] and [[Michael Howard]] at the [[Civic]] in 1975.
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| − | He also presented [[Barbara Windsor]] in ''[[Carry on Barbara]]'', [[Terry Scott]] and [[June Whitfield]] in ''[[A Bed Full of Foreigners]]'' and an ensemble of British actors, led by [[Sir Michael Redgrave]] who brought ''[[Shakespeare’s People]]'', put together by [[Sir Michael Redgrave]] to the [[Civic]] in 1975. He brought out [[Leonard Whiting]] again in 1976 to star in the [[Ben Travers]] farce, ''[[The Bed Before Yesterday]]'', together with [[Jean Kent]], [[Marjorie Gordon]], [[Naomi Buch]], [[Graham Armitage]] and [[Gordon Mulholland]]. [[Hywel Bennett]] starred in [[Simon Gray]]’s ''[[Otherwise Engaged]]'' together with [[Sandra Duncan]]; West End director [[Frith Banbury]] staged a revival of [[Frederick Lonsdale]]’s 1920s comedy ''[[On Approval]]'', starring [[Richard Todd]] and [[Moyra Fraser]].
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| − | He presented [[Tom Stoppard]]’s ''[[Dirty Linen]]'' starring [[Richard Warwick]], [[Charles Hawtrey]], [[Peter Bowles]], [[Naomi Buch]] and [[Ron Smerczak]] at the [[Civic Theatre]] in 1977. He staged ''[[The Deep Blue Sea]]'', directed by [[Joan Kemp-Welch]] and starring [[Helen Cherry]] and [[James Faulkner]] at the [[Baxter Theatre]] in 1977. It was set to be the opening production at his new Johannesburg theatre, the [[Andre Huguenet]] in Hillbrow. He staged the American mini-musical ''[[Starting Here, Starting Now]]'', directed by [[John Montgomery]] and starring [[Andre Hattingh]], [[Denise Freeman]] and [[Richard Loring]] at the [[Intimate Theatre]] in 1978. He staged [[James Kirkwood]]’s ''[[P.S. Your Cat is Dead]]'', directed by [[Dennis Breto]] with [[John Fraser]] and [[Anthony Daniels]] in 1978. He brought [[Stockton Briggle]] to South Africa to direct a season of three plays consisting of [[Ira Levin]]’s ''[[Deathtrap]]'' starring [[Peter Wyngarde]] and [[Raymond O’Neill]] at the [[Andre Huguenet]]; ''[[The Passion of Dracula]]''; and [[Neil Simon]]’s ''[[California Suite]]'', starring [[Naomi Buch]], [[Annabel Linder]], [[Anthony Fridjhon]] and [[Michael Mayer]] in 1978.
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| − | He sponsored a tour of ''[[Middle Age Spread]]'' with [[Rex Garner]], [[Helen Jessop]] and [[Eric Flynn]] before it opened at the [[Andre Huguenet]] in October 1980. [[Toerien-Firth]] staged [[Andrew Davies]]’ ''[[Rose]]'' starring [[Sandra Duncan]] at the [[Intimate]] in 1980/1981. He staged [[Agatha Christie]]’s ''[[The Spider’s Web]]'' starring [[Rex Garner]], [[Shelagh Holliday]], [[Paddy Canavan]] and [[Kenneth Baker]] at the [[Andre Huguenet]] in 1981. [[Leslie Phillips]] starred in ''[[Canaries Sometimes Sing]]'' for Pieter at the [[Andre Huguenet]] in 1981. He purchased the [[Alhambra Theatre]] from [[JODS]] circa 1981 where he staged [[Peter Shaffer]]’s ''[[Amadeus]]'' starring [[Richard Haines]] and [[Ralph Lawson]] and directed by [[Nikolas Simmonds]] in 1981. [[Michael Atkinson]] replaced [[Richard Haines]] in a subsequent extended season. He staged [[Agatha Christie]]’s ''[[The Unexpected Guest]]'' starring [[Yvonne Banning]] and [[Eckard Rabe]] at the [[Alhambra]] in January 1982. He then staged [[John Chapman]] and [[Dave Freeman]]’s ''[[Key for Two]]'' starring [[Rex Garner]], [[Gordon Mulholland]] and [[Moira Lister]] at the [[Alhambra]] in 1982 before taking it to London. He presented [[Noël Coward]]’s ''[[Oh Coward]]'', directed by [[Freddie Carpenter]] with [[Richard Loring]], [[Judy Page]] and [[Ronnie Stevens]] at the [[Andre Huguenet]] and the [[Intimate]] in 1982.
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| − | He presented [[A.R.Gurney Jr]]’s ''[[The Dining Room]]'' starring [[Gordon Mulholland]], [[Amanda Strydom]], [[Ralph Lawson]] and [[Patricia Sanders]] with direction by [[Bobby Heaney]] at the [[Alhambra]] in 1983. He presented [[Agatha Christie]]’s [[Towards Zero]] at the [[Andre Huguenet]] starring [[John Watts]] and directed by [[Charles Hickman]] in 1983. He opened a new auditorium at the [[Alhambra]] in 1983 called the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre]]. The opening production on the 18 July 1983 was ''[[Side by Side by Sondheim]]'', a collection of [[Stephen Sondheim]]’s pieces starring [[Dianne Chandler]], [[Andre Hattingh]] and [[Eric Flynn]], who also directed. He staged [[Michael Frayn]]’s ''[[Noises Off]]'' starring [[Rex Garner]], [[Joy Stewart Spence]], [[Eckard Rabe]], [[Clare Marshall]], [[Ralph Lawson]] and [[Kenneth Baker]] at the [[Andre Huguenet]] in 1983. It returned later that same year for another run.
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| − | TOERIEN, Pieter, ''[[It's a Boy!]]'' [[Robert Kirby]], [[Keith Grenville] (dir). The play was a return visit to the [[Baxter]] in 83 which played to packed houses last August during the Baxter 82 season. Then transferred to JHB by Pieter Toerien. Playing at the [[Academy]]. ''[[Agnes of God]]'', ''[[Mass Appeal]]'', ''[[the Real Thing]]'', ''[[Side by Side By Sondheim]]'', 1983. [[Clarence Darrow]], [[Grahamstown Festival]], 1984.
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| − | Producer of Little Shop of Horrors with [[Cameron Mackintosh]] in 1984-1985
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| − | He presented ''[[Agnes of God]]'' starring [[Fiona Ramsay]], [[Pauline Bailey]] and [[Lena Ferugia]] and directed by [[Nikolas Simmonds]] at the [[Baxter]] in 1983 before moving it to the [[Alhambra]]. He got [[Kim Grant]] to direct his 1984 [[Agatha Christie]], ''[[The Hollow]]'' starring [[Shelagh Holliday]] at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in February. He presented [[Ray Cooney]]’s ''[[Run for Your Wife]]'' starring [[Rex Garner]] and [[Michael Richard]] at the [[Alhambra]] in February 1984. He staged [[Francis Durbridge]]’s ''[[House Guest]]'' directed by [[Hugh Wooldridge]] in 1984. He presented [[Mastrosimone]]’s ''[[Extremities]]'' starring [[Lena Ferugia]] and [[Michael Richard]] with direction by [[Hugh Wooldridge]] in 1984. In 1985 he presented [[Agatha Christie]]’s ''[[Black Coffee]]'' with [[Bill Flynn]], [[Michael Frayn]]’s ''[[Benefactors]]'' which was directed by [[Rex Garner]], ''[[One for the Pot]]'' and ''[[The Marriage-Go-Round]]''. [[Michael Richard]] starred in [[Kean]] at the [[Leonard Rayne]] in June 1985, and in August of the same year Pieter brought back [[Equus]].
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| − | [[Isn't It Romantic]] 1985.
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| − | In 1986 he presented [[Agatha Christie]]’s ''[[Murder at the Vicarage]]'' and ''[[The Business of Murder]]''. At the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] he presented [[Ray Cooney]]’s ''[[Two into One]]'' in 1986. He brought ''[[Tom and Viv]]'', directed by [[Ken Leach]] to the [[Alhambra]] in August 1986. He presented ''[[Jerry’s Girls]]'' directed by [[Jimmy Bell]] and [[Richard Harris]]’ ''[[Stepping Out]]'' at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1986. [[Rex Garner]] starred in Canadian playwright Bernard Slade’s ''[[Tribute]]'' for Pieter in 1987.
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| − | [[Outside Edge]] 1987 and 1990.
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| − | He presented [[Agatha Christie]]’s ''[[Peril at End House]]'' and the revue ''[[It’s Getting Harder]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne]] in 1988. He presented [[Vladimir Gubartev]]’s ''[[Sarcophagus]]'' and [[Jerome Kilty]]’s ''[[Dear Love]]'' at the [[Andre Huguenet]] in 1988. He presented [[Terence McNally]]’s ''[[Frankie and Johnny at the Claire de Lune]]'', [[Tobie Cronje]] in ''[[Charley’s Aunt]]'' and [[Peter Shaffer]]’s ''[[Lettuce and Lovage]]'' (pg 468 spelling different) in 1988. His new theatre called [[Theatre on the Bay]] opened in mid December 1988 with a production of ''[[Nunsense]]''. He presented [[Agatha Christie]]’s ''[[Murder on the Nile]]'', [[Tom Lehrer]]’s ''[[Tom Foolery]]'' and ''[[Who Goes Bare]]'' at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1989. He presented [[David Henry Hwang]]’s ''[[M. Butterfly]]'' at the [[Alhambra]] in October 1989. He presented [[Malcolm Terrey]] and [[Kevin Feather]]’s ''[[Jo’Burg Follies]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne]] in January 1990. Together with [[NAPAC]] he brought ''[[Ain’t Misbehavin’]]'' to the [[Andre Huguenet]] in 1990. He presented ''[[Move Over Mrs Markham]]'' at the [[Alhambra]] in 1990. In conjunction with [[Plewman Productions]] he presented [[Michael Pertwee]]’s ''[[Sextet]]'' at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1990. He presented [[Richard Harris]]’ ''[[The Maintenance Man]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne]] in 1990. [[Deon Opperman]] and [[Garth Holmes]] wrote ''[[Playboys]]'' for him in 1990. He presented ''[[Lend Me a Tenor]]'' in 1990. He presented ''[[Jo’burg Follies 2]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne]] during the festive season of 1990.
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| − | He presented [[Gordon Mulholland]] in [[Gordon Bleu]] at the [[Richard Haines]] in 1992. He presented [[Michael Pertwee]]’s [[Birds of Paradise]] at the [[Alhambra]] in 1992. He presented [[John Guare]]’s ''[[Six Degrees of Separation]]'' in 1992. [[Mark Graham]] directed ''[[I Was King]]'' for him at the [[Richard Haines Theatre]] in 1992.
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| − | [[The Woman in Black]] (1992-1993).
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| − | He presented [[Hugh Whitemore]]’s ''[[The Best of Friends]]'' in 1993. He presented ''[[Don’t Dress for Dinner]]'' in 1993. He presented [[Rupert Gavin]]’s ''[[An Evening with Gary Lineker]]'' at the [[Alhambra]], [[Edward Duke]]’s ''[[Jeeves Takes Charge]]'' and [[Kevin Feather]]’s ''[[The Doowah Girls]]'', both at the [[Richard Haines]] in 1993. He presented [[James Sherman]]’s ''[[Beau Jest]]'' at the [[Theatre on the Bay]], [[Civic’s Youth Theatre]] and the [[Leonard Rayne]] in 1993. He presented ''[[The Monkey Walk]]'' at the [[Richard Haines]] in 1994. He presented [[Bob Randall]]’s ''[[The Fan]]'' in 1994. He presented [[Giles Havergal]]’s ''[[Travels With My Aunt]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne]] in August 1994. He brought [[Cameron Mackintosh]]’s ''[[Les Miserables]]'' to the [[Nico Malan]] in 1996.
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| − | Another South African record was set by actor [[Tim Plewman]] who in 2006 ended an eight year run of Rob Becker's ''[[Defending the Caveman]]''. Plewman, had given 1500 performances of this one man show.
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| − | In ab interview in 2004 he considered [[Equus]], [[Amadeus]], [[Nunsense]], [[Defending the Caveman]], [[Cats]] to be his most successful productions up to then.
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| | == Awards, etc. == | | == Awards, etc. == |
Pieter Toerien (1942-) [1] is an impressario, producer and theatre owner.
Being edited (November 2023)
Biography
Born in Cape Town in 1942,
Career
Toerien's career began while he was still at school, when he presented puppet shows to schools in his home city, Cape Town. From there hewent on to become one of South Africa’s most active producers of stage productions, certainly one of the most powerful and successful private theatre impressario's of the period after 1980.
His first venture after school when he, aged 17, introduced the concept of bio-vaudeville – persuading cinema managements to have live entertainment before the feature film. Under the mentorship of Britain's theatre agent Herbert de Leon and in partnership with Basil Rubin, he set about bringing British variety artists such as Alma Cogan and Dickie Valentine brought to South Africa, and eventually also adding Russ Conway (1964), Peter Nero (1966), Shelly Berman, Cyd Charisse, Tony Martin, Françoise Hardy and Maurice Chevalier (1967) to his list of luminaries.
His greatest coup came at the age of 20, when he signed Marlene Dietrich for appearances in the country. He sat on the street outside her apartment until curiosity compelled her to invite him in. He signed her to tour in 1965 and again in 1966. They remained friends until her death in 1992 aged 91.
In 1966 he tentatively shifted his focus to the dramatic stage, often bringing entire productions from the West End to South Africa, cast, sets and costumes. Funding all his own productions he famously claimed that he produced farce and comedy to subsidize less commercial theatre. At the same time he continued with the successful business formula of signing overseas box-office attractions he brought names like Hermione Gingold from New York for Noel Coward’s Fallen Angels, Joan Fontaine for Fredrick Knott’s thriller Dial M for Murder. Other names included Barbara Windsor, June Whitfield and Sir Michael Redgrave.
With rigid censorship laws in South Africa in the 70s and 80s, plays were continually under scrutiny by the law. Ronald Millar’s Abelard and Heloise called for a nude scene and actress Heather Lloyd-Jones consented to the demands of the script. Audience curiosity filled houses to capacity. The censorship board were given a dim silhouette of Miss Lloyd-Jones and the play was allowed to continue. Toerien did not escape more aggressive raids when productions were closed down.
When the word ‘gay’ was still taboo Toerien brought The Other Side of the Swamp to the boards. Writer Royce Ryton himself played opposite Echardt Rabe under Graham Armtage’s direction. By running for a year this production broke a South African record.
Writers Ben Travis, Ray Clooney and Alan Eichbourne became audience favourites; as did Agatha Christie. From the early 80s, British comedy actor and director Rex Garner became associated with Toerien with many box office successes; Ray Clooney's Out of Order and It Runs in the Famiy, Michael Pertwee's Birds of Paradise and Robin Hawdon's Don't Dress for Dinner.
The works of such imminent British writers as Noel Coward, Tom Stoppard, Simon Gray, and Peter Shaffer have all been mounted in Toerien’s theatres. In the 80s Toerien brought Sir Cameron Macintosh’s Tomfoolery to South Africa. This association has resulted in South Africa receiving many of the phenomenal successes of Macintosh's London musical theatre, Les Miserables, a co-production with Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Tsogo Sun; Cats which toured Scandinavia, the Far East and Beirut; The Phantom of the Opera which toured the Far East, ending in Hong Kong. These were followed by The Sleeping Beauty on Ice, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar which was originally banned in South Africa as blasphemous after it opened on Broadway in 1971.
He always claimed that he did not need state subsidy, he subsidised himself. This was largely done by doing many popular potboilers (drawing room comedies and murder mysteries), and this enabled him to do more literary West End and Broadway successes, such as Equus and M. Butterfly.
Involvement in the Performing Arts industry
Toerien has not limited himself to theatre management. During the period of South Africa’s transition he worked extensively with WESTAG Task Group on the Performing Arts sub-committee. In this area of civic responsibility he also gave of his expertise on the CAPAB board to assist them in their adjustment to become Artscape. He was also on the board of the National Arts Council and the Western Cape Cultural Commission, and is a patron of the STAND Foundation.
Theatres and venues
Toerien created, managed and owned a number of theatre and entertainment venues over the years,
Since the 70s he has always owned his own theatres, beginning with The Intimate Theatre (in partnership with Shirley Firth,) , followed over the years by The Barnato, the André Huguenet Theatre (Johannesburg), the Alhambra Theatre (Johannesburg), the Theatre on the Bay (Cape Town), the Montecasino Theatre (Johannesburg).
was In 1980 he saved an old theatre from demolition and opened The Alahambra in Braamfontein, Johannesburg with Peter Shaffer's Amadeus. Refurbishing the old building he added two more theatres to the complex, the Leonard Rayne Theatre, opened 18th July 1983, (renamed The Rex Garner Theatre in 1994) and The Richard Haines Theatre. In 1988 he purchased the derelict Alvin Cinema in Camps Bay, Cape Town and, with designer Jan Corewyn transformed it with a post modern façade draped with a sculptured curtain. He named it Theatre on the Bay. It opened in mid-December 1988 with a production of Nunsense. With the decentralization of Johannesburg’s CBD Toerien moved his Alhambra operation to the north of Johannesburg opening Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre complex. Here he runs 2 theatres, one with 320 seats and a studio theatre with 160 seats [1]]
2007 saw the staging of The Lion King in a splendid new 1900 seater lyric theatre being especially built by Tsogo Sun at Montecasino in Johannesburg. It would be the tenth largest in the world.
Most of Toerien's productions have been done either in his own name, or that of his company Pieter Toerien Productions, though he has also participated in a number of partnerships over the years (see below).
Among the list of stage productions have been (arranged chronologically):
1971: Ronald Millar’s Abelard and Helöise, starring Heather Lloyd-Jones, Paul Massie, Margaretta Scott and Mervyn Johns at the Civic.
1972: Jack Popplewell’s Darling, I’m Home starring Ian Carmichael and Diane Todd, and A Touch of Spring starring Leonard Whiting and directed by Philip Grout, at the Civic Theatre in 1972.
1973: He brought Kenneth Connor to star in My Fat Friend at the Civic Theatre and presented a compilation of Noël Coward’s material, Cowardy Custard, starring Moira Lister, David Kernan and Graham Armitage and directed by Freddie Carpenter at the Civic Theatre that same year.
1975: Equus. With CAPAB's new open racial policy it was at last possible for CAPAB and Toerien’s production company to obtain the rights to Peter Schaffer's play and perform it, first in the Nico Malan Opera House and afterwards in the Nico Malan Theatre.
2015-6: Singin' in the Rain, directed by Jonathan Church with Grant Almirall, Bethany Dickson and Steven van Wyk. Presented at Artscape (2015/6) and the Teatro at Montecasino (2016).
Toerien's theatrical partnerships
Besides his role as an independent producer and impressatio, Toerien has, over the years, collaborated with many other producers and companies, including the Performing Arts Councils and has a number of business partners for shorter or longer periods of time. Among them have been:
Toerien-Rubin 1963-1970
Toerien-Rubin-Firth 1969-1970
Toerien-Firth 1970-1982
See the entries on these partnerships for details on productions.
Venues
The Alhambra Theatre
The Andre Huguenet Theatre
Theatre on the Bay
Montecasino
Productions
Sources
For more information
Awards, etc.
In 1988 he received the Fleur du Cap Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the industry.
Sources
https://www.pietertoerien.co.za/
https://www.montecasino.co.za/entertainment/theatre/pieter-toerien/
Television documentary: To the Edge by Peter Bode of The Star newspaper.
'n Kwarteeu van energie by Mariana Malan in Die Burger Monday 18 November 2013, p. 8.
Tucker, 1997.
Wikipedia [2].
Theatre programmes and other material held by NELM.
Interview by Lesley Byram published in Cape Times, 1 April 2004.
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