Roger Dwyer

Roger Dwyer. (1941-2007) Actor on stage, radio and film, and manager.

Biography

Dwyer was educated at Fish Hoek High School, then trained at the University of Cape Town (1959-1961) and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London (1962-1963).

He died in Cape Town in April 2007.

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

While a student, he starred in Robert Mohr's production of The Sport of My Mad Mother for the 1961 Student's Art Festival entitled Imagination ‘61. The production went to Loughborough Student’s Winter Festival in England, in 1962. and Dwyer remained there to study at RADA for two years. On completion of the studies he performed extensively in the UK for 5 years, returning to South Africa in 1967.

He joined CAPAB in 1968, working there for 15 years inter alia as actor, stage director, company manager, director and principal artist. He later moved on to NAPAC where he was instrumental in establishing the Loft Theatre. At the time of the opening of the Natal Playhouse he held the position of Administration Head of Drama. Dwyer then returned to Cape Town to become company manager for CAPAB English Drama Section.

As actor

He appeared as Diomedes in Antony and Cleopatra at the Little Theatre in 1960.

In 1962 he played in Flora Stohr's production of Ann Jellicoe's The Sport of my Mad Mother at the Little Theatre and to much acclaim of South African and European audiences. At a German Student Festival he was a singled out talent along with John Mitchell.

Among his best known performances are in Cape Charade or Kaatje Kekkelbek (1968), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (CAPAB, 1969), The Emperor (CAPAB, 1970), The Police (CAPAB, 1971), Annie Get Your Gun (CAPAB, 1973), The Game of Kings (CAPAB, 1974), Arms and the Man (CAPAB 1977), Roulette (CAPAB, 1977), Twelfth Night in 1978 at Maynardville, Confusions (CAPAB, 1979), The Relapse (CAPAB 1979), Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Miss Julie (1973), Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Poor Murderer, Othello (1982), Richard II, as Pickering in My Fair Lady (for CAPAB, 1978). He took part in productions for the Baxter Theatre and in comedies for Pieter Toerien at Theatre on the Bay, including Shear Madness (1997).

The Shadow Box (CAPAB, 1980)

Kaspar (CAPAB, 1981)

Poor Murderer (CAPAB, 1981)

Twigs (CAPAB, 1982)

Rain (CAPAB, 1983)

Betrayal (CAPAB, 1984)

The Storyteller (NAPAC, 1985).

Night and Day (NAPAC, 1987)

He starred in the Baxter Theatre’s production of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour in 1988.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (NAPAC, 1989).

Murder Among Friends (NAPAC, 1993)

He starred in Giles Havergal’s Travels with my Aunt at the Leonard Rayne Theatre in August 1994. (See ) [FdV, TH]

He performed in King Lear for Artscape, Cry, The Beloved Country, New Day.

In Praise of Love (Pieter Toerien, 1995)

The Eleventh Commandment (Theatre on the Square, 1998)

Bermuda Avenue Triangle (1999)

Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight, 2000.

The Judas Kiss (Pieter Toerien, 2000)

Funny About Love (Pieter Toerien, 2001)

Caught in the Net ((Pieter Toerien, 2002)

2004: Church Full Of Light: Kereke Ya Lesedi (Baxter Theatre)

Groundswell (New Africa Theatre Association, 2005/2006)

Atkinson at 80: The Importance of Being Michael (March 2007, his final appearance?)

As director

1967: The Garden at the Threshold (CAPAB)

1973: See How They Run (CAPAB)

1974: Present Laughter (CAPAB)

1975: Rookery Nook (CAPAB)

1976: Mr Rhodes and the Princess (CAPAB)

1978: Along Came a Spider (CAPAB)

1979: The Diary of Anne Frank (CAPAB)

1984: London Assurance (CAPAB)

1990: Boeing Boeing (NAPAC)

2000: Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight (with Tim Plewman for Pieter Toerien)

2000: The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?

Dates unknown: The Opposite Sex (NAPAC)

Television/Film

His TV credits include Isidingo, Generations, 7de Laan, Going Up, Madam & Eve, Streaks, Die Vierde Kabinet (1998), Fishy Feshuns and Kalahari Oasis. Sagmoedige Neelsie (1984), Heroes (1986), Stellenbosch (2007)

He appeared in the film The Last Enemy, The Big Game (1973). A Case of Murder (2004), Hitchhiker (2008)

TV movie Hayfever (1984), 12 Days of Terror (2004), Ein Familienschreck kommt selten allein (2006), To Be First (2007)

TV short Die Rosenzüchterin (2004)

Awards, etc

Twice won the coveted AA Vita Award for Best Actor.

Sources

Inskip, 1972.

Burger, 4 January 1978.

Tucker, 1997.

Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight programme notes, 2000

Cape Times, 5 April 2007.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

My Fair Lady programme, 1976.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1753456/?ref_=fn_t_1

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