Sylvaine Strike

Sylvaine Strike (19**- ) is a South African actress, voice over artist, teacher, director in the mediums of theatre, television and film.

Biography

She is married to Chen Nakar.

Training

UCT Drama School.

International School of Mime and Movement, Paris, 1998-2000.

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

Co-founder of the Fortune Cookie Theatre Company and involved in the activities of the Actors' Centre.

As actress she had roles on stage including: a 1993 UCT Drama Department production of Uncle Vanya, Is the Mouse Boss? In 1994, Lulu in Shopping and Fucking; Frankie in Suburban Bliss; Coupé

As director: Fanie's Angels (KKNK, 2001); Baobabs Don't Grow Here (2001); The Travellers (2005); Pregnant Pause (2008); The Butcher Brothers (2010); The Table (2011); The Miser (2012); On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco (2014); Cargo: Precious (2014); Travels Around My Room (2015); Tobacco, and the Harmful Effects Thereof (2014-2015); Curse of the Starving Class (Woordfees 2018), Co-directed The Butcher Brothers, NAF 2010 Directed The Miser (2012-2013). She directed a 2018 production of Endgame.

Sylvaine has written and devised plays such as Black and Blue, Fortunately, The Table (2011), Cargo: Precious, The Travellers (2005).

She also has a career in film and television. She participated in "Jock the Hero Dog" (2011), Gums & Noses (film).

Sylvaine Strike is a critically acclaimed director, theatre maker, actress and teacher. Her work is known for it’s enchanting visual, highly physical, poetic and magical content which has delighted and moved audiences for over two decades. With her acclaimed recent successes such as Endgame in 2019, Kiss of the Spider Womanin 2021, Firefly in 2022, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf in 2023, The Promise in 2023, LAMTA’s Spring Awakening in 2024 and most recently The Tempest for the Maynardville Open Air Festival in 2025, she has garnered the reputation both nationally and internationally for making theatre that moves hearts and challenges the imagination in audiences of all ages. Sylvaine is a passionate teacher whose mission is to make young actors aware of their individual potential, providing them with tools that will unlock their minds and bodies to make their own theatre, discover the power of storytelling, and become the best performers they can possibly be in any style they explore.

Awards, etc

Vita Best Actress Award for her role as Lulu in Shopping and Fucking.

Sylvaine was awarded Standard Bank Young Artist Awards for Drama in 2006.

Best Director at the 10th annual Naledi Theatre Awards, The Miser.

Awarded the Naledi Awards for: Best Actress in a Comedy for her role in Coupé, 2016.

Sources

Fortunately theatre programme, 2002.

Beeld, 26 September 2011.

Wikipedia [1].

IMDb [2].

Die Burger, 21 July 2018.

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

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